October 30 - November 2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria, & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2018
This gun is covered in depth in the book "A Study of Colt Conversions" by McDowell beginning on page 403. All were chambered for .44 Rimfire with 8" barrels, assembled from obsolete percussion revolver parts and newly fabricated straight round cartridge cylinder. According to the book, the long cylinder revolvers had mixed serial numbers but matching assembly numbers on all major parts. Frame were remachined, some of which had provisions for loading gates, but he states none have been observed. This example does have a loading gate and has matching serial numbers on frame, barrel, trigger guard, backstrap and cylinder pin. Loading gate and back of cylinder are stamped "29". Wedge was originally serial numbered "3744" and has been overstamped with "29" as well; so not only does this revolver have all matching serial numbers with exception of wedge, it has all matching assembly numbers as well. Cylinders were newly made. This example was cut for shoulder stock. It is still the opinion of the author that these long cylinder revolvers were not produced at Colt, but were produced my one of America's larger houses dealing in arms, such as Kittredge & Company, or Schuyler, Hartley & Graham who were capable of machining and gunsmithing and had a supply of obsolete 1868 Army revolvers and parts. The production date of these revolvers is circa 1873-1874. It is estimated that less than 60 long cylinder cartridge revolvers were ever made, with the highest reported assembly number being "56"; in other words, in the world of Colt cartridge collecting, these are the hardest to find of any well-known conversion and infinitely more rare than even the Theur Conversions. This example sports its original nickel finish and is fitted with a pair of ivory grips with a brass trigger guard. Top of barrel has a front sight notch and single line barrel address. Barrel has a flat muzzle and measures 7-7/8" exactly. Backstrap has a military inspector stamp present. CONDITION: Barrel and ejector rod retain 75-980% nickel, blending with patina and some age freckling. Frame retains approximately 70% original nickel plating, balance evenly blending. Razor sharp legends. Trigger is nickel plated. Hammer is basically grey. The brass trigger guard retains 75% original nickel plating. Steel backstrap retains 50% original nickel plating with some flaking. Cylinder is a 50/50 even blend of nickel and grey patina. Ivory grips are a deep off-white color, slightly shy at toes, but in excellent condition. Indexes and locks up perfectly. Bore shows distinctive rifling but does have some black powder residue. When one refers to the handguns that really won the West, it was the early cartridge conversions manufactured after the Civil War that could be purchased at a fraction of the price of the new Colt Model 1873; this is evidenced of the myriad of original photographs in which conversions are proudly displayed, therefore the survival rate of a conversion of which less than 60 were ever manufactured is extremely small and it is our opinion this is one of the finest surviving examples extant. If one truly wants to collect the Colt that really won the West, collecting conversions offers enough challenges to keep the collector hunting for examples for the rest of his life. A truly exemplary and rare revolver.