October 22-23, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/22/2019
According to Kopec, this low four digit gun was made in 1874 is is a prime lot of Custer 7th Cavalry guns. This gun is from so called Lot 5 with at least four in this batch having documented use at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Having been pulled from active service in December of 1900, it went through the usual rebuild program after which, it was reissued for use in the various so called Banana Wars that the US was involved in at the turn of the last century. The trigger guard is 138326. The backstrap is an early Ainsworth #4039. The barrel is #9772, David Clark inspected. The cylinder is commercial replacement. The grips are refinished and have diamond pattern at top, no stamps visible. The top strap of frame has a repair where it was once cut out for some type of sight. The front sight has been heightened. CONDITION: The entire gun was reblued at one time, not arsenal finish. The gun indexes and locks up and the bore is sharp. As to blue, overall, the gun would rate about 75% with most thinning on cylinder and the blue itself is thinning as well. Legends are still sharp. Nice looking gun where the frame could have rode with Custer. The Colt letter is interesting in that it states serial number 5011 was shipped with 100 guns to Armory Springfield, Dec. 13, 1900. DB
Paperwork
Kopec Letter, book excerpt, Colt letter