Colt Single Action Army was discontinued in 1999, as was the 4.75" variant, which was reintroduced in 2002. Manufacturing of the Colt Cowboy was discontinued in 2003. Colt engraved less than one percent of its first generation production of the Single Action Army revolver, which makes these engraved models extremely rare and valuable with collectors. Engraved pieces were often ordered by or for famous people of the day, including lawmen, heads of state, and captains of industry. This tradition began with the founder, Samuel Colt, who regularly gave such examples away as a means of publicity for Colt. Colt employed a number of engravers,
Revolver powerful revolvers, utilizing the .500 S&W Magnum cartridge. Because the rounds in a revolver are headspaced on the rim, some revolvers are capable of chambering more than one type of ammunition. The .44 Magnum round will chamber the shorter .44 Special and shorter .44 Colt, likewise the .357 Magnum will safely chamber .38 Special and .38 Short Colt. In 1996 a revolver known as the Medusa M47 was made that could chamber 25 different cartridges with bullet diameters between .355" and .357". Revolver technology lives on in other weapons used by the military. Some autocannons and grenade launchers use mechanisms