In Supernatural, how many bullets were in the Colt?

Question

In Supernatural, the legendary Colt was supposed to have had only thirteen bullets until Bobby makes more.

But I count fourteen. When they got the Colt they had five bullets, then according to legend a hunter used six then it was lost. But in season 6 episode 18 you see Samuel Colt shoot two demons, then Dean shoots the Phoenix, so 5 + 6 + 3 = 14.

So how many bullets did it have?

Answer 1

I think where your math is going wrong is, the events of Frontierland, where Dean shoots the Phoenix is most likely part of the legend of the Colt, and probably included in the "half a dozen times" that Colt used it before disappearing. The two demons that Colt shoots in that episode happened in the middle of the wilderness, where no one was around to see it.

But the attack on the Phoenix happened in the middle of town, a town where Sam and Dean had just been asking around about Colt and his weapon. Since Colt must have already used the gun in public before, in order for the legend to even begin, it's very likely that Dean killing the Phoenix was lumped together with the rest of the story; Colt himself may have even perpetuated the story that he shot the Phoenix to protect Sam/Dean's identities as time travelers, since that's the way he writes the story in his journal.

Answer 2

According to the SupernaturalWiki, these are the uses of the Colt:

• 6.18 Frontierland - Samuel Colt shoots and kills two demons (in 1861).
• 6.18 Frontierland - Dean shoots and kills the phoenix.
• 1.20 Dead Man's Blood - The Colt is introduced with 5 (out of 13) remaining bullets. John shoots Luther the vampire to save Sam's life.
• 1.21 Salvation - Sam shoots at the Yellow-Eyed Demon in Rose's nursery.
• 1.22 Devil's Trap - Dean shoots the man possessed by a demon (Tom) to save Sam's life.
• 1.22 Devil's Trap - Sam shoots John in the thigh while he is possessed by the Yellow-Eyed Demon.
• 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two - Dean kills Azazel with a shot in the heart.

Also, according to John Winchester,

Story goes, he made thirteen bullets. This hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him...

So your count is right, 3 + 6 + 5 = 14.

But it's still possible that there were only 13 bullets. Depending on context, "a half dozen" can mean any quantity from 5 to 7. A bit like "several" and "a couple". So if in this case it actually means 5, your count would end up 3 + 5 + 5 = 13.

Of course, another but less likely possibility would be that Samuel Colt, being the sharpshooter that he is, shot both demons with one shot.^† That way, it would be 2 + 6 + 5 = 13.

^{†: I've never actually seen the episode where that happens, so I don't know if this is a plausible or even possible explanation.}