ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2026) — The line between history and myth has always been thin in the American West, and few figures occupy that border more comfortably than Joaquin Murrieta. A Mexican miner during the California Gold Rush who suffered violence, discrimination and the loss of his family at the hands of Anglo settlers, Murrieta either became a bandit who terrorized the goldfields or a resistance figure who defended the powerless, depending on who is telling the story. SK Customs, the St. Augustine-based manufacturer of limited-edition collectible firearms, has now committed that ambiguity to steel and gold with the second installment of its Outlaws & Bandits Series: a run of 200 individually numbered Colt 1911s chambered in .38 Super.
Murrieta’s legend grew in corridos, poems and oral histories across the American West and Mexico, where he was cast less as a criminal and more as a champion of the poor. He is often called the Robin Hood of the West, a figure whose personal tragedy became collective folklore. How much of his story is documented fact and how much is cultural embellishment remains a subject of debate, but that uncertainty has only strengthened the legend’s hold.
“For many Mexican Americans, Murrieta represents resilience against marginalization and an enduring hope for justice,” said Simon Khiabani, owner and founder of SK Guns. “Over time, he’s been elevated beyond history into myth, where truth and symbolism blend.”
The pistol’s engraving tells that story across every surface. The left side of the slide carries one of Murrieta’s most widely attributed quotes: “If you betray me, I will scatter to the winds all that you have and all that you love,” alongside a flower scroll indigenous to Mexico, rendered in 24k gold. The rear panel features the Colt serpent logo, also in gold.
On the right side, Murrieta appears on horseback in a western bronc-style riding pose, bordered and finished in 24k gold. A matching flower scroll of Mexico’s national flowers continues the botanical motif from the opposite panel. The rear serration carries a golden nugget, a nod to the Gold Rush era that shaped Murrieta’s story. Each pistol’s individual edition number, from 001 to 200, is engraved on this side of the slide.
The top of the slide features a portrait of Murrieta with his name and birth-to-death year in 24k gold, along with a depiction of the Mexican eagle as it appeared in his era. The frame, slide, barrel and hardware are all highly polished, with selective 24k gold plating throughout and controls finished in a deep Colt Royal Blue. Presentation-grade Kirinite grips are fitted with a gold Colt Rampart medallion.
The Joaquin Murrieta Colt 1911 in .38 Super is limited to 200 pistols, with shipping expected to begin in May 2026. MSRP is $2,700. Pre-launch pricing is currently available at skguns.com.
