Colt 1860 Army   After a failed attempt at modifying his Third Model Dragoon to make it lighter and easier to handle, Samuel Colt hit upon a solution that worked. In 1860, he combined the frame of his 1851 Navy with the .44 caliber chamber of the Dragoon. The weapon that resulted came to be known as the 1860 Army. The first of these shipped from the Hartford factory had fluted chambers and were called Cavalry models. Later production models featured round, roll-engraved cylinders. All of the 1860 Army models provided superior ballistics, light weight and excellent balance. Their creeping loading levers and round, streamlined barrels were great improvements on the squared-off edged of the 1851 Navy and Dragoon revolvers. Quickly adopted officially by the U.S. Ordnance, the Colt 1860 Army became enormously popular with mounted troops. More of these weapons were purchased by the U.S. Government than any other model from any manufacturer: about 129,000 were issued to the U.S. troops during the Civil War alone. It reigned as the staple handgun of the Civil War and of the Plains Indian Wars that followed, until it was succeeded by the Colt Peacemaker of 1873. Colt collectibles make unique and prestigious holiday gifts, and you can order directly from the manufacturer. Call today to own a piece of American History.