Colt Frontier Scout
Colt's Manufacturing Company · Pistol · Discontinued · 1957
Also known as: Frontier Scout '22, Colt Scout
Overview
The Colt Frontier Scout is a single-action revolver introduced in 1957 as a scaled-down .22 rimfire version of the legendary Colt Single Action Army. Built primarily on a lightweight die-cast aluminum-alloy frame with a blued steel barrel and cylinder, it carried six rounds of .22 Long Rifle and, from 1964, was offered with convertible cylinders allowing the use of .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. Affordable and faithful in styling to the Peacemaker, it became a hugely popular plinking and small-game revolver, with a 9.5-inch Buntline variant also offered.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 660 g (23.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 267 mm (10.51") |
| Barrel Length | 121 mm (4.76") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Trigger Pull | 13 N (2.9 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum Alloy |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
- .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire — also known as .22 WMR, .22 Magnum, .22 Mag
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Revolving Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Fixed Sights, Scaled Down Saa Pattern, Convertible Cylinder, Fluted Cylinder, Loading Gate
Variants
- Colt Frontier Scout Buntline — Long Barrel
- Colt Frontier Scout '62 — Second Generation
Service history
Operators
- Civilian sport shooters · adopted 1957
Production
Estimated total produced: 246,000 · Production years: 1957-1970
Approximately 246,000 Frontier Scouts manufactured across Q and K serial-number series; many additional commemorative editions were produced.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Colt's Manufacturing Company
Discontinued: 1970
Notes
Q-suffix serial numbers denote 1957-1959 production and K-suffix denotes 1960-1970. Frames evolved from bright aluminum to anodized black to color-case-hardened steel. Roughly 36,500 were shipped by the end of 1958. Colt continued the .22 single-action line after 1970 with the Peacemaker .22 and New Frontier .22, and Frontier Scout-pattern guns remained available into the 1980s.
Background
Colt was late to the post-war .22 single-action market when it launched the Frontier Scout in 1957 at $49.50, but the scaled-down Peacemaker look made it an immediate hit with cowboy-era enthusiasts and small-game shooters.