I'm just responding to the words on the screen.
That's Charles Richards' patent date for the breech loading design. The other date is for William Mason's patent for the improved ejector. These were applied to cartridge conversions preceding the Model P. Like I said, the Model P was designed in late 1872 in just a few months, after the army rejected the 1871-1872 Open Top.
The gun does not remain the same. Quite a few things have been changed over time. Including the shame of the triggerguard, barrel thread pitch, cylinder bushings, cylinder bevels, front sights, hammer profiles, etc.. Such that few if any 1st generation parts interchange with 3rd's.
Which has zero to do with the quality of the Colt product. For the most part, you're preaching to the choir. Colt would've never even reintroduced after WWII were it not for Ruger.
