As to that: I think if you, Moe, write Colt and pay a fee they'll be able to tell you what caliber your particular frame originally came it. I highly doubt it was .38 Special because of the year it was made but it might have been .38 Long Colt. Either way, you could fully restore it to original shape over time if you felt like you wanted to. But obviously, .38 Special is much more available than a lot of other calibers it might have been chambered in.
It definitely was not originally in 38 Special. That cartridge didn't come about until 1899 and this Colt was born in 1893.
I have thought of getting that done by Colt. I realize it is a small fee and takes some time to be carried out but the real reason I have not done it yet is my fear of what comes back.
See here in Canada an antique cannot be or originally of a list of disqualifying calibers. Including many of the popular ones that the Colt SAA were produced in. Including 45 Colt, 44-40, 38-40, 38 Long Colt.
If I solicit Colt to do this research I would likely be handing over this gun one day for destruction. Laws were recently DICTATED by our current government that stops all transfers of restricted and prohibited class handguns. This means such guns cannot be sold, purchased, traded or handed to family even after ones death. Simply when your gone they are destroyed.
So if the Colt was originally of one of those calibers it would be deemed restricted class and have to be immediately destroyed by law as it is not permitted to be newly registered. It is now an antique classed firearm (and antiques are not registered) and I don't want to risk having that changed. I don't know if Colt sending the scroll with the info could be obtained by our authorities but I am not about to spend my money and go out of my way to simply screw myself.
Cheers
Moe