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144

Prime Custer 7th Cavalry Colt SAA Revolver

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:18,000.00 USD Estimated At:NA
Prime Custer 7th Cavalry Colt SAA Revolver
Auction Location:

16600 Aston Street
Irvine, CA
Prime Custer 7th Cavalry Colt Single Action Army Revolver, #5486, .45 Colt cal., 7-1/2'' barrel, blue and case hardened finish, with cartouched walnut grips. Included is a John Kopec letter stating that this revolver was mfg'd during 1874 and sub-inspected by O.W. Ainsworth. This revolver originated from Lot Five (#4500-#5504) of the Model 1873s shipped to the government and supplied to the 7th Cavalry. Lot Five was the prime lot from which the revolvers that had been issued to the 7th Cavalry were drawn. Dr. Sterling Fenn's research suggests that Custer's Troops had lost 252-300 revolvers during the Custer battle and that these revolvers had been within the #4500-#5504 serial number range. (See page 260 of the book, ''Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers'', by Kopec and Fenn.) Kopec further states that he believes that in the ensuing years this revolver sustained the following modifications: Barrel is a later Ainsworth replacement, grips are later replacements with facsimile cartouche, and that several screws found on this revolver are replacements. Of the 1000 revolvers in Lot Five, 755 were issued in late June 1876 prior to the Black Hills Campaign to the 7th Cavalry. Additional research further states that a probability of almost 1:1 that revolvers in this serial range were issued to the 7th Cavalry and with a probability of about 1:3 of it being on the scene at the Little Big Horn battle on June 25, 1876, where 260 men died. It is also of interest that Artillery Model revolvers are noticeably absent in the 4500-5500 serial number range. It is assumed that these revolvers, as Cavalry Models, were lost at the Little Big Horn battle. Condition is good to very good, and with the exception of the barrel and the grips. The frame, backstrap, triggerguard, cylinder and hammer, as well as the ejector rod housing, show relatively hard use and may have either been condemned by the government or captured by the Indians immediately after the battle. All visible matching serial numbers, except grips (unmarked) and barrel (later numbered to match). Action and bore are good. As with any firearm such as this, a judgment call must be made regarding its authenticity. We believe that the subject revolver turned up at one point in the last half Century showing hard use with perhaps a shortened barrel, heavily worn grips, and screw slots consistent with native American use. These parts were later replaced to make this historically significant arm whole once again. Est.: $18,000-$24,000. (Antique)
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