MARTIALLY MARKED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER IN “7th CAV REPLACEMENT” SN RANGE.

MARTIALLY MARKED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER IN “7th CAV REPLACEMENT” SN RANGE. SN 18918. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight with script letter address that has brackets on each end. Bottom of the bbl, under ejector rod housing has the last four digits of serial number. Ejector rod housing is first type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and a small “U.S.” Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip numbered to this revolver in the backstrap channel. Left side of the grip has the legible cartouche “APC” (A.P. Casey). Small “C” inspector initials are found on the various parts including bbl, cylinder, trigger guard, backstrap & bottom right edge of the grip. Bbl has what appears to be vice marks on either side and that area has been cleaned and artificially aged. Cylinder also is artificially aged. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver as found with shipment to the U.S. Government Inspector at the Colt plant Oct. 4, 1895 in a shipment of 200 same type guns. Remarks section states that the orig shipping records were lost or destroyed however the existing records indicate that worn parts were replaced and the exterior refinished and reshipped to the government. Also accompanied by a partial letter from noted Colt Single Action historian & author, John Kopec, wherein he identifies this revolver as above and states that this revolver’s serial number “falls within a group of recorded examples which have been issued to ‘Troop L, 7th Cavalry’ as ‘after-battle’ replacements”. He further states that they were probably issued as early as Oct. 3, 1876 just four months after the Battle at Little Bighorn involving the 7th Cavalry wherein George Armstrong Custer and 212 troopers of his command were killed. This revolver falls within the first U.S. Contract fourth and fifth extensions in the period Dec. 1874 through March 1875. It is listed on p. 43 of Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn, and was part of a shipment to the New York militia after being refurbished. Other revolvers from the same series are shown to have been issued to a variety of troops of the 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Cavalry. These early revolvers were virtually all issued to Cavalry troops and saw action during the Indian Wars. It was only after they were recalled that they were issued to militia units. Undoubtedly this revolver saw action on the frontier. CONDITION: Fine, all matching. Bbl & cylinder as noted above with bbl retaining 40-50% strong orig blue with strong feathers around front sight. Frame retains 15-20% case colors in sheltered areas with balance turned silver. Trigger guard & backstrap are a blue/gray patina. Grip is sound with minor nicks & scratches and retains a wonderful hand worn patina with aforementioned legible cartouche. Grip does not fit exactly near toe area and it appears that the number on buttstrap is restamped. Cylinder number is probably also restamped. Restamping of serial numbers was a common practice during the 1895 refurbishment at Colt’s. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with a couple of scattered spots of light pitting. 4-38297 (15,000-20,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009

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
	2207	$9,200.00	MARTIALLY MARKED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER IN “7th CAV REPLACEMENT” SN RANGE. SN 18918. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue & color case hardened with 7-1/2″ bbl, full front sight with script letter address that has brackets on each end. Bottom of the bbl, under ejector rod housing has the last four digits of serial number. Ejector rod housing is first type with bull’s eye ejector rod head. Left side of frame has 2-line patent dates and a small “U.S.” Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip numbered to this revolver in the backstrap channel. Left side of the grip has the legible cartouche “APC” (A.P. Casey). Small “C” inspector initials are found on the various parts including bbl, cylinder, trigger guard, backstrap & bottom right edge of the grip. Bbl has what appears to be vice marks on either side and that area has been cleaned and artificially aged. Cylinder also is artificially aged. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver as found with shipment to the U.S. Government Inspector at the Colt plant Oct. 4, 1895 in a shipment of 200 same type guns. Remarks section states that the orig shipping records were lost or destroyed however the existing records indicate that worn parts were replaced and the exterior refinished and reshipped to the government. Also accompanied by a partial letter from noted Colt Single Action historian & author, John Kopec, wherein he identifies this revolver as above and states that this revolver’s serial number “falls within a group of recorded examples which have been issued to ‘Troop L, 7th Cavalry’ as ‘after-battle’ replacements”. He further states that they were probably issued as early as Oct. 3, 1876 just four months after the Battle at Little Bighorn involving the 7th Cavalry wherein George Armstrong Custer and 212 troopers of his command were killed. This revolver falls within the first U.S. Contract fourth and fifth extensions in the period Dec. 1874 through March 1875. It is listed on p. 43 of Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn, and was part of a shipment to the New York militia after being refurbished. Other revolvers from the same series are shown to have been issued to a variety of troops of the 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Cavalry. These early revolvers were virtually all issued to Cavalry troops and saw action during the Indian Wars. It was only after they were recalled that they were issued to militia units. Undoubtedly this revolver saw action on the frontier. CONDITION: Fine, all matching. Bbl & cylinder as noted above with bbl retaining 40-50% strong orig blue with strong feathers around front sight. Frame retains 15-20% case colors in sheltered areas with balance turned silver. Trigger guard & backstrap are a blue/gray patina. Grip is sound with minor nicks & scratches and retains a wonderful hand worn patina with aforementioned legible cartouche. Grip does not fit exactly near toe area and it appears that the number on buttstrap is restamped. Cylinder number is probably also restamped. Restamping of serial numbers was a common practice during the 1895 refurbishment at Colt’s. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with a couple of scattered spots of light pitting. 4-38297 (15,000-20,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009 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.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}