Engraving to die for and wonderful matchbook ivory grips. mother of pearl grips. The number 3 American is known as the gun that tamed the west. It was produced 4 years before most people would see the Colt Single Action. It is the first large caliber gun from 1870. It was carried by the James Gang, the Daltons, John Wesley hardin and the Earps. Robert Ford used one to shoot Jesse James and Annie Oakley owned 3.