welcome to today photo of the Day! Here we have a Colt Single Action Army built for Target Line that carries the story of pure Old West. This is a Colt Flattop Target Model, one of the rare factory variations of the 1873 Peacemaker. Colt only made around 925 of them between 1888 and 1896, including all caliber options.
The name “flattop” is literal. Instead of the usual round topstrap, Colt machined it flat to mount a proper adjustable rear sight, paired with an interchangeable-blade front sight. It was Colt’s serious target Peacemaker, and sold heavily in the British market. Colt was sweeping the Bisley matches in England around 1890, so most left the factory with a capacity to suit that crowd. It is chambered in .45 Long Colt, the proper American fighting round (bigger bullet = bigger hole), and only 100 Flattops were made this way. A target gun with the capability of a gunner is an unusual pairing.
Then there is the legend. According to a notarized family letter, this specific revolver was given from Butch Cassidy to a Wyoming attorney named GH Paul, allegedly to settle his legal fees just before Cassidy left for South America. Like most bootleg origins, it’s a story told secondhand and impossible to prove, and the dates aren’t neat, but it’s a good story, and that’s half the fun with guns of this era.
Most of our POTDs use images of our friends Rock Island Auction CompanyMajor firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse them current auction – Who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!
“Colt Single Action Army Flattop Target Model Revolver Extremely rare .45 Long Colt attributed to notorious Old West outlaw Butch Cassidy.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/5032/913/colt-flattop-single-action-army-attributed-to-butch-cassidy. Accessed 25 June 2026.
