COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER ATTRIBUTED TO THE 8TH CAVALRY.

SN 49108. Cal. 45 Colt. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ bbl, slightly reduced & thinned front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and a small “US”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has last four digits of matching SN in back strap channel. Left side of grip has the outline of an oval cartouche that would be for Capt. John E. Greer, under the mostly visible date of “1878”. Right side of grip has the partially visible cartouche “HN” (Henry Nettleton). Right side of grip also has partially visible stamping that appears to be “Co” and what appears to be a “B” and the partial number that appears to be an “8TH” and “CAV.”. The “HN” inspector initials are found on bottom of bbl, frame & cyl. The back strap & grip have small “W” (E.C. Wheeler) sub-inspector initials. Mr. Wheeler filled in for Mr. Nettleton during an illness. Accompanied by a 2-page letter from renowned Colt historian & author, John Kopec, wherein he verifies most of the above information. He states that the hammer is a replacement since it does not have the “HN” inspector initials. He also provides the information that this revolver escaped the recalls of 1893 and the early 20th century where hundreds of cavalry revolvers were returned to the factory & Springfield Arsenal where they had their bbls reduced to 5-1/2″ and usually have mixed numbers. This revolver is identified by SN in Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn, as being one of the very few Wheeler inspected revolvers. Additionally accompanied by a notarized letter, over the signature of Jim Finch, Long Hunter Shooter Supply of Amarillo, TX. Mr. Finch states that in March 2011 he purchased this revolver from a north Texas rancher who had found it in a box in an old barn they were tearing down. He states that he traded it to Ron Peterson of Albuquerque, NM. The fact that this revolver remains in its orig configuration attests to the fact that it was very likely issued to a frontline cavalry unit during the Indian Wars and was either lost or stolen. Although it could have subsequently been issued to a militia unit, it likely was not. The 8th U.S. Cavalry Regiment was a very storied & active cavalry unit involved in Indian Wars from 1866-1890. They were formed in California in Dec. 1866, replacing volunteer companies that had been fighting Indians in California, Nevada & Oregon during the Civil War. In 1867 they were moved to Nevada and in 1870 to Fort Union, New Mexico Territory. They remained there at various forts throughout the region fighting primarily the Apaches, making the occasional foray into Texas against the Comanches & Kiowas and in July 1875 were moved to Texas where they continued fighting the Comanche until 1888 when they marched 2,600 miles to Fort Meade, SD and Fort Keogh, Montana Territory. The fact that the 8th Cavalry was a frontline fighting unit in 1878 and thereafter in North Texas certainly lends credibility to the idea that this revolver was stolen by a deserting trooper during the time before the unit left for the north. PROVENANCE: Estate Collection of Tommy Rholes. CONDITION: Very good, all matching. Traces of orig finish remain in the most sheltered areas being a cleaned gray metal patina; the hammer, as mentioned by Mr. Kopec as having been changed, is a civilian type with short checkered spur which would further support the idea that this revolver had been in use outside of the military. Grip shows heavy wear with heavy chipping along the edges and retains a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. 4-50603 JR346 (8,000-12,000) – Lot 3077

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2014

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
	3077	$7,475.00	COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER ATTRIBUTED TO THE 8TH CAVALRY. SN 49108. Cal. 45 Colt. Usual configuration with 7-1/2″ bbl, slightly reduced & thinned front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and a small “US”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip that has last four digits of matching SN in back strap channel. Left side of grip has the outline of an oval cartouche that would be for Capt. John E. Greer, under the mostly visible date of “1878”. Right side of grip has the partially visible cartouche “HN” (Henry Nettleton). Right side of grip also has partially visible stamping that appears to be “Co” and what appears to be a “B” and the partial number that appears to be an “8TH” and “CAV.”. The “HN” inspector initials are found on bottom of bbl, frame & cyl. The back strap & grip have small “W” (E.C. Wheeler) sub-inspector initials. Mr. Wheeler filled in for Mr. Nettleton during an illness. Accompanied by a 2-page letter from renowned Colt historian & author, John Kopec, wherein he verifies most of the above information. He states that the hammer is a replacement since it does not have the “HN” inspector initials. He also provides the information that this revolver escaped the recalls of 1893 and the early 20th century where hundreds of cavalry revolvers were returned to the factory & Springfield Arsenal where they had their bbls reduced to 5-1/2″ and usually have mixed numbers. This revolver is identified by SN in Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn, as being one of the very few Wheeler inspected revolvers. Additionally accompanied by a notarized letter, over the signature of Jim Finch, Long Hunter Shooter Supply of Amarillo, TX. Mr. Finch states that in March 2011 he purchased this revolver from a north Texas rancher who had found it in a box in an old barn they were tearing down. He states that he traded it to Ron Peterson of Albuquerque, NM. The fact that this revolver remains in its orig configuration attests to the fact that it was very likely issued to a frontline cavalry unit during the Indian Wars and was either lost or stolen. Although it could have subsequently been issued to a militia unit, it likely was not. The 8th U.S. Cavalry Regiment was a very storied & active cavalry unit involved in Indian Wars from 1866-1890. They were formed in California in Dec. 1866, replacing volunteer companies that had been fighting Indians in California, Nevada & Oregon during the Civil War. In 1867 they were moved to Nevada and in 1870 to Fort Union, New Mexico Territory. They remained there at various forts throughout the region fighting primarily the Apaches, making the occasional foray into Texas against the Comanches & Kiowas and in July 1875 were moved to Texas where they continued fighting the Comanche until 1888 when they marched 2,600 miles to Fort Meade, SD and Fort Keogh, Montana Territory. The fact that the 8th Cavalry was a frontline fighting unit in 1878 and thereafter in North Texas certainly lends credibility to the idea that this revolver was stolen by a deserting trooper during the time before the unit left for the north. PROVENANCE: Estate Collection of Tommy Rholes. CONDITION: Very good, all matching. Traces of orig finish remain in the most sheltered areas being a cleaned gray metal patina; the hammer, as mentioned by Mr. Kopec as having been changed, is a civilian type with short checkered spur which would further support the idea that this revolver had been in use outside of the military. Grip shows heavy wear with heavy chipping along the edges and retains a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. 4-50603 JR346 (8,000-12,000) – Lot 3077 Auction: Firearms - Fall 2014 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 CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER ATTRIBUTED TO THE 8TH CAVALRY.