Colts 2

This is a very pleasing Single Action in appearance from 1880. Yes, still a very early nickel gun. There is about10-15% original factory nickel present. The overall finish is a pleasing Plum color, and has never been cleaned or polished. It remains in a natural state of aging 145 years of all originality. There is just enough nickel remaining to give it great appeal and character. It seems to be fashionable in collecting today to have what is affectionately known as ” dirty nickel. antique SAA;s. The Colt has 100% perfcet working actions.

The original Walnut grips, even with 2% original varnish present. ALL factory applied markings are p0resent and very legible: barrel address, frame patents, ALL MATCHING serial numbers 58439. An extremely collectable Colt SAA, with the original 7-1/2 inch barrel

Comes with Colt Factory Letter , Simmons, St. Louis, 1880 , * just as you see the Colt !!

This is an outstanding complete Wild West package !!! The revolver, the holster, the grips, and acid etched Colt Frontier Six Shooter Panel on Barrel extremely legible !!!!

This 4-3/4 inch Colt, as it left the Factory, has about 40% of the original factory blue, found on barrel, ejector tube, and cylinder flutes, and some on frame THE MAIN THING HERE, is a NEAR PERFECT acid etched panel on left side of barrel, at least a80% condition COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER, if you are a collector then you know how rare it is to find a panel this strong after 139 years and use. This CFSS shipped to Simmons Hardware , St. Louis in 1886. As a 4-3/4 inch blue, revolver.

IMPORTANT: the working actions are 100% correct, EVERY time ! THE ONE PIECE  Ivory Grips are spectacular, color, antique patina, a creamy mustard, and NO< NO damage.  I would think the grips were added by the buyer in 1886 either at Simmons or other supplier.

The holster is a S.D. Myres, Sweetwater Texas , KNOWN by collectors as a “jock Strap” holster. It is in fine condition with it’s original stampings present, and NO broken stitching. IMPORTANT: the working actions are perfect, cocking, locking, rotation and locking, NO, NO mechanical issues.

This is a REAL representative of the OLD WEST at it’s best !

This is an exceptional Single Action / First it is a Colt Frontier Six Shooter , meaning chambered for the 44/40 Winchester Caliber. Additionally, it HAS A FACTORY Letter showing shipped in August of 1879 to H&D Folsom NY. Interesting Detail, this caliber was not added to standard production Single Actions until 1878. So very early. Also the factory letter states Nickel Finish !!! Once again, very early for Colt shipping Nickel finish Single Action revolvers.

Serial No. 5197X has about 25% of the original nickel present, and the Original one piece Walnut grips. Most important: ALL parts are the original factory parts, makin the Colt 100% original. After 146 years, the Working Actions are 100% Perfect !!!! ALL Factory applied markings are present, barrel address, frame patents, ALL matching serial numbers in correct locations. PLUS, the tiny 44 on bottom of barrel just ahead of ejector housing. By the way, the ejector housing has about 85% of the original nickel ! see photo. The remaining nickel is on the cylinder in select areas and the frame and barrel.  NOTE: ALL original black powder colt Single Actions, still at 100% mechanical FROM THE 1870″s  are nearly impossible to find !!

Here we have a sample of great rarity. A Model of 1877 ” Lightning” DA .38 with a six inch barrel and NO, NO ejector or ejector housing, a Sheriff’s Model with a nsix inch barrel. An ultimate scarce variation !! This revolverr, Serial No.10389X COMES with a Colt factory Letter describing exactly as the revolver is ! Shipped in a shipment of 2 October 30, 1897 toT.M. Roberts. With diligent research T/M/ Roberts is T.M. Roberts Supply House, located at 508-510 and also at 717-719-721 Nicollet Ave. Minneapolis, Minnessota. What this means, this was on the northern route to the west. Into the Dakota’s and beyond, maybe even Alaska Ty. This was a Supply house selling everything home steaders need to go west and set up ! Also with the fcatory letter comes original documents.  An original Photo of T. Matt Roberts, even a wedding picture. Plus a Brown Mailing envelope, with ALL his Business Details on the front.

The 1877 has about 45-55% original factory nickel finish present, the balance is a blending soft gray patina. IMPORTANT: it is Mechanically 100% correct on both Single Action and Double Action Modes of operation. The Checkered Hard Rubber grips have NO damage, and still have crisp checkering. This  is  an incredibly scarce variation, fit for any collection Also there is suignificant Nitre Blue on the Trigger and Hammer reverse.

HERE WE HAVE A VERY EARLY PRODUCTIUON REVOLVER FROM 1876. In fact, shipped on March 2nd, 1876 to H&D Folsom NY, NY. This is about 4 months prior to the Little Big Horn battle, in a unique quantity, just 17 revolvers ! as shown in the Factory Letter. Serial No. 2262X was finished in the blue, .45 cal., with barrel length and stocks, not listed. This would imply 7-1/2 inch barrel and one piece Walnut grips. EARLY FEATURES: One line Italic barrel address with + before and after. A two line 1872 frame patent address, caliber on trigger guard shoulder. ALL Serial Numbers are matching, and in correct locations. The working action mechanics are PERFECT, NO mechanical issues here ! Tight and exact action ! Today, the SAA varies from the letter in the fact the barrel has been reduced to 5 inches, and it has WONDERFUL Ivory grips. They have the rich creamy yellow patina with concentric base checkering. The right hand grips has a small corner missing, but has been that way for a century, as the Ivory is rounded at the corner from hand use. ALL factory applied markings are present and clear. Screw heads are clean and not buggered. ALL parts are the original, even the cylinder pin ! This Colt was carried, used and respected. The finish today is a soft natural( NEVER CLEANED) medium gray, with limited traces of blue in the flute and protected areas. In fact on the left side of frame  in front of the cylinder, you can see case color remnants. This is a very charismatic early Colt Single Action.

Here we have a scarce, rare even, version of the Colt Model 1877 Double Action .38 revolver. It has an additionally scarcity which I will cover later in the description. Named by a Major Colt Distributor, who sold to the Western Frontier, B. Kittredge & Co. Cin. O. the LIGHTNING revolver. Also the names of Thunderer and Rainmaker from the same selling dealer.  The two rarest barrel lengths were 2 inches and the 1-1/2  inch, maybe ? one has been seen of 1-1/2 inches length. On the other end 7-1/12 inches is another ultimate rarity. All in all, the 2 inch is incredible scarce.  This comes with a Colt Factory Letter: shipped in May of 1879 to none other than B. Kittredge & Co. Cincinnati Ohio, the founder of the name ” Lightning”. Serial No. 1704X reflects the exact description in the letter. Nickel, Hard Rubber grips, 2 inch barrel, and was one of 20 shipped. Currently it has about 65% of the original nickel plate finish distributed on the revolver surface. ALL Factory markings are present and clear: all serial numbers in correct locations, frame patents, and here is another rarity !!! the two line barrel address is located on the LEFT side of the barrel. Not enough room for it on top between frame and front sight ! As stated earlier here is another scarce factor for this Lightning: it has the very earliest style SMALL fine checkering on the Hard Rubber grips. This is hardly ever seen ! MECHANICS: we are very fortunate here, as ALL the working actions are 100% correct: single action mode, double action mode , cocking, indexing, locking tight to fire , cylinder rotation and releasing to fire. Not often found this early 1879 in perfect mechanical condition.  If you like the Lightning Model Colt of 1877, this will fill a major spot in a collection. When will another be for sale ? who knows ?

This is one of the very few Colt Factory acknowledged errors in production. This is only found in the mid 40,000 range, and a limited number of about 2,000 before the error was discovered. This is one of them ! WHAT IS THE ERROR ? it is a reverse barrel address roll, reading from frame to muzzle ! just the opposite direction of standard.
Serial No. 44,06X was shipped in November of 1879 to Wexell & DeGress, Mexico City, one of 50. It might be interesting to note: that as shown in the Reference Text by Chris Hirsch, Texas Gun Makers, W&D maintained a few satellite stores on the Border. Locations like Laredo, and Brownsville. The Factory Letter matches the revolver excluding one aspect, the barrel is now 5-1/4 inch, and done “in the day”. Listed as blue, Walnut etc…. Much of the blue remains on the cylinder, the frame has a silvered gray patina, and the revolver has an overall gray patina with some traces of plum peeking through. The working mechanical action is PERFECT. ALL notches, it locks tight, indexes, and releases to fire perfectly, NO mechanical issues. ALL Factory applied markings are present, barrel address, frame patents, etc……
Certainly this Black Powder Single Action .45 served on the Border, either the Mexican side or the Texas Frontier side in hard and fast days of the 1870’s and forward.

This is after examination, a very interesting Single Action, original US/DFC. First, the Serial No. …#9532X , everywhere including barrel and cylinder. Except for the back strap which is #9432X .
IT IS the same number, except for the the 2nd number ! I believe this is a Factory Workman error. Why, all numbers are the same except the 2nd number of the serial number, most IMPORTANT the last three digits are the same !!! Universal fit and wear etc…The odds would be in the billions to one 95329 & 94329. The Military markings are present, the G and K are on all parts and the US is still visible
under a light defacing to block seeing it.

The year 1884 was still a very wild and wooly year on our Frontier, with just 2 years earlier Billy the Kid, and Tombstone were all playing on the stage! of history. Serial No. 10863X has about 25-30% factory nickel plating, the balance is a light to medium gray patina. The finish is all original never having been disturbed. ALL factory applied markings are clear and present: two line barrel address, caliber on TG, frame patents, and Serial Numbers. Regarding Serial Numbers there is a variance. ALL numbers are matching, except the back strap. Then again, the back strap is the same finish (Nickel) and displays identical wear, MATCHING identical wear ! Two numbers are different, BS is 108XX8 only 31 numbers different. There exists only 2 possibilities: the owner had two Colt, upon re-assembly mixed them up: it was a factory oops! in numbering. All other possibilities would be astronomical odds of happening. Observe the wear at frame and back strap juncture to the right , clearly show uniformity.

MECHANICS: the working action functions correctly, cocking, locking, releasing to fire, cylinder rotation and alignment etc… It does show a common use factor. The internal trigger tip is worn and therefore slightly shorter. So, it aligns with the hammer notches causing the trigger to be more forward of it’s normal position in the guard. However, the revolver still functions on all features. This 1884 Colt has the “classic” Eagle Hard Rubber grips. They show hand wear, but have no damage.

There is no question this Ainsworth has been on the raw frontier and shows it’s 149 years of age ! Serial No. 1250X was shipped to the Cavalry, maybe San Antonio Depot, on July 29, 1874. Since then, we can only guess the service it has endured. At that time about 322 were shipped, for issue to select cavalry units. 50 to a crate. I found it fascinating that of the approximate 12,000 Ainsworth revolvers produced, ONLY about 1,600 + or- are accounted for in collections! That means in any condition, not just all original. This Ainsworth , excluding the barrel length, is ALL original. It has ALL the parts it left Hartford with, no replacements. The barrel, in the day ( late 1800’s) was re-sighted and shortened to Six Inches, and shows appropriate matching wear. ALL Serial Numbers are matching, TG, BS, Frame, cylinder, and barrel, even faded in the one piece Walnut grip channel. Many features to the EARLY SAA’s are present: Italic Barrel Address, 1st style ejector housing, long knurled face hammer , the 1872 two line frame patent ,bulls eye ejector head and Inspector marks. Regarding Ainsworth Inspector markings: There are only two visible ones present, one on the trigger guard below serial number and one on the back strap behind trigger notch. This Ainsworth saw HARD use on the Frontier. Even the U.S. ( note: the early smaller size US ) is worn where the S is barely visible, while the U is definitively there. This Colt saw , as I said, unusual hard wear, even the Italic barrel address is hard worn, BUT visible.