COLT CUSTER RANGE SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

SN 6442. Cal 45 COLT. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ “stretched” bbl, full front sight & 1-line script letter address with seraphs at each end. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Bottom of bbl, under ejector housing is marked with the matching SN and there is a small “A” (Orville W. Ainsworth) inspector initial on the bottom by the base pin. There is also a small “P”. Cylinder, trigger guard & backstrap are all matching numbered to the frame. Loading gate is without assembly number but has matching patina and wear to the frame indicating a period of use replacement. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has a partially legible “OWA” (Ainsworth) cartouche on the left side. Cylinder, trigger guard & backstrap are also marked with small “A” inspector initials. Base pin is original type with dimpled ends. Ejector housing is 1st type with bulls-eye ejector rod head. This revolver is from the first contract with Colt for 8,000 revolvers and is from Lot 6. Revolvers of that lot are known to have been issued to members of Custer’s staff, scouts and Indian scouts along with troopers of Company D under Capt. Benteen and Company I with the Pack Train detail. While it is known that Colt’s of Lot 6 were issued to Custer’s cavalry, revolvers of the same lot were also issued to the 2nd & 3rd cavalry regiments. Given that this revolver had its barrel stretched (extended) from about the 5-1/2″ mark, indicates that it very likely had been returned to the Colt plant for alteration to artillery configuration with 5-1/2″ bbl. The table of serial numbers on page 280 of Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers…..a Continuing Study lists SN 6450, only 8 numbers from this revolver as being a cylinder recovered near the Custer battlefield lending credence to the premise that this revolver was also at The Little Big Horn, probably with Capt. Benteen’s troop. Accompanied by a 1998 dated letter on John A. Kopec letterhead over Mr. Kopec’s signature and addressed to David Pierce of British Columbia, Canada wherein Mr. Kopec states that he had originally purchased this revolver in about 1968 from a Mexican fellow for $350.00. At that time the revolver had a cut barrel which Mr. Kopec had extended by a Mr. McMurray of Pittsburgh, Kansas. This revolver is pictured and described on pages 198, 203, 204 & 268 of A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, Graham, Kopec & Moore, a copy of which accompanies this revolver. Inside the fly leaf of this book is an inscription to Mr. Pierce dated July 14, 1993 over the signature of Mr. Kopec wherein he states that he purchased it about 1968 and it remained in his personal collection for several years. This revolver was also photographed & referenced on page 10 of the May 1971 magazine The Gun Report in an article by Mr. Kopec. Very few documented cavalry Colt’s associated with Custer and The Battle of the Little Big Horn are known today. CONDITION: Fair to good. No orig finish remains being an overall mottled gray/brown patina with scattered fine pitting around the muzzle, on the frame and grip frame. Cylinder & ejector housing are matching patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. 51735-1 JRL (6,000-8,000) – Lot 1133

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Auction: Firearms - April 2017

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1133	$12,650.00	COLT CUSTER RANGE SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER. SN 6442. Cal 45 COLT. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ “stretched” bbl, full front sight & 1-line script letter address with seraphs at each end. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and a small “U.S.”. Bottom of bbl, under ejector housing is marked with the matching SN and there is a small “A” (Orville W. Ainsworth) inspector initial on the bottom by the base pin. There is also a small “P”. Cylinder, trigger guard & backstrap are all matching numbered to the frame. Loading gate is without assembly number but has matching patina and wear to the frame indicating a period of use replacement. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has a partially legible “OWA” (Ainsworth) cartouche on the left side. Cylinder, trigger guard & backstrap are also marked with small “A” inspector initials. Base pin is original type with dimpled ends. Ejector housing is 1st type with bulls-eye ejector rod head. This revolver is from the first contract with Colt for 8,000 revolvers and is from Lot 6. Revolvers of that lot are known to have been issued to members of Custer’s staff, scouts and Indian scouts along with troopers of Company D under Capt. Benteen and Company I with the Pack Train detail. While it is known that Colt’s of Lot 6 were issued to Custer’s cavalry, revolvers of the same lot were also issued to the 2nd & 3rd cavalry regiments. Given that this revolver had its barrel stretched (extended) from about the 5-1/2″ mark, indicates that it very likely had been returned to the Colt plant for alteration to artillery configuration with 5-1/2″ bbl. The table of serial numbers on page 280 of Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers…..a Continuing Study lists SN 6450, only 8 numbers from this revolver as being a cylinder recovered near the Custer battlefield lending credence to the premise that this revolver was also at The Little Big Horn, probably with Capt. Benteen’s troop. Accompanied by a 1998 dated letter on John A. Kopec letterhead over Mr. Kopec’s signature and addressed to David Pierce of British Columbia, Canada wherein Mr. Kopec states that he had originally purchased this revolver in about 1968 from a Mexican fellow for $350.00. At that time the revolver had a cut barrel which Mr. Kopec had extended by a Mr. McMurray of Pittsburgh, Kansas. This revolver is pictured and described on pages 198, 203, 204 & 268 of A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, Graham, Kopec & Moore, a copy of which accompanies this revolver. Inside the fly leaf of this book is an inscription to Mr. Pierce dated July 14, 1993 over the signature of Mr. Kopec wherein he states that he purchased it about 1968 and it remained in his personal collection for several years. This revolver was also photographed & referenced on page 10 of the May 1971 magazine The Gun Report in an article by Mr. Kopec. Very few documented cavalry Colt’s associated with Custer and The Battle of the Little Big Horn are known today. CONDITION: Fair to good. No orig finish remains being an overall mottled gray/brown patina with scattered fine pitting around the muzzle, on the frame and grip frame. Cylinder & ejector housing are matching patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. 51735-1 JRL (6,000-8,000) – Lot 1133 Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - April 2017 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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COLT CUSTER RANGE SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.