The Colt Single Action Army handgun (also known as the Colt Peacemaker, Single Action Army or SAA, Colt .45 and sometimes as The Equalizer or Colt Peacekeeper) is a single action revolver with a revolving cylinder holding six rounds. It was designed for the US government service revolver trials of 1873 by Colt's Manufacturing Company and adopted as the standard military service revolver until 1892.
The Colt Single Action Army has been offered in over 30 different calibers and various barrel lengths. Its overall appearance has remained consistent since 1873. Colt has discontinued its production twice, but brought it back due to excessive demand. The pistol was popular with ranchers, lawmen, and outlaws alike, but current models are mostly bought by collectors and reenactors. Its design has influenced the production of numerous other models from companies such as the Great Western Arms Company, Ruger, Beretta, Freedom Arms, USFA, Cimarron, and Uberti.
The original .45 Colt black powder load of 40 grains propelled the 250-255 grain bullet at a nominal 970 feet per second (300 m/s). Authors John Taffin and Mike Venturino have demonstrated that modern black powder loadings of the 45 Colt cartridge frequently achieve velocities in the vicinity of 1,000 feet per second (300 m/s) with the 7-1/2" "cavalry" barrel length, even though modern solid-head cases make it impossible to load a full 40 grains. Specifications for 20th-century smokeless loads set velocity with a 255-grain (16.5 g) round-nosed flat-point bullet at 870 feet per second (270 m/s) providing 429-foot-pound-force (582 J) energy.
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