Classic Revolvers: 16 Collectible Revolvers From the Colt Navy to the Python

Last updated September 28, 2026

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Classic revolvers are the Colt, Smith & Wesson and Ruger designs that shaped how Americans carried a handgun, from the Colt Navy and the Peacemaker to the Model 10, the Model 29 and the Python. Several are made again today, and the rest turn up as police trade-ins, estate guns and collector pieces.

This is my guide to 16 classic revolvers, from the Colt 1851 Navy and the Peacemaker to the Model 29 and the Python. For each one I’ll tell you why collectors want it, how you can buy one today, and what our dealers are asking, with a live price card for every gun.

Classic Revolvers at a Glance

Here are all 16 classic revolvers on this list, what kind of revolver each one is, and how you can buy one today.

Table of Contents

What Makes a Revolver a Classic?

A classic revolver is a revolver whose design shaped how Americans carried a handgun, and that collectors still chase long after it left the holster. Most of the famous ones came from three makers: Colt, Smith & Wesson and Ruger. They cover the whole story, from the single actions of the frontier to the police revolvers of the twentieth century and the magnums that followed.

Some are still in production, some come back as reproductions, and some you can only buy used. Here’s how the 16 on this list break down by how you can buy one today.

How it is sold	Revolvers	What to expect
New production	Colt Single Action Army and Python, S&W Models 10, 19, 27, 29 and 36, Ruger Single-Six and Blackhawk	From about $535 for a Single-Six to about $2,500 for a Colt Single Action Army
Reproductions	Colt 1851 Navy, Smith & Wesson Schofield, Remington 1858	Italian-made replicas, from about $300
Used and trade-in only	Colt Official Police and Detective Special, S&W K-22 Masterpiece, Ruger Security-Six	Police trade-ins and consignment guns, from about $350

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Classic Frontier Revolvers

These four revolvers armed the Civil War and the frontier. The Peacemaker is still made, and Italian makers reproduce the other three, so you can shoot one without risking an original.

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1. Colt 1851 Navy: Wild Bill’s Revolver

• Caliber: .36 percussion, black powder
• Action: Single action, six-shot cap-and-ball cylinder
• Made: More than 250,000 originals, 1851 to 1873
• New or used: Italian reproductions new; originals at auction

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	4/5
Availability	5/5

Samuel Colt designed the Navy between 1847 and 1850 as a .36-caliber belt revolver, much lighter than the big Dragoons that rode in saddle holsters. Its cylinder is engraved with the Texas Navy’s victory at the Battle of Campeche in 1843.

It was the revolver of the Civil War era and the early West, carried by Wild Bill Hickok, Buffalo Bill Cody and Doc Holliday. Colt made more than 250,000, counting its London factory, before the Single Action Army replaced it in 1873, and the gun in the photo above is serial number 2.

Pietta’s reproductions are the easy way to shoot one. Palmetto State Armory has a 7.5-inch Old Silver .36 at $435.99 and a short-barreled .44 Sheriff copy at $307.99.

Best For: Black-powder shooters and anyone who wants the revolver Wild Bill Hickok carried.

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2. Colt Single Action Army: The Peacemaker

• Caliber: .45 Colt originally; more than 30 chamberings over the years
• Action: Single action, six-round cylinder
• Made: More than 457,000, from 1873 with breaks, and still made today
• New or used: New Colt production, or originals

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	4/5
Availability	4/5

Colt designed the Single Action Army for the Army trials of 1872, and it was the standard US Army revolver from 1873 to 1892. Ranchers, lawmen and outlaws carried it, and the name Peacemaker stuck. The cavalry model had a 7.5-inch barrel.

Colt has stopped making it twice and brought it back both times, and it’s in production today. Bass Pro Shops lists a new one in .357 Magnum at $2,499.99, and Guns.com has one at $3,100.99. Originals made before 1899 are antiques under federal law and sell by condition and history.

Today the safe way to carry an old-style single action like this one is with the hammer down on an empty chamber, though Colt’s original instructions called for all six loaded. Our Colt Single Action Army guide covers the generations and how to date one.

Best For: Anyone who wants the revolver of the Old West, new to shoot or original to collect.

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3. Smith & Wesson Schofield: The Top-Break Cavalry Revolver

• Caliber: .45 Schofield; Uberti reproductions in .45 Colt
• Action: Single action, top-break, six-round cylinder
• Made: Model 3 family 1870 to about 1915
• New or used: Originals at auction; Italian reproductions new

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	4/5
Availability	3/5

The Schofield is a version of the Smith & Wesson Model 3, the top-break revolver that became the first standard-issue cartridge revolver in US service in 1870. Major George W. Schofield reworked it for the cavalry, and Smith & Wesson built his changes into an 1875 model.

Break it open and it throws out all six empties at once, which a Colt couldn’t do. Imperial Russia ordered 41,000 Model 3s in 1871, and the photo above shows two engraved New Model No. 3s from the same family.

Originals sell at auction. Uberti builds a faithful reproduction in .45 Colt, and Guns.com lists its 1875 Schofield at $1,359.99.

Best For: Cowboy action shooters and collectors who want the other great frontier revolver.

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4. Remington 1858 New Model Army: The Civil War Cap-and-Ball

• Caliber: .44 percussion, black powder
• Action: Single action, six-shot cap-and-ball cylinder
• Made: More than 230,000 Army and Navy models, 1861 to 1875
• New or used: Italian reproductions new; originals at auction

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	4/5
Availability	5/5

The Remington was patented by Fordyce Beals on September 14, 1858, which is where the 1858 name comes from, though full production started in 1861. After the Colt factory fire of 1864 the Union Army bought large numbers, and more than 230,000 Army and Navy models were made.

Its solid frame with a top strap made it as strong as the open-top Colts of the day and simpler to build. Many were later converted to fire metallic cartridges and carried in the West.

Pietta makes the reproductions, and they’re the cheapest guns on this list. Palmetto State Armory has a brass-frame Sheriff at $318.99 and a blued 8-inch Target model at $439.99. You’ll find more replicas in our best black powder revolvers roundup.

Best For: Shooters who want a classic revolver for a few hundred dollars and enjoy black powder.

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Classic Police and Service Revolvers

For most of the twentieth century an American police officer carried a .38 revolver. These five are the ones that did the job, and police trade-ins make several of them some of the best values in classic guns.

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5. Colt Official Police: The Classic Police Colt

• Caliber: .38 Special, plus .32-20, .41 Long Colt and .22 LR
• Action: Double action, six-round swing-out cylinder
• Made: More than 400,000, 1908 to 1969
• New or used: Used and police trade-in only

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	4/5

Colt introduced this revolver in 1908 as the Army Special and renamed it the Official Police in 1927 to sell it to police departments. It worked. It became one of the best-selling police revolvers ever, and more than 400,000 were made before 1969.

It also served in World War II with US and Allied forces. Colt claimed it could handle the heavy .38-44 loads of the day, and it’s a stout, smooth-shooting revolver.

Police trade-ins keep prices low. When I checked, Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore had a used Official Police at $349.99, and Guns.com had an Official Police Mk III, the later redesign, at $499.99. Our police trade-in guns guide explains how trade-ins are graded.

Best For: Anyone who wants a real vintage Colt double action for the price of a new budget revolver.

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6. Smith & Wesson Model 10: The Most-Produced Revolver

• Caliber: .38 Special
• Action: Double action, six-round swing-out cylinder, K-frame
• Made: More than 6 million since 1899, still in production
• New or used: New Classic model, or police trade-ins

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	5/5

The Model 10 started in 1899 as the .38 Hand Ejector, better known as the Military & Police. More than six million have been made, which makes it the most-produced handgun of the twentieth century, and in World War II it was built as the Victory Model. Guns made from 1942 to 1944 carry a V serial prefix, and collectors look for them.

Smith & Wesson still makes it, and Palmetto State Armory lists a new Model 10 Classic with a 4-inch barrel at $965.99.

If you want one revolver to learn on, this is it. For newer .38s, see our picks for the best .38 Special revolvers.

Best For: New revolver shooters and anyone who wants the American police revolver in its purest form.

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7. Colt Detective Special: The First Snub-Nose

• Caliber: .38 Special, plus .32 and .38 New Police in the Second Series
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder, 2-inch barrel
• Made: 1927 to 1996, in four series
• New or used: Used and police trade-in

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	4/5
Availability	3/5

Colt employee John Henry Fitzgerald cut down a Police Positive Special in the 1920s to make his famous Fitz Special. Colt liked the idea enough to build a cleaner version, and the Detective Special of 1927 became the first snub-nose revolver.

It holds six rounds, one more than a Smith & Wesson J-frame, and it was made in four series until 1996. Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore had a 1977 police trade-in at $500, and Guns.com has a consignment gun at $689.99. Our Colt Detective Special guide covers each series and what to pay.

Best For: Collectors who want the snub-nose that started it all.

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8. Smith & Wesson Model 36 Chiefs Special: The Chiefs’ Choice

• Caliber: .38 Special
• Action: Double action, five-round cylinder, J-frame
• Made: Since 1950, still in production
• New or used: New Classic model, or used

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	4/5
Availability	5/5

Smith & Wesson designed a new, smaller frame after World War II to put the .38 Special in a pocket gun, and that frame became the J-frame. The revolver was shown at the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in 1950, and a vote named it the Chiefs Special.

It became the Model 36 in 1957, and serial number 337 went to J. Edgar Hoover. It’s still made in blued steel, and Guns.com lists the Model 36 Classic at $795.99, and Midway USA has it at $799. Our best snub-nose revolvers roundup covers the modern snubs it inspired.

Best For: Anyone who wants a classic carry revolver that is still made new.

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9. Ruger Security-Six: Ruger’s First Duty Revolver

• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder, one-piece frame
• Made: About 1.5 million with its variants, 1972 to 1988
• New or used: Used only

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	3/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	3/5

The Security-Six was Ruger’s first double-action revolver, designed by Harry Sefried and Henry Into and launched in 1972. It used a one-piece frame instead of a removable sideplate, which made it very strong, and its Speed-Six and Service-Six versions went to the NYPD, the Border Patrol and the Postal Service.

It was replaced by the GP100 and dropped in 1988, so you have to buy it used. Guns.com had one at $499.99 when I checked. The GP100 that replaced it is in our best .357 Magnum revolvers roundup.

Best For: Shooters who want a tough classic .357 without paying Smith or Colt prices.

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Classic Magnum and Target Revolvers

The .357 Magnum arrived in 1935 and the .44 Magnum in 1955, and the revolvers built for them are some of the most collected handguns in the country. The K-22 is here because it was the target revolver that taught a generation to shoot.

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10. Smith & Wesson Model 27: The First Magnum

• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder, N-frame
• Made: 1935 to 1994, and as the Classic since 2008
• New or used: New Classic model, or originals

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	4/5

The Model 27 began in 1935 as the Registered Magnum, the first revolver for the new .357 Magnum. Each was built to order with a certificate of authenticity, and Smith & Wesson was backlogged with orders through the Depression.

It took the Model 27 name in 1957 and is made again today as the Model 27 Classic. Discount Enterprise Guns lists one at $1,049.99, and Midway USA has the Classic at $1,179.99. An early Registered Magnum with its certificate is one of the great collector revolvers.

Best For: Collectors and shooters who want the revolver that started the magnum era.

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11. Smith & Wesson K-22 Masterpiece: The Classic Target .22

• Caliber: .22 LR
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder, K-frame
• Made: 1947 to 1998, and as the Model 17 Masterpiece 2009 to 2025
• New or used: Used only

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	2/5

The K-22 Target Masterpiece came out in 1947 for bullseye target shooting, and it became the Model 17 in 1957. It’s built on the same K-frame as the Model 10, with an adjustable rear sight and a Patridge front sight.

Buyers could order it with a target trigger, target hammer and target grips. It was dropped in 1998, came back as the Model 17 Masterpiece in 2009 and went out of production again in 2025. There was only one on our dealers when I checked, at $1,109.99 on Guns.com.

Its stainless cousin, the 617, is in our best .22 revolvers roundup.

Best For: Target shooters and anyone who wants a classic revolver they can shoot all day on cheap ammo.

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12. Smith & Wesson Model 19: The Combat Magnum

• Caliber: .357 Magnum and .38 Special
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder, K-frame
• Made: 1955 to 1999, and as the Classic since 2018
• New or used: New Classic model, or originals

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	4/5

Border Patrol legend Bill Jordan asked Smith & Wesson for a peace officer’s dream: a four-inch K-frame .357 with adjustable sights and a shrouded barrel. The result was the .357 Combat Magnum, and the first one, serial K260,000, was presented to Jordan on November 15, 1955.

It became the Model 19 in 1957, and its stainless twin, the Model 66, followed in 1971. Guns.com lists the new Model 19 Classic at $987.99.

Shoot mostly .38 Special in an original, since steady full-power magnum loads could crack the forcing cone on the smaller K-frame. Collectors look for the older pinned-and-recessed guns.

Best For: Anyone who wants a classic .357 that is light enough to carry.

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13. Smith & Wesson Model 29: The Dirty Harry Gun

• Caliber: .44 Magnum, also fires .44 Special
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder, N-frame
• Made: Since 1955, sold today as the Classic
• New or used: New Classic model, or originals

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	4/5
Availability	5/5

Elmer Keith’s work with hot .44 Special loads led to the .44 Magnum, and Smith & Wesson built the first revolver for it in 1955. It was the most powerful production handgun of its day, meant for hunters of big game. In 1982 Smith & Wesson dropped the pinned barrel and recessed cylinder, and collectors look for the earlier guns.

Then Clint Eastwood carried one in Dirty Harry in 1971, and stores couldn’t keep it in stock. It’s still made in the polished blue Classic form. Midway USA lists the Model 29 Classic at $1,146.88, and Palmetto State Armory has it at $1,163.99. For the new gun, read our full Smith & Wesson Model 29 review.

Best For: Hunters and collectors who want the most famous magnum ever made.

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14. Colt Python: The Snake Everyone Wants

• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder, I-frame
• Made: 1955 to 1999, Custom Shop to 2005, and again since 2020
• New or used: New production, or originals

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	5/5

Colt introduced the Python in 1955 as its top-of-the-line revolver, and it was first meant to be a big .38 Special target gun. The vent rib, full underlug and adjustable sights gave it a look no other revolver had. It was also the first Colt with the polished Royal Blue finish, and collectors look for guns that still have it.

Regular production ended in 1999, Colt’s Custom Shop built a few until 2005, and Colt brought it back in 2020 for far less than a fine original costs. Palmetto State Armory lists a 2.5-inch matte blued Python at $1,135.99, and Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore has an 8-inch stainless one at $1,009.99. Our Colt Python review covers the new gun, and our grail guns list covers the originals collectors chase.

Best For: Anyone who wants the most admired revolver of the twentieth century.

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Classic Ruger Single Actions

Bill Ruger brought the single action back in the 1950s, when Colt had stopped making the Peacemaker. His two single actions are still in production and still some of the best values in classic revolvers.

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15. Ruger Single-Six: The Rimfire Classic

• Caliber: .22 LR, with a .22 WMR cylinder on convertibles
• Action: Single action, six-round cylinder
• Made: Since 1953, still in production
• New or used: New production, or early guns

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	5/5

The Single-Six came out in June 1953, when Westerns were everywhere on television, and more than 700,000 of the Old Model were sold before 1973. That year Ruger added a transfer bar so it’s safe to carry with all six chambers loaded.

Ruger will still fit the transfer bar to an Old Model for free. The convertible comes with both .22 LR and .22 Magnum cylinders, and Guns.com lists one at $535.99, with Palmetto State Armory at $651.99.

Best For: Anyone who wants a classic single action they can shoot for pennies a round.

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16. Ruger Blackhawk: The Modern Peacemaker

• Caliber: .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum and others
• Action: Single action, six-round cylinder
• Made: About 2 million since 1955
• New or used: New production, or early Flattops

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Availability	5/5

Colt had stopped making the Single Action Army before World War II, so in 1955 Ruger built its own, the Blackhawk in .357 Magnum. A year later it came in .44 Magnum, at nearly the same time as Smith & Wesson’s Model 29.

Bill Ruger used coil springs instead of the Colt’s flat springs and added adjustable sights. Collectors look for the early Flattops of 1955 to 1962 and the Three Screw guns that followed.

New Model Blackhawks are the best value in classic single actions. Classic Firearms lists a blued .357 at $633.60, and Guns.com has one at $699.99.

Best For: Shooters who want a Peacemaker-style revolver that handles modern magnum loads.

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Which Classic Revolvers Can You Still Feed?

Here’s how many listings each cartridge had across our dealer network on September 28, 2026, and how many dealers carried it. The Colt Navy and the Remington 1858 aren’t here because they shoot loose powder, ball and caps.

Cartridge	Revolvers on this list	Ammo listings	Dealers carrying it
.357 Magnum	Colt Python, S&W Models 19 and 27, Ruger Security-Six and Blackhawk	611	15
.38 Special	S&W Models 10 and 36, Colt Official Police and Detective Special, and every .357	605	17
.44 Magnum	S&W Model 29, Ruger Blackhawk	432	12
.45 Colt	Colt Single Action Army, Uberti Schofield, Ruger Blackhawk	254	14
.44 Special	S&W Model 29	146	12
.22 WMR	Ruger Single-Six convertibles	144	10
.22 LR	Ruger Single-Six, S&W K-22 Masterpiece	142	15
.44-40 Winchester	Colt Single Action Army originals	48	12
.44 Russian	Smith & Wesson Model 3 originals	5	4
.45 Schofield	Original Schofields	2	2

The .357 Magnum and .38 Special revolvers are the easiest classics to feed, and a .357 will shoot .38 Special too. The original Schofield and Model 3 cartridges are nearly gone, which is one more reason most people shoot the .45 Colt reproductions.

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Original, Reproduction or New: Which Should You Buy?

Most of these revolvers are still made, Italian makers like Uberti and Pietta reproduce the Navy, the Schofield and the Remington 1858, and the rest you can only buy used. That gives you four ways in, and they suit different buyers.

• Buy new if you want to shoot a lot. A new Model 10, Model 19 Classic or Python costs less than a fine original and won’t lose collector value when you shoot it.
• Buy a reproduction for the Colt Navy, the Schofield and the Remington 1858, where originals are too valuable to shoot.
• Buy a police trade-in for the best value. Official Police, Detective Specials and Security-Sixes turn up as trade-ins with holster wear but good actions.
• Buy an original if you want to collect. Collectible revolvers keep their value best with the original finish, matching serial numbers and the box. Never refinish one, and check the timing and lock-up before you pay.
• Check the date. A revolver made in or before 1898 is an antique under federal law, and any other gun made 50 or more years ago and still in its original configuration counts as a curio or relic.

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How I Picked These 16 Classic Revolvers

I started with the revolvers that changed how Americans carried a handgun, from the frontier to the magnum era, then checked what our 200+ retailers had for sale on September 28, 2026. Every revolver on this list has a live price card, though the K-22 and the Security-Six had only one listing each.

This list covers vintage revolvers for history and collecting. If you want the best revolver to buy for carry or home defense today, our best revolvers guide covers modern guns. The history comes from published histories of each revolver, and the photos come from museum collections and collectors who released them for free use.

Featured image: a scene built around a photo of an original Colt Single Action Army, serial no. 4519, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, released CC0.

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The Bottom Line

If you want one classic revolver to shoot, a new Smith & Wesson Model 10 or Model 19 Classic is the easiest place to start, for about $965 to $990. For the frontier, a new Colt Single Action Army is the real thing, and a Ruger Blackhawk gets you close for about $634. For collecting, a Python, a Detective Special or a Registered Magnum is the heart of any revolver collection.

Frequently Asked Questions