GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
COMMERCIAL COLT 2ND MODEL DRAGOON PERCUSSION REVOLVER. COLT 2ND MODEL 8851 44 Cal. 44. Usual configuration with 7-1/2" oct to rnd bbl, German silver front sight and 1-line New York City address. Left side of frame has a small "COLT'S PATENT" over a tiny "U.S.". The squareback brass trigger guard and backstrap contain a very nicely figured 1-pc walnut grip with matching SN in backstrap channel. Cyl is usual 6-shots with Dragoon/Indian fight scene roll marking and "MODEL U.S.M.R. / COLT'S PATENT" panels on each side of the SN. Cylinder has three partially serviceable safety pins. Although the frame is "U.S." marked and various parts have small inspector initials, the grip is without cartouches and it appears that this was a commercial Dragoon assembled from contract overrun parts. The 2nd Model Dragoon was produced only during 1850-1851 with only about 2,700 manufactured in that period. Of that small number 1,000 were on contract to the government. Colt, anticipating larger orders, produced parts to make the additional 1,700 revolvers, most of which were inspected at the plant but when the contracts from the government did not materialize, he simply had them assembled into revolvers and sold them on the commercial market. Regardless of where they were sold these revolvers saw hard frontier service which continued through the Civil War and remained in service well into the 1870s. This most rare of Dragoons is rarely found today with any orig finish with most having seen very hard use. PROVENANCE: Collection of Robert Roughton. CONDITION: Very good, all matching except wedge which is numbered "9216". All the steel parts retain a cleaned gray metal patina with scattered discoloration and some very fine pitting on right side of bbl; cyl is matching patina with scattered spots of fine pitting and shows 75-80% Dragoon/Indian fight scene with crisp clear panels; grip frame is a cleaned medium mustard patina. Grips well fit with 1/4" chip to rear left toe, showing moderate wear with handworn patina. Mechanics are fine, strong bright bore with a few small spots of pitting. 52328-7 JR376 (10,000-12,500)