The greatest Colt ever made

[ssb73q]

Hi, what is your opinion of the greatest Colt ever made?

My choice is the Colt Walker. It got Colt out of bankruptcy and it is probably the best Colt revolver ever produced, bar none. I love the toys of the 1849, 1851, and 1860's, but IMO the Walker is the revolver that means business. It lays like a benchrest and puts some serious effect on the target.

What is your choice?

Regards,
Richard

[rodwha]

I don't know if I'd call the Walker the greatest, but it is quite significant as you eluded to, and a reason I need one. If it weren't for the Walker we likely wouldn't know a Colt.

As to the greatest I'd guess it would be a Dragoon as it was a refined Walker. Certainly couldn't have the loading lever drop on you during a gun fight! And using a strip of rawhide seems a little tedious.

[Suntiger]

If you ranked it like the "Top 10" on American History Channel...it would have to be a 1911, length of service, fear factor etc...

[45 Dragoon]

The Walker opened the way to improvement and thus was born the Dragoons.
I appreciate the Walker tremendously but, just as Colt himself thought, the Dragoon is the quintessential open top (he the 3rd Mod., me the Whitneyville !  But now we're slpitin hairs!!!). Lol!!!

So, I'll go with the Dragoon (any Mod.)

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[rodwha]

Oh, I must say I prefer the trigger guard of the first models. Seems the 2nd model would be my favorite as I assume theirs an improvement over the oval bolt stop.

[rodwha]

Figuring we were talking about BP guns, but I'd agree that the 1911 is by far the greatest and my favorite. But there still wouldn't have been a 1911 without the Walker.

[Suntiger]

Well, I have been known to miss a point now and then... I am partial to the Navy.... But the Walker is the cornerstone...

[wicket]

 For function and pure beauty the 1851 wins at a walk, it is iconic and represented the state of the art until the arrival of the peacemaker. Don't take my word for it, Samuel Colt in COLT, THE MAN AND HIS MACHINE by I. P. Freeley is quoted: "Wicket's right, damn boy's always right, the 1851 was the pinnacle of my art."

[Hawg]

1851

[G Dog]

But there still wouldn't have been a 1911 without the Walker.

Well … it did help set Colt up as a going concern, but …

1911 - Combat Commander style.  SAA.  But for C&B it’s the 1860 (as  Balázs Németh would say), for sure. Try one off the top of a loping horse sometime, it’s like Willie-Peter, it’ll make you a bee-liever.   

  I. P. Freeley

He wrote Yellow River too, didn't he?

[GaryC]

I like the 51 Navy best, but I am inclined to call the Patterson the greatest in that it was the first practical belt revolver used in combat that I am aware of.  See Hays' big fight, etc. where Sam Walker was present IIFC.  It demonstrated the advantage of the revolver and later led Walker to approach Colt during the Mexican war to produce the Colt Walker with its improvements.  Maybe "most significant" would be more accurate than "greatest" though.

Regards
Gary

[Bishop Creek]

I have to admit, I enjoy shooting my Walker more than my other Colt's though my first love is the 1851 Navy as it was the first cap and ball pistol I ever purchased way back in the late 1960s and the Navy was more popular than any other holster pistol in Old West until the 1873 came along. Style-wise the 1860 Army is the best looking hands down in my opinion.

[Electric Miner]

Greatest Colt, presuming you mean black powder, I'd have to choose either the 1851, or the 1873.

[Suntiger]

I do shoot my Navy better than my Combat Commander...

[DoubleDeuce1]

I would have to say for the Alpha... it would be the Paterson. The Omega would be the 1911 A1, and then everything else in between.