GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
SCARCE COLT 2ND MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER. COLT 2ND MODEL DRAGOON 9874 44 Cal. 44. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2" oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight & 1-line New York City right hand address with dashes. Rammer has a vertical latch. Left side of frame is marked "COLT'S PATENT" over a tiny "U.S.". Cyl is unfluted with Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking and "MODEL U.S.M.R. / COLT'S PATENT" cartouches surrounding the SN. All 6 safety pins are crisp. The brass trigger guard & backstrap contain an oil finished 1-pc walnut grip with number "10644" in backstrap channel and an indecipherable inspectors cartouche on the left side with a faint "WAT" (William A. Thornton) sub-inspector cartouche on the right. Various parts of the revolver have other small inspector initials. The 2nd Model Dragoon was the lowest production of the 3 Dragoon models with only 2,700 produced in the period 1850-1851. The majority of these revolvers were issued to mounted infantry or Dragoons fighting Indians on the American frontier to replace the Walker revolvers from the Mexican War. Then later, they were issued in the Civil War where they again saw hard service and continue to serve back on the American frontier after the war. Few survive today and of those extremely few retain any orig finish. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except grip as noted. Bbl retains about 90% strong orig blue with scattered light age spots and a few small nicks with sharp edge wear. Rammer pivot retains most of its orig case colors, fading to grey and rammer handle has dark case colors. Frame retains most of its orig case colors, also fading to grey. Hammer retains about 60% faded case colors on the sides, stronger on the back edge. Cyl is mostly a blue grey patina showing about 95% strong Dragoon/Indian fight roll marking scene with a few spots of light surface pitting. Cartouches surrounding SN are fine. Trigger guard & backstrap are a medium mustard patina. Grip has a chip in the bottom right edge and a set of scratched initials on the top right side and overall retains a hand-worn patina. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore with some very minor roughness toward the muzzle. 50142-6 JR117 (25,000-35,000)