Colt Model 1878 Double Barrel Shotgun – Hartford, Connecticut

Offered here is an original Colt Model 1878 double barrel shotgun, one of the most recognizable American side-by-side shotguns of the late 19th century. Manufactured by Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, the Model 1878 represents Colt’s entry into the growing market for sporting and frontier shotguns during the post–Civil War era.

Introduced in 1878, this model was Colt’s first successful double barrel shotgun and remained in production into the early 1890s. These shotguns were widely used throughout the American West by hunters, ranchers, lawmen, and settlers. The design features external hammers, allowing the shooter to manually cock each barrel before firing, a common configuration for American sporting shotguns of the period.

This example retains the classic configuration with side-by-side barrels, external hammers, and a walnut stock fitted with checkered grip panels. The barrels are marked:

“Colt’s Pt. F.A. Mfg. Co., Hartford, Ct., U.S.A.”

confirming Colt manufacture. The receiver and barrel surfaces display an attractive aged patina consistent with a working frontier-era shotgun.

Key features include:

• Original Colt Model 1878 hammer double shotgun

• Side-by-side barrels with traditional rib marking

• External exposed hammers

• Double triggers, one for each barrel

• Walnut stock with period checkering

• Classic late 19th century American sporting shotgun design

The Model 1878 gained particular popularity in shorter-barreled “coach gun” configurations and became strongly associated with stagecoach guards and frontier defense. While many examples saw heavy use, surviving original Colts remain desirable among collectors of American firearms and Old West memorabilia.

Condition remains good overall for a firearm of this age, showing typical wear, patina, and handling marks accumulated over more than a century of use. The wood stock remains solid with visible checkering and attractive character.

Colt manufactured roughly 22,000 Model 1878 shotguns, making surviving examples a collectible part of Colt’s diverse firearms history beyond their famous revolvers.

Manufacturer: Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co.

Model: 1878 Double Barrel Shotgun

Type: Side-by-Side Hammer Shotgun

Action: Break Action

Triggers: Double Trigger

Location: Hartford, Connecticut

Era: Late 19th Century

A classic American frontier shotgun from one of the most famous firearms manufacturers in history.

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