Colt 1878 Frontier
- Category
- Revolver
- Barrel
- 190 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.13 kg
- Introduced
- 1878
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Colt 1878 Frontier is a six-shot, double-action revolver introduced by Colt in 1878. Chambered most notably in .45 Colt, it was Colt's first large-frame double-action revolver and the company's principal double-action offering until the 1889 Navy. It shared its cylinder-forward components with the single-action Colt Single Action Army and used a birdshead grip, a side-loading gate, and an ejector rod. Often called the 'Double Action Army' or 'Frontier', it was produced until 1907.
The Model 1878 was the only major American double-action revolver from 1878 until the .38-caliber Colt Model 1889 Navy, filling a critical market gap during the late 19th century. Notable owners included Buffalo Bill Cody and Pawnee Bill.
Available in a wide range of barrel lengths from 2.5 to 12 inches and numerous chamberings including .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, .45 Colt, and several British calibers. A long-barreled, smooth-handle variant known as the Model 1902 Alaskan/Philippine model was supplied to U.S. forces during the Philippine-American War.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC
- Category
- Revolver
- Country
- United States
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1878 to 1907
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 190 mm
- Overall length
- 318 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.13 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Revolving
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Double action
- Capacity
- 6
- Magazine
- Revolving cylinder
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 265 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 569 J
- Effective range
- 45 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Fluted cylinder
Loading gate
Ejector rod
Fixed sights
Birdshead grip
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 1.13 kg | 1.07 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 318 mm | 267 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 190 mm | 127 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 6 | 6 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Colt 1878 Frontier
How much does the Colt 1878 Frontier weigh?
The Colt 1878 Frontier weighs 1.13 kg (2.50 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Colt 1878 Frontier?
The Colt 1878 Frontier is chambered in .45 Colt.
How many rounds does the Colt 1878 Frontier hold?
The Colt 1878 Frontier holds 6 rounds, fed from a revolving cylinder.
How long is the Colt 1878 Frontier?
The Colt 1878 Frontier is 318 mm (12.5 in) long overall, with a 190 mm (7.48 in) barrel.
Who makes the Colt 1878 Frontier?
The Colt 1878 Frontier is made by Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC (United States). It was designed by William Mason.
When was the Colt 1878 Frontier introduced?
The Colt 1878 Frontier was introduced in 1878 and discontinued in 1907.
How does the Colt 1878 Frontier operate?
The Colt 1878 Frontier uses a revolving action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Texas Rangers
- United States
- Philippine Constabulary
- Philippines
Provenance
Confidence in this record
74%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/colt-1878-frontier' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "colt-1878-frontier", "name": "Colt 1878 Frontier", "manufacturer": { "id": "colt", "name": "Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1855, "website": "https://www.colt.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": "American firearms manufacturer headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1855 and now a subsidiary of Colt CZ Group, continuing production of iconic firearms including the 1911 pistol.", "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:38", "version": "7143c7ff3f7e156063a240f2df7b4746ee1c0394d7cd5f592d05bac43233d637" }, "category": { "id": "revolver", "name": "Revolver", "description": "Handguns with a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 1878, "barrel_length_mm": 190, "weight_empty_g": 1134, "action_type": "revolving"}