Not made as a conversion, the 1872 Open Top was its own model, chambered for the .44 rimfire cartridge. The Open Top design features no top strap over the cylinder, allowing for the quick removal of the cylinder, if needed. Some arms students believe that the Open Top, which was only produced from 1872-1873, was made to misdirect any competition producing a metallic cartridge handgun, while the revolutionary 1873 model was being developed. Nonetheless, it was a welcome addition for anyone wanting a newly manufactured, self-contained metallic cartridge handgun, rather than a conversion from a percussion arm, during the last years of the cap and ball revolvers' production. Later production Open Tops were made with 1860 Army-sized grips. Due to its limited run of only around 7,000 guns, coupled with the hard use many of these sixguns were put through on the frontier, original examples of the 1872 Open Top are among the more desirable and difficult to obtain firearms collectibles. Cimar...