GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
EXTREMELY RARE PRE-WAR/POST-WAR SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER THAT WAS SERIAL NUMBERED PRE-WAR BUT PROBABLY NOT ASSEMBLED UNTIL WELL INTO THE 1950S OR 1960S AND NOT SHIPPED UNTIL 1965 WITH POST-WAR BLACK BOX AND FACTORY LETTER.COLTSAA35770945 COLTMODERN; C&RCal. 45 COLT. Blue & color case hardened with 5-1/2" bbl, full thick front sight with post-war bbl that has the address on the right side and Model & caliber marking on left side. Left side of frame has 2-line 3-patent dates and the Rampant Colt. Mounted with unnumbered Rampant Colt post-war hard rubber grips. Cylinder is post-war type with Rampant Colt on the rear face between 2 chambers and 3-digits of a SN "852" on the face between chambers and the number "60" around the cylinder pin bushing. Hammer is post-war type with high polish blue top & back edges and bright polished sides. Frame is color case hardened that appears to be cyanide coloring rather than Colt-style bone-meal color case hardening. Accompanied by a Colt Factory letter which identifies this revolver in caliber 45 Colt with 5-1/2" bbl, type of finish & type of stocks not listed, shipped to Major F.E. Smith, San Antonio, TX on Oct. 19,1965 in a one gun shipment. According to The Book of Colt Firearms, Wilson, pre-war production ceased in 1940 with SN 357859 which would indicate that this revolver was serialized in that series, however beginning in 1947 and running into the 1960s there were approximately 300 revolvers assembled from leftover parts. Given that this revolver was assembled with post-war parts, i.e. bbl, cylinder, hammer & grips and the fact that it has cyanide-style coloring rather than Colt-style bone-meal color case hardening, leads one to believe that this revolver may have been reworked outside the factory. Accompanied by its orig hinged lid, black cardboard box with brick red grease pencil matching serial number on the bottom. Inside the box has the owners pamphlet, a Handling the Handgun pamphlet and warranty card along with a wire handled bristle brush. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except cylinder & grips as noted. Overall retains 99% plus fine Colt blue on the bbl, cylinder, ejector housing & grip frame and about 99% plus cyanide colors on the frame & loading gate. Hammer retains bright blue on the edges and bright polish on the sides. Grips are equally new showing no flaws. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Box has broken corners in the lid and is missing the front edge of the top. Bottom of the box has a break in one end & another in the back side and shows internal wear in 2 places from the hammer. 52527-20 JRL (3,500-5,000)