Great Western Arms Company
Encyclopedia
The Great Western Arms Company was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1953 to produce an American-made copy of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver
. Colt
had discontinued this model in 1940. Great Western Revolvers were used in many Western movies and television shows of the 1950s and 1960s. Audie Murphy
was one of the owners of the company.
, Colt had discontinued production of the famous Single Action Army in 1940. This gun had been in continuous production since 1873. After the war, there was renewed interest in the Colt SAA, and firearms enthusiast William R. Wilson recognized the need and the opportunity. In 1953, Wilson founded the Great Western Arms Company to produce an almost-exact clone of the old Colt SAA for television and movie westerns. Great Western presented John Wayne
with an engraved nickel plated pair with carved ivory grips that Wayne used in The Shootist
.
Great Western revolvers were made in the same three standard barrel lengths as the Colt Single Action Army: 4-¾", 5-½", and 7-½," plus a 12-½" Buntline Special. They were chambered in .22 long rifle
, .38 Special
, .357 Magnum
, .44 Special
, .44 Magnum
and .45 Colt
. They became popular for use in the sport of Fast Draw
. A variety of grips were available from faux stag to genuine pearl and ivory.
The company went out of business in 1964, eight years after Colt resumed production of the Single Action Army and inexpensive clones were being imported in great numbers.
Colt Single Action Army
The Colt Single Action Army is a single action revolver with a revolving cylinder holding six metallic cartridges. It was designed for the U.S...
. Colt
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
had discontinued this model in 1940. Great Western Revolvers were used in many Western movies and television shows of the 1950s and 1960s. Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy was a highly decorated and famous soldier. Through LIFE magazine's July 16, 1945 issue , he became one the most famous soldiers of World War II and widely regarded as the most decorated American soldier of the war...
was one of the owners of the company.
History
Due to slow sales of the Single Action Revolver models, and government contracts requiring the production of more modern weapons for military use during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Colt had discontinued production of the famous Single Action Army in 1940. This gun had been in continuous production since 1873. After the war, there was renewed interest in the Colt SAA, and firearms enthusiast William R. Wilson recognized the need and the opportunity. In 1953, Wilson founded the Great Western Arms Company to produce an almost-exact clone of the old Colt SAA for television and movie westerns. Great Western presented John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
with an engraved nickel plated pair with carved ivory grips that Wayne used in The Shootist
The Shootist
The Shootist is a 1976 Western starring John Wayne in his final film role. It was based on the 1975 novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout. Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout wrote the screenplay...
.
Great Western revolvers were made in the same three standard barrel lengths as the Colt Single Action Army: 4-¾", 5-½", and 7-½," plus a 12-½" Buntline Special. They were chambered in .22 long rifle
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge is a long established variety of ammunition, and in terms of units sold is still by far the most common in the world today. The cartridge is often referred to simply as .22 LR and various rifles, pistols, revolvers, and even some smoothbore shotguns have...
, .38 Special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
, .357 Magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
, .44 Special
.44 Special
The .44 Special or .44 S&W Special is a smokeless powder center fire metallic cartridge developed by Smith & Wesson in 1907 as the standard chambering for their New Century revolver, introduced in 1908.-Development history:...
, .44 Magnum
.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
and .45 Colt
.45 Colt
The .45 Colt cartridge is a handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It began as a black powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver, but is offered as a magnum level handgun hunting round in modern usage. This cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873 and served as the...
. They became popular for use in the sport of Fast Draw
Fast Draw
Fast Draw is a sport based on the romanticized art of the gunslingers in the American Old West, using traditional single action revolvers. Unlike Cowboy action shooting, Fast Draw is shot with special blanks or wax bullets...
. A variety of grips were available from faux stag to genuine pearl and ivory.
The company went out of business in 1964, eight years after Colt resumed production of the Single Action Army and inexpensive clones were being imported in great numbers.