Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here’s a piece of firearms history that shows how a clever marketing nickname can outlive the gun itself. This factory-engraved Colt Model 1878, shipped to B. Kittredge & Co. on Christmas Eve 1878, carries the etched “OMNIPOTENT” panel that gave this revolver its grandiose nickname.
Benjamin Kittredge was the P.T. Barnum of gun dealers – the man who coined “Peacemaker” for the Single Action Army, “Lightning” and “Thunderer” for the Model 1877s, and “Omnipotent” for this double-action beast. His marketing genius turned Colt’s dry model numbers into names that captured the public imagination and stuck for over a century.
The Model 1878 was Colt’s attempt to merge the power of their successful Peacemaker with the rapid-fire capability of the smaller-framed Lightning and Thunderer. In .45 Colt, it packed serious punch in a double-action platform that could be fired as fast as you could pull the trigger. The name “Omnipotent” wasn’t just marketing fluff – it reflected the gun’s all-powerful reputation.
What makes this example special is its rarity. Only 284 Model 1878 revolvers received factory engraving, making this one of fewer than 300 dressed-up examples ever produced. The barrel’s been shortened from its original 7½-inch length, probably by an owner who wanted the power without the bulk.
Most of our POTDs utilize images from our friends at Rock Island Auction Company, the premier firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse their current auctions – who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!
“Engraved Omnipotent Colt Model 1878 Double Action Revolver.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4095/73/engraved-omnipotent-colt-model-1878-double-action-revolver. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.
