CIMARRON Richards Transition Model .45lc 8in Nickel Revolver (CA9052N00)

Cimarron's detail-perfect replica features the early Richards ejector with the Richards-Mason conversion ring, gate and hammer. The Cimarron Richards Transition Model .38 Colt/.38 Special Revolver has the Nickel finish with an 8-inch round barrel, as found on many 19th century well used specimens. Regardless of chambering or barrel length, these six-shooters look and handle like the originals! Reproduced by Uberti for Cimarron, made from originals in the Cimarron Collection.

With his 1871 patent to convert percussion, front-loading revolvers to breech loading metallic cartridge arms, Colt employee Charles B. Richards was able to inexpensively convert the company's arms already in stock to the new self-contained cartridge system. Colt also produced a number of them, once the old percussion parts ran out, as newly manufactured breech loaders. This, the first truly practical method of updating their guns to handle the then-new metallic cased ammunition, allowed Colt to sell these sixguns at a competitive price of just a few dollars, compared to other metallic cartridge revolvers.

In total, around 9,000 Richards Transition Models were manufactured between 1871-1878. Their low cost, combined with their modernization proved popular with folks, especially in the Western territories. Wild Bill Hickok was believed to have packed Richards conversions in his last years.