Category: All About Guns
When it comes to collector firearms, quantity and quality mean a great deal. Some handguns made in huge quantities are immensely popular with collectors. A few real rarities are less popular. The Colt Peacekeeper is among these.
A play on the famous Peacemaker name, the Peacekeeper is a variant of the Colt Trooper and Colt MK V. There’s some conflicting information on the gun’s origins. Some point to the 1987 Colt workers’ strike as the birth of the Peacekeeper. Experienced polishers and refinishers were not available, so Colt turned to the matte-finished Peacekeeper. The other theory is that Colt could not compete with Smith & Wesson and Ruger on price, and it offered these revolvers as budget guns. Either theory makes sense, and each is possibly true. Regardless, the budget-grade Colts were not well received, and the Peacekeeper is among the least attractive Colt revolvers ever offered.
Like I said, Peacekeeper was a Colt Trooper with a simple bead-blasted finish. The grips are Pachmayr rubber that cover the backstrap and feature the Colt emblem. The revolver was offered with four- and six-inch barrel lengths. The six-inch barrel seems more common. The Colt Peacekeeper is relatively affordable as out-of-production Colt revolvers go. The Mark V action itself is durable, and the Colt Peacekeeper is among the better performers in double-action fire among Colts of the era. Accuracy is comparable to the Smith & Wesson 686 or Ruger GP100.
I mentioned the Peacemaker was based on the Mark V action. The backstory to this action begins at the end of World War II. At this time, Smith & Wesson’s short action and affordability were powerful advantages as that company introduced redesigned and improved guns. Colt revolvers were based on more complicated designs and were deemed accurate but overall less durable than Smith & Wesson. In the end, S&W captured more than three-quarters of the police market; the civilian market was similar.
In 1969 Colt introduced the Mark III revolver. This was a more affordable revolver with a new design transfer-bar lock work. The revolver was designed to restore parity with Smith & Wesson, but it was still more expensive. The new revolver was completely different from the older Official Police, and both fixed-sight Lawman and adjustable-sight Trooper versions were offered. But the design was criticized for its action and its use of sintered parts, which didn’t bode well for a gun at its price point.
About 1986 Colt introduced the improved Mark V action. This revolver changed the sintered steel hammer and other parts to cast steel—still not forged parts but an improvement. Considerable development went into what was regarded as Colt’s first short-action revolver, and the Mk V is an improvement in every way over the Mk III. Relocated internal parts and a shorter hammer fall made for a more accurate revolver. A vent rib was added to resemble the Python. The square butt grip frame was changed to a more rounded profile.
There are a lot of what-ifs concerning the MK V series. Had it been introduced a few years earlier, Colt may have regained market share. However, the Peacekeeper and the other cut-rate-finished Colt revolvers were not successful, and neither are they at the top of the list among collectors. But if you find an example at a fair price—around $1,000—it is actually a great handgun. Otherwise the Peacekeeper is merely a footnote in Colt history.
NEWINGTON, N.H., (April 20, 2022) – SIG SAUER is honored to be awarded the Next Generation Squad Weapons System (NGSW) Contract by the U.S. Army after a rigorous 27-month testing and evaluation process.
“The U.S. Army is taking a bold step toward command of the 21st century battlefield and SIG SAUER is immensely proud to be the selected provider for this historic revolution in infantry weapons. The fielding of the SIG SAUER Next Generation Squad Weapons System will forever change the dynamic of military engagement for America’s warfighters with American innovation and manufacturing,” began Ron Cohen, President and CEO SIG SAUER, Inc.
The SIG FURY Hybrid Ammunition (6.8 Common Cartridge), SIG-LMG (XM250), SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle (XM5) and SIG SLX Suppressors meaningfully advance soldier weapons technology to meet the emerging requirements of the U.S. Army.
The SIG 6.8×51 FURY Hybrid Ammunition uses a patented lightweight metallic case designed to handle pressures higher than conventional ammunition, resulting in dramatically increased velocity and on-target energy in lighter weapons.
The SIG-LMG lightweight belt-fed machine gun and SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle are purpose-built to harness the energy of the SIG FURY 6.8 Common Cartridge Ammunition enabling greater range and increased lethality while reducing the soldier’s load on the battlefield. Both the SIG-LMG and MCX-SPEAR deliver significant weapon and technology advancements to the soldier and provide a solution for battlefield overmatch in comparison to the current M249 and M4/M4A1.
The U.S. Army’s procurement of the NGSW System marks the beginning of an era where combat weapons are coupled with a suppressor as standard issue equipment. The SIG SLX Suppressors are designed to reduce harmful gas backflow, sound signature and flash. SIG SLX Suppressors feature a patented quick detach design for easy install and removal.
“We commend U.S. Army leadership for having the vision to undertake this historic procurement process to deliver a transformational weapon system to our warfighters. This award is the culmination of a successful collaboration between SIG SAUER and the U.S. Army, and we look forward to the continuing partnership,” concluded Cohen.
SIG SAUER is a company that is driven by innovation and we are proud to offer the advancements of the NGSW System in the SIG 277 FURY Hybrid Ammunition (the commercial variant of the SIG 6.8×51 FURY Ammunition round), SIG MCX-SPEAR Rifle, and the SIG SLX Series of Suppressors available to the consumer. For more information about these products visit sigsauer.com.
About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is a leading provider and manufacturer of firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, suppressors, airguns, and training. For over 250 years SIG SAUER, Inc. has evolved by blending American ingenuity, German engineering, and Swiss precision. Today, SIG SAUER is synonymous with industry-leading quality and innovation which has made it the brand of choice amongst the U.S. Military, the global defense community, law enforcement, competitive shooters, hunters and responsible citizens. Additionally, SIG SAUER is the premier provider of tactical training and elite firearms instruction at the SIG SAUER Academy. Headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire, SIG SAUER has over 2,900 employees across eleven locations. For more information about the company and product line visit: sigsauer.com.