These little Colts are my favorite to collect. many collectors know that the short barrels are the most popular and it seems the shorter the barrel, the bigger the cost. There is a slight exception. Some may also know that the 4-3/4“ peacemaker 22 is much more rare than the 4.4” This also applies to the New Frontier 22 too. This is because Colt began 1971 making the short barrel length in 4-3/4”. At the end of 1971, Colt changed the short barrel length to 4.4” exactly, for the remainder of the Peacemaker/New Frontier production.
therefore, ALL 4-3/4” barreled Peacemaker and New Frontier 22’s should have a serial that dates it to the first year 1971 production. There are a few 4.4” made in 1971 after the change, so that length can date to any production year.
Also to note: when Colt made the barrel length change, the word didn’t exactly become set in stone to notate the slightly different barrel length on the box label. The 1971-1973 brown “lift top” boxes had end labels, and this label information was filled out with red ink pen by hand normally, and so some will be filled out as 4-3/4” instead of 4.4” , although the box will still be serialized to the shorter barreled gun.
if ever coming across one of these model guns and not sure of the exact barrel length, the easiest way to tell is the 4.4” length is slightly shorter and basically the barrel is flush with the end of the ejector rod housing, whereas the 4-3/4” extends slightly past, as seen in this picture with the 4-3/4” on top and 4.4” on the bottom.
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therefore, ALL 4-3/4” barreled Peacemaker and New Frontier 22’s should have a serial that dates it to the first year 1971 production. There are a few 4.4” made in 1971 after the change, so that length can date to any production year.
Also to note: when Colt made the barrel length change, the word didn’t exactly become set in stone to notate the slightly different barrel length on the box label. The 1971-1973 brown “lift top” boxes had end labels, and this label information was filled out with red ink pen by hand normally, and so some will be filled out as 4-3/4” instead of 4.4” , although the box will still be serialized to the shorter barreled gun.
if ever coming across one of these model guns and not sure of the exact barrel length, the easiest way to tell is the 4.4” length is slightly shorter and basically the barrel is flush with the end of the ejector rod housing, whereas the 4-3/4” extends slightly past, as seen in this picture with the 4-3/4” on top and 4.4” on the bottom.
