October 30 - November 2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria, & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2018
Colt Factory Letter lists this revolver, Serial No. 49517, as shipped August 12th, 1878 to the US Government in a 150 gun shipment. John Kopec’s letter of 2003 makes the following observations: They could not locate this revolver in the National Archive records; it was manufactured in 1878; Ordnance inspector was Captain John. E Greer and was dual sub-inspected by E.C. Wheeler and Henry Nettleton. Wheeler substituted during the illness of Henry Nettleton, hence both stamps. Purportedly Wheeler served but a few weeks as sub-inspector, he is not listed in the US Military Arms Inspector Mark book and is the rarest and hardest to find of all inspected Cavalry revolvers. John also makes note of the remaining nickel plating of which 10-20% remains on revolver, and that this revolver was a buy-back sold as a surplus militia revolver to an arms dealer who had it nickel plated at the time. The “W” for Wheeler is prominently stamped on the frame, cylinder and hammer. “HN” Nettleton stamped will be found on trigger guard, backstrap. Left side is dated 1878 and has “JEG” cartouche for John E. Greer; the right cartouche appears to be double stamped. All metal that does not have nickel remaining is a soft, pleasing chocolate brown patina. Still has donut head ejector. Three line patent dates on frame, barrel legend with no lines. One frame screw is slightly marred. The rifling is well defined with virtually no black powder abrasion but is overall frosted. Indexes and locks up with all four clicks. No “US” stamp on left side of frame, John’s comment on this is that several of the surveyed “HN” revolvers in this series were never stamped “US”; it clearly shows all government inspectors, leaving no doubt it is a military gun and that it was shipped to the US Government. So you have the non-US stamped anomaly with the rarest sub-inspector.