POTD: Colt’s Model 1878 Target #1 – Double-Action That Could Have Been
Sam.S 04.24.25
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This fascinating prototype represents Colt’s first serious attempt at a target version of their Model 1878 double action revolver. As serial number 1, it’s the original testing platform for what would become an extremely rare variation – one that never gained the popularity of its single-action cousin. The 1878 was Colt’s answer to shooters asking for double-action capability – designed by William Mason and Charles Brinckerhoff to give users the option of both traditional single-action precision and rapid double-action firing when needed. This prototype shows how they approached the target shooting market. Left “in the white” (unfinished) as many factory test guns were, it features the distinctive flat topstrap without the usual sight groove, allowing for a windage-adjustable rear sight paired with a German silver blade front sight. These target features were only added to a tiny handful of production revolvers. By 1888, competitive target shooting had become wildly popular in Great Britain, and Colt saw an opportunity to market specialized versions of their revolvers there. This gun represents their early development work in that direction – a path that ultimately proved less successful than they hoped. What makes this revolver truly special beyond being serial number 1 is its documented provenance from the legendary Robert Sutherland collection and its appearance in R.L. Wilson’s “The Book of Colt Firearms” – firmly establishing it as a historically significant prototype rather than just an unusually early production gun. For Colt collectors, prototype #1 guns represent the pinnacle of rarity and historical importance – the physical embodiment of the company’s design evolution and the starting point for what followed.
“Prototype Colt Model 1878 Flattop Target Double Action Revolver.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/1124/prototype-colt-model-1878-flattop-target-double-action-revolver. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
