The Colt 1860 Army Richards conversion elegantly transformed the classic percussion revolver into a modern cartridge firearm. This ingenious modification retained the legendary balance and sleek lines of the original frame.
This particular Uberti model refers to the Colt 1860 Army Richards Second Model conversion, often referred to as the Richards-Transition model. Introduced in the early 1870s, this model was developed to streamline the conversion process by utilizing newly manufactured parts rather than just modifying surplus components.
It served as a vital stepping stone between the original Richards conversion system (with the rear sight on the breech ring) and the later Richards-Mason design, allowing Colt to fulfill the high demand for cartridge revolvers before the Single Action Army was fully integrated into the market. Production of this specific variant was relatively brief, spanning roughly from 1872 to 1878, with approximately 5,900 units produced, making it a rarer find than its predecessor.
The 1860 Army Richards Second Model is a 8-inch round barrel, single-action revolver featuring a standard six-shot cylinder and was typically chambered in .44 Colt: the Uberti replica comes instead in.38 Special or .45 Colt. The second model is easily identified from the first model by the absence of the raised breech ring (with the rear sight cut on) and by the firing pin, which is mounted directly to the hammer. This version also features a simplified ejector rod housing that is more robust than earlier iterations. This Uberti model mounts a manual safety system on the hammer.
While the U.S. military was transitioning to the 1873 Peacemaker, many Richards conversion revolvers saw service with cavalry units during the intense skirmishes of the Great Plains and the broader Indian Wars, providing a reliable transition to metallic cartridges.
The 1860 Army Richards conversion is a masterpiece of transitional engineering. In civil contexts, the revolver was highly prized for its legendary balance, sleek "Army" grip and instinctive pointing characteristics, which many shooters preferred over other modern designs. As for alla pre-1873 Colt designs, the primary con remained the open-top frame, which, while elegant, was inherently less durable under heavy use than solid-frame solutions.
Variants
- W00 - White finish
- C00 - Charcoal Blue finish
- N00 - Nickel finish
- A00 - Old West antique finish
- G08 - Selected walnut grip with buffed finish
- E02 - Standard hand engraving
- E26 - Hand engraved Monograms
- E27 - Hand engraved single letters
- E28 - Hand engraved gold inlayed letters
- L09 - Standard laser engraving
The Colt 1860 Army Richards conversion elegantly transformed the classic percussion revolver into a modern cartridge firearm. This ingenious modification retained the legendary balance and sleek lines of the original frame.
