COLT ARTILLERY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH POSSIBLE 7TH CAVALRY AND POST OFFICE ASSOCIATION.

COLT ARTILLERY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH POSSIBLE 7TH CAVALRY AND POST OFFICE ASSOCIATION. SN 119923. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue and color case hardened with 5-1/2″ bbl with full front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip whose backstrap channel is obscured by oil stain. Grip has a “RAC” (Rinaldo A. Carr) sub-inspector cartouche below the date “1903” on right side. Both bottom edges of grip have the “RAC” initials and the right edge has what appears a Social Security Number “450-66-8441”. Bbl is a restored replacement with factory re-rolled address and “RAC” initials on bottom. Bottom of frame and cyl have “DFC” (David F. Clark) sub-inspector initials. Bbl is unnumbered with the cyl having 4 digits of SN “2456”. Trigger guard and backstrap are numbered “4881”. The SN “4881” is listed on pp 270-271 of Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers..A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn as having been returned to Colt “unserviceable” in 1895 and as an existing artillery revolver. This trigger guard and backstrap originated on a cavalry revolver which was issued in March 1874 in a shipment of 1,000 revolvers in the serial range 4500 through 5504, lot five. 755 of these revolvers were issued to Custer’s 7th Cavalry Regiment and 433 to the 1st Cavalry. The total strength of Custer’s command at Little Big Horn was 632 troopers, all armed with Colt Single Action Revolvers. Of those a total of 492 were armed with revolvers from the lot 5 serial range noted above. Custer’s command had 266 troops killed in action and 59 wounded. While there are no records to positively identify SN 4881 as having been a Custer issued revolver, there is a very strong probability that it was issued to a trooper in Custer’s command and therefore at the Little Big Horn. Pg 80 of the referenced publication lists SN 119923, the frame number of this revolver, as having been issued to the Post Office in 1890 and later modified into an artillery model in 1903. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: About fine. Bbl retains about 75-80% strong blue with holster wear around muzzle and left side; frame retains 30-40% faded case colors with the balance turned silver, markings are faint; hammer retains 65-70% case colors; trigger guard and backstrap retain blue in sheltered areas with the balance blue gray patina; cyl retains thin blue on outer diameter, stronger in flutes; ejector housing retains about 60% strong blue in flutes; grip is sound, showing heavy wear with a few light nicks and scratches and retains a hand worn patina; mechanics are fine; strong bright bore with scattered pitting. 4-44717 JR259 (8,000-15,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

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
	1106	$8,050.00	COLT ARTILLERY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH POSSIBLE 7TH CAVALRY AND POST OFFICE ASSOCIATION. SN 119923. Cal. 45 Colt. Blue and color case hardened with 5-1/2″ bbl with full front sight and 1-line block letter address. Left side of frame has 3-line patent dates and “U.S.”. Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip whose backstrap channel is obscured by oil stain. Grip has a “RAC” (Rinaldo A. Carr) sub-inspector cartouche below the date “1903” on right side. Both bottom edges of grip have the “RAC” initials and the right edge has what appears a Social Security Number “450-66-8441”. Bbl is a restored replacement with factory re-rolled address and “RAC” initials on bottom. Bottom of frame and cyl have “DFC” (David F. Clark) sub-inspector initials. Bbl is unnumbered with the cyl having 4 digits of SN “2456”. Trigger guard and backstrap are numbered “4881”. The SN “4881” is listed on pp 270-271 of Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers..A Continuing Study, Kopec & Fenn as having been returned to Colt “unserviceable” in 1895 and as an existing artillery revolver. This trigger guard and backstrap originated on a cavalry revolver which was issued in March 1874 in a shipment of 1,000 revolvers in the serial range 4500 through 5504, lot five. 755 of these revolvers were issued to Custer’s 7th Cavalry Regiment and 433 to the 1st Cavalry. The total strength of Custer’s command at Little Big Horn was 632 troopers, all armed with Colt Single Action Revolvers. Of those a total of 492 were armed with revolvers from the lot 5 serial range noted above. Custer’s command had 266 troops killed in action and 59 wounded. While there are no records to positively identify SN 4881 as having been a Custer issued revolver, there is a very strong probability that it was issued to a trooper in Custer’s command and therefore at the Little Big Horn. Pg 80 of the referenced publication lists SN 119923, the frame number of this revolver, as having been issued to the Post Office in 1890 and later modified into an artillery model in 1903. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: About fine. Bbl retains about 75-80% strong blue with holster wear around muzzle and left side; frame retains 30-40% faded case colors with the balance turned silver, markings are faint; hammer retains 65-70% case colors; trigger guard and backstrap retain blue in sheltered areas with the balance blue gray patina; cyl retains thin blue on outer diameter, stronger in flutes; ejector housing retains about 60% strong blue in flutes; grip is sound, showing heavy wear with a few light nicks and scratches and retains a hand worn patina; mechanics are fine; strong bright bore with scattered pitting. 4-44717 JR259 (8,000-15,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 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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