Cimarron 1872 Open Top Army .38 Colt and Special Revolver, 7.5" Barrel, Open Top Army Style, Case Hardened Frame, Charcoal Blue Finish Md: CA903C00
Not made as a conversion, the 1872 Open Top was its own model, chambered for the .44 rimfire cartridge. Some arms students believe that the Open Top, which was only produced from 1872-1873, was made to misdirect any competition producing a metallic cartridge handgun, while the revolutionary 1873 model was being developed. Nonetheless, it was a welcome addition for anyone wanting a newly manufactured, self-contained metallic cartridge handgun, rather than a conversion from a percussion arm, during the last years of the cap and ball revolvers' production. Later production Open Tops were made with 1860 Army-sized grips. Due to its limited run of only around 7,000 guns, coupled with the hard use many of these sixguns were put through on the frontier, original examples of the 1872 Open Top are among the more desirable and difficult to obtain firearms collectibles.
Cimarron's 1872 Open Top Army, like the original revolver in our collection it was reproduced from, combines the sleek, graceful lines of the caplock sixguns of the 1860s with the convenience of a modern metallic cartridge revolver. Chambered for the frontier favorites of .45 Colt/Schofield, .44 Colt/Russian, .44 S&W Special/Colt/Russian, and .38 Colt/Special, the Open Top Army has a 7 1/2-inch round barrel, Standard Blue and color case hardened finish and 1860 Army-sized walnut grips, Cimarron's Open Top Army is a spitting image of the 1870s originals.
Specifications:
Caliber: .38 Colt and Special
Barrel Length: 7 .5 inches
Style: Open Top Army
Frame: Case Hardened
Finish: Charcoal Blue
Grip: 1 Piece Walnut
Weight: 2.55 Lbs.
The information below comes from our Gun Caliber Dictionary and is for
general reference only. It does not describe the specifications of this
particular item.
The 38 Special (38 S&W Special, 38 Colt Special) was introduced in 1902. It is essentially a slightly extended 38 Long Colt case, length 1.1551 inches, with operating pressure increased from 13,000 to 17,000 psi. Bullet diameter is .357-inch. The 38 Special became the gold standard personal defense revolver cartridge and was standard among most American law enforcement agencies for many years. Bullet weights vary from 110 to 158 grains, with a 158-grain bullet at 800 feet per second the most common. In the 1960s pressure was increased again to 18,500 psi, creating the 38 Special +P load, with increased velocity and energy. 38 Long and Short Colt ammunition can be fired in any 38 Special chamber, but not the reverse. 38 Special +P is safe in modern steel-frame 38 Special revolvers, but should not be used in aluminum-frame 38 Special revolvers. 38 Special remains a standard and popular revolver chambering.
—
Craig Boddington
