[BobWright]

I have never seen a Colt Cowboy other than magazine ads and some mention in magazine articles. I would appreciate it if someone would give a brief history and description of the revolver. I never heard of its use outside of Cowboy Action Shooting. Was the gun of interest to casual shooters and/or outdoorsmen? Where did it fit in the array of Italian replicas, and how did it compare to them and Rugers?

Bob Wright

 

[weagle99]

Below Ruger quality at a Colt price. Poorly finished gun with a different action than the Single Action Army.

 

[Chaffee]

Below Ruger quality at a Colt price. Poorly finished gun with a different action than the Single Action Army.

+1. Colt's attempt to cater to the budget SASS crowd. The Vaquero is a better gun IMO.

 

[BobWright]

Please tell me about the gun, finishes, barrel length, calibers, and grips. Sights available? When introduced and discontinued?

Bob Wright

 

[Mike Faires]

Low value European built (Swiss I think) with Colt name. Priced at the time about 1/2 of a 3rd gen Colt and twice the price of a Uberti copy. Transfer bar firing pin if I recall correctly, only came in 45 Colt and only with a 5.5 inch barrel.

 

[BobWright]

According to what I've researched on the Internet, the gun was a close copy of the SAA, with a few parts interchangeable; barrel, trigger, trigger guard/backstrap, ejector rod assembly. These parts not so nicely finished as the SAA, but would swap out. The frame was investment cast and "color case hardened" similar to the original Ruger Vaquero. Grips were black plastic but not a duplicate of the SAA. Made in .45 Colt and 5 1/2" barrel only. Made from 1998 to 2004.

Transfer bar mechanism but half cock loading.

All this true?

Bob Wright

 

[dfariswheel]

The Colt Cowboy was an attempt by Colt to offer a lower cost single action revolver to people wanting a single action, but wouldn't spend the money for the high end and expensive semi-custom Single Action Army.
The Single Action Army was and is a Custom Shop model, the Cowboy was a standard production model.

It was a modern transfer bar safety-ignition type action. It was introduced in 1999, and discontinued in 2003.
Barrel lengths were 4 3/4" and 5 1/2".
Finish was blue with color case hardened frame.
Caliber was .45 Colt.
Grips were black composition similar to early SAA's from the 1870's.

There was a limited run of 1,000 guns with a bowie knife and a silver medallion, in a fitted case.

Originally, major parts were going to be made for Colt in the Czech Republic, but that was changed to Canada.
The guns were assembled and finished at Colt.

The gun was apparently not a success against the Ruger and various Uberti single actions.

 

[don62]

I've got one and I love it..It feels more like a real saa than the Rugers. I take it in the truck, four wheeler and even the canoe and don't have to worry about scratching a big dollar Colt.. Another bonus, 6 shots carried safely.. The fit and finish on mine is great, no poor workmanship on this one..

 

[smkummer]

Retail was about $600, many were bought for less ($450 and up). I finally bought one about 5 years ago and like shooting it as it was intended to be a working gun. Its fine for what it was intended for, but its not what one wants to pull out of the safe to brag about Colt fit and finish. I had to have my front sight bent slightly for it to shoot to the sights but no other issues. Kind of wish they still made it but the profit margin must have been really low. I would agree if you put it besides a vaquero, the vaquero would appear to have a better fit. It appears collectors are now attempting to add one to the collection so prices are climbing.

 

[gunbroke]

As already mentioned, they were only offered for a 4-5 period. Low volumes and didn't have much of a following unit recently. They now sell for four figure prices regularly on the auction sites. Rumor has it they were made in .357 mag as well as .45 Colt; but I have never seen one chambered in anything other than .45 Colt. To be blunt and honest they are probably one of the worst quality revolvers Colt ever made. The transfer bar firing system had an inherent design flaw where if the hammer was lowered from half cock without first releasing the trigger before the hammer is fully lowered the action will lock solid with the bolt down on the cylinder between the locking notches. Colt has long been known for their superior metallurgy, the frame on the Cowboy was die cast (non-forged). Red loctite was also used by the factory on the screws holding the revolver together. The Cowboy represented a lot of production "firsts" for Colt, and thankfully lasts that died with the model.

 

[DPris]

Other parts were cast besides the main frame, all castings done by Alphacasting in Montreal, Canada.
Denis

 

[what would you say]

colt just had to make a single action that we could complain about is all.... just kidding... I bought one at $850 last year. I'm not a car collector, but I compare it to say a car model from the 60's or whatever that wasn't too pretty or not the best idea, but they quickly stopped making them so there is not alot of them .. and now they are becoming collectible. I quick glance from a SAA collector at one and you can see the case coloring instead of true case hardening on the frame. The grips and bluing is also comparable quality and finish to a Taurus, Uberti, etc.
I don't know how well it operates, but I've read the posts about the gun locking up if its uncocked and trigger pulled from half cock.

 

[BobWright]

Are you saying die cast as opposed to investment cast?

Bob Wright

 

[Jim Martin]

About a year after the "cowboy" came out the head of sales @ Colt called me [I won't use his name,he's no longer there] & wanted me to do an action job on a Colt for him,when he got it back he said he didn't know that a colt action could be done this nice w/genuine Colt parts & not use piano wire springs,then he asked me what I thought of the "cowboy"-I told him I didn't like it & wouldn't own one & that I'd re-named it "the coca cola colt",he asked why & I asked him if he rememberd when coke changed the recipe & it turned out to be a disaster & he said yes,I told him that that's what Colt has done by bringing out the cowboy & that it was the same kind of a mistake.

 

[DPris]

Investment cast, not die-cast.
I've not found a gunsmith yet who had a good opinion of the Cowboy's guts.
Denis

 

[gunbroke]

Are you saying die cast as opposed to investment cast?

Bob Wright

Far as I know (which ain't saying much) they were (and I pray they were) die cast. If they were investment cast than I am even more concerned about their frame strength. Typically investment casting is not used in high pressure applications because the inherent issue with porosity. Because the die/mold it so delicate the material cannot be forced into the mold without damaging it. Die casting on the other hand the material can be shot into the dies under great pressure to minimize porosity and multiple flow fronts that could produce lamination. Porisity and lamination are flaws/weaknesses in the material that could lead to cracking.

 

[DPris]

The guy at Alphacasting I was emailing back & forth with called it investment casting.
Done right, by a competent firm specializing in it, investment casting works fine.
Look at Ruger.
Denis

 

[tankerfrank]

the Cowboy was a good working pistol, I bought two and wished that I never sold them, I know we all wish Colt would remake many of their pistol, for me the Cowboy would be one. I don't like taking out my colt SAA at cowboy shoot,

 

[MARKO65]

I purchased mine brand new when they first came out it was a nice gun not the best finish but quality was good. purchased it for $450 and sold it for $1,000 not too bad.

 

[BobWright]

As far as investment casting, remember that Rugers are investment cast, which has been compared in strength to forging. Supposedly Bill Ruger drew from his experience making tank parts during WW II by the investment cast method.

Bob Wright