1872 Open Top

The Colt 1871-72 Open Top stands as a landmark in firearms history, representing the first revolver Colt specifically manufactured from the ground up for metallic cartridges rather than converting existing percussion parts. 

Introduced in late 1871, the Colt Open Top was a single-action revolver of new production, not a conversion using existing parts, and was created to provide a modern, large-caliber sidearm mainly for cavalry troops. It was chambered in .44 Rimfire, a choice made to offer compatibility with the popular Winchester 1866 rifle. 

While the U.S. Army tested the Open Top for military service during the government trials of 1872, it was ultimately rejected in favor of a more robust solid-frame design: the famous 1873 Single Action Army and the more powerful centerfire .45 Colt cartridge.

Production of the Colt Open Top was brief, spanning only from 1872 to 1873, with approximately 7,000 units manufactured before it was superseded by the "Peacemaker". Consequently, it saw limited official use in major wars, though many units found their way into the hands of soldiers and scouts during the early years of the Indian Wars.

In civil contexts, the Open Top was highly prized by frontiersmen and cowboys who appreciated the convenience of carrying one type of ammunition, compatible with the Winchester 1866 rifle. Users lauded the weapon for its balance and this has been the last Colt model to make use of an open-top frame whose elegant profile, despite its structural limitations, remains an icon of the transitional American West.