GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
IMPORTANT "LOT 6" AINSWORTH INSPECTED CUSTER ERA COLT CAVALRY REVOLVER W/PERIOD FLAP HOLSTER AND KOPEC LETTER.COLTSAA560745W/HOLSTERCal. 45. 7 1/2" round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, 1 pc walnut grips. Revolver has all of the attributes of the first type production for the military including Bullseye ejector rod head, first style ejector housing with barrel boss, cylinder with small bolt stops, and Cavalry style hammer with elongated knurled spur. Left side of frame is roll -stamped with "PAT.SEPT.19.1871/PAT.JULY. 2. 1872" in two lines with a small "US" property mark. The small "A" inspection mark of Ordnance Sub-Inspector Orville W. Ainsworth is stamped on the underside of the barrel, trigger guard below the serial number, top of the back strap behind hammer, cylinder and on the left grip. The inside of the loading gate is stamped with the assembly number "893". The serial number, "5607" is stamped on the barrel beneath the ejector housing,on the bottom of the frame, trigger guard and back strap and on the side of the cylinder. Traces of the rectangular Ordnance cartouche w/script initials "OWA" are visible on the lower left side of the grip. Accompanied by a period, black leather flap holster, interestingly, for left handed use. This is the type of holster that would have been utilized by Custer's 7th Cavalry with the Colt Single Action revolvers. Accompanied by a 2016 dated research letter from noted authority John Kopec in which he confirms this superb Cavalry revolver remains in its orig configuration as shipped in 1874. SN 5607 is indeed a Custer range gun which Kopec attributes to Company K in his lengthy and detailed letter on this revolver. The 7th Cavalry was issued 755 Colt Single Action Army revolvers in June 1874. Experts believe that some 300 of these revolvers were from Colt Production Lot Six which consisted of revolvers with serial numbers from 5505-6516. Colt Single Action revolvers with documented 7th Cavalry history or Little Bighorn battle association include serial numbers 5505, 5637, 5740, 5743, 5773, 6048, 6067, 6269, and 6405. Most of these Custer era revolvers were sent back to Colt or Springfield Armory and re-emerged as cut down 5-1/2" Artillery models with mixed numbers. To find one in "as issued" condition in its original length with all matching numbers is extremely rare. As Kopec states, "This lends credence to the theory that this revolver had been "liberated" by a(left-handed)deserter at an early(pre-recall)date. PROVENANCE: John Kopec letter dated Sept 21,2016; Various independent research items regarding Custer Era Colts. CONDITION: Revolver retains considerable original blue finish on bbl, little or no pitting or wear throughout. Hammer has strong traces of case colors. Frame retains faint traces of case colors. Backstrap has strong traces of original bluing as does trigger guard.Screws appear to be all orig. Grip is worn at base but Ainsworth cartouche still partially legible. Action is extremely crisp and bore is brilliant. Note excellent bores are extremely rare for a second year production Colt SAA. Flap holster is sound in well-used alligatored condition. 53084-3 MRZ (30,000-50,000)