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Bryant Ridge's Analysis: The 1883 Colt Burgess lever-action rifle, produced from 1883 to 1885, represents Colt's only foray into the lever-action rifle market, a market largely dominated by Winchester Repeating Arms Company at the time. With only 6,403 units produced before manufacturing ceased in early 1885, just 21 months after its introduction, the Burgess rifle is considered one of the rarest Colt firearms today, significantly enhancing its appeal among collectors. The rifle is named after i …

Bryant Ridge's Analysis: The Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket, designed by John Browning and manufactured from 1908 to 1948, is a compact, hammerless, striker-fired, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .25 ACP cartridge. Known internally as the Model "N" at Colt, the pistol was marketed as a highly concealable firearm, ideal for being carried discreetly in a vest pocket. With a length of just 4.5 inches and a weight of only 13 ounces, it was a diminutive firearm, feeding from a six-round magazine …

Bryant Ridge's Analysis: Colt's introduction of the Model 1889 marked a watershed moment in revolver design, pioneering the first double-action revolver with a swing-out cylinder. This innovative design was swiftly adopted by the US Navy as the Model of 1889 and later by the US Army in the Model of 1892, which featured slight improvements. The commercial variant of the Model 1889 also gained immediate popularity among civilians. Colt continued to refine the design with subsequent models such as …

Bryant Ridge's Analysis: The Colt Single Action Army (SAA), also known as the Colt .45 or Colt Peacemaker, is an iconic revolver that has become a symbol of the American West since its introduction in 1873 by Samuel Colt. Developed to meet the U.S. Army's demand for a reliable sidearm, its single-action mechanism required the hammer to be manually cocked before firing, providing faster, more reliable shots suitable for both military and civilian use. The SAA was adopted by the Army and became a …

Bryant Ridge Analysis: Smith & Wesson’s dominance in the .357 Mag. market changed forever in 1955 when Colt introduced its first revolver chambered in .357 Magnum: The Python. By all accounts, Colt executives also considered this to be the finest revolver the company produced at the time. No expense was spared in the manufacturing process, from the revolver’s timing and lock-up to its Royal Blue finish, this would be the pinnacle of Colt’s manufacturing prowess and remains& …