One can not consider themselves a fan of the Wild West without taking a look at the Colt Revolver, specifically the Single Action Army model.  This is the gun you see in shootouts and showdowns in every western ever made.  It is the culmination of several years of innovations, the first being the revolving mechanism itself.  Having a gun that could shoot multiple bullets before needing to be reloaded was a huge step forward from muskets.  Fascinating Nouns two-timer Jeffrey Richardson walks me through the rich history.

Colt:  The Revolver of the American West

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