Question about a Colt Frontier Six Shooter

[Gary @ R&G]

I have a chance to buy a 1898 vintage Colt Frontier six shooter. No finish but lettering all clear and legible. Numbers matching. Supposedly in the same family for the last 80 years. Front sight missing, hammer damage (half cock notch). Stays cocked and locks up good at full cock. On the underside of the top strap just behind the barrel stub it has a scallop where normally you would see flame cutting etc. Looks machined but I dont recall seeing it on other Colt SAA's. Is that corrrect? Price is good enough I may just buy it for a shooter.

[Gary @ R&G]

I thought it looked factory. It has the later cylinder pin lock. Everything else looks pretty good. Decent shootable bore. I think I will buy it.

[kings6]

That scallop in the topstrap was how Alan Harton verified that an old SAA frame I had was in fact a Colt frame.

[Gary @ R&G]

Perfect. I bought it. Will post pics in the near future.

[boxhead]

Good deal. I would send it to Alan for tidying up so that it a good shooter.

[Mark Terry]

From what I've learned, a broken half cock notch in the hammer is relatively common and is generally repaired by replacing the hammer. That's what happened to the one I bought. It's a little painful to think about putting a new hammer in a 114 year old gun but I think it's the proper way to do it.

Nutmeg did the repair and I got a superior trigger job in the meantime.

Those old guns have a lot of soul. I look forward to the pictures.

[cubrock]

Alan Harton can weld and recut the hammer notches such that the original hammer is used.

[jayhawker]

Bob James will repair your original hammer as good as new.

[Gary @ R&G]

Pics for anyone interested.

s696.photobucket.com/albums/vv324/garyeastridge/colt%20frontier%20six%20shooter/

[cubrock]

Good looking gun. Get it fixed and shoot it!