Colt Single Action Army Factory Class C Engraved End of Trail

Colt's own historian put this one in writing. The factory letter that travels with this Single Action Army documents it as a Class "C" factory engraved third generation gun, nickel finish, 7.5 inch barrel, chambered in .45 Colt, with the engraving executed by Aeromarine and the gun shipped December 20, 1984. That paper trail is what separates a genuine factory embellished Colt from a later aftermarket job, and it's the first thing a serious buyer should read.

The engraving itself earns the Class "C" designation. Deep American scroll runs frame to muzzle, across the cylinder, loading gate, ejector housing, trigger guard, and backstrap, with the polished nickel throwing light back through every cut. Look at the recoil shield and the engraving wraps right around the screws. The barrel still reads COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY along the top, with the caliber and the 1873 patent line stamped clean into the steel. The hammer keeps its color contrast against the bright surfaces, and the bore is bright with crisp rifling.

The grips are where this one goes from engraved revolver to conversation piece. They wear the End of Trail motif, that weary mounted rider slumped over a drooping horse, carved in dimensional relief into ivory colored stocks. The carving has real depth, the kind that catches a shadow even sitting still on a shelf.

It comes cased with its Colt Custom Shop display box and the original factory historical letters from the Office of the Historian. Those letters anchor everything. They tell you exactly what you're holding, who cut it, and when it left Hartford. For a collector who wants a presentation grade Colt with documentation to match the artistry, this is the package to chase.