Colts 2

THERE ARE SEVERAL GREAT 1870’S PHOTOGRAPHS, CABINET CARD STYLE IN SEVERAL TEXTS, WHICH CLEARLY SHOW THIS RICHARDS -MASON CONVERSION TO .44 COLT CARTRIDGE IN THE HANDS OF TEXAS DROVERS, AT THE END OF A CATTLE DRIVE. ALSO, SOME OF EARLY TEXAS RANGERS CARRYING THIOS MODEL AT THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR, COLT WAS COMPLETELY AWARE OF THE FACT THE PERCUSSION ERA WAS ENDING, IF NOT ALREADY ENDED. THEY QUICKLY MOVED TO ENTER THE CARTRIDGE ERA ! FIRST THE HIGHLY IMPRACTICAL THUER CONVERSION. THE FRONTIER WAS BOOMING AND THE NEED WAS GREAT, TO GREAT TO MISS. THE 1860 ARMY, ENORMOUSLY POPULAR WAS IN LINE FOR CONVERSION(AFTER THUER). THE FIRST MODEL WAS THE RICHARDS CONVERSION, WHERE A SPRING LOADED FIRING PIN WAS FITTED IN THE REAR OF FRAME, HAMMER SLOT  THE FLAT FACED NEW HAMMER STRUCK THIS , DRIVING IT INTO THE PERCUSSION CAP OF THE CARTRIDGE. A SIGNICICANT IMPROVEMENT , NOW COLT HAD A .44 FRONTIER SIZE REVOLVER. ANOTHER COLT ENGINEER, MASON DECIDED HE COULD IMPROVE ON THIS !, MAKING THE REVOLVER MORE STABLE AND RELAIBLE. ELIMINATING THE FIRING PIN SPRING SYSTEM. HIS DESIGN CUT THROUGH THE RECOIL SHIELD, ALLOWING THE HAMMER TO DIRFCETLY STRIKE THE REAR OF THE CARTRIDGE, FIRING IT. THIS IS THE SYSTEM THAT SURVIVED AND YOU CAN SEE IT CLEARLY IN THE NEXT MAJOR REVOLVER, THE COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY. COLT HAD AN ABUNDNACE OF COLT 1860 ARMY REVOLVERS IN THE WAREHOUSE, THEY BEGAN CONVERTING THEM AND SELLING THEM QUICKLY. EVEN WHILE THE SINGLE ACTION ARMY WAS BEING SOLD, THESE CONVERSIONS CONTINUED TO SELL. WHY? THEY SOLD FOR A FEW DOLLARS LESS MONEY, AND REMEMBER, THE FRONTIER MEN MOST SAW SOME TYPE ACTION IN THE CIVIL WAR AND WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEIR COLT 1860 ARMY REVOLVERS.

THIS RICHARDS-MASON 44 COLT REVOLVER, SERIAL NO. 19453x WAS NEVER PERCUSSION, ASSEMBLED IN 1871 IT’S YEAR OF MANUFCATURE AS A.44 CARTRIDGE REVOLVER ***ALL SERIAL NUMBERS ARE MATCHING, CYLINDER, FRAME, BARREL WEDGE, BRASS TRIGGER GUARD BACKSTRAP ETC..ALL AFCTORY APPLIED MARKINGS ARE CLEAR AND PRESENT. THE TWO LINE-1872 FRAME PATENT, ONE LINE BARREL ADDRESS ENDING IN US AMERICA THIS COLT IS 100% ALL ORIGINAL FACTORY PARTS, EVEN THE LARGER CHECKERED EJECTOR ROD HEAD. THE CYLINDER HAS ABOUT 20% SCENE REMAINING OVERALL ABOUT 45% ORIGINAL NICKEL PLATING IS PRESENT, THE BALANCE AN UNTOUCHED NATURAL GRAY PATINA FROM AGE. SAME UNTOUCHED PATINA ON TRIGGER GUARD. ALL ACREW HEADS ARE CLEAN SLOTS. THE WORKING ACTIONS: ARE 100% CORRECT AND FUNCTION EACH TIME THE HAMMER IS COCKED, ALSO ALL HAMMER NOTCHES ARE CORRECT. AS I SAID 100% MECHNAICALLY CORRECT. THE IVORY GRIPS HAVE BEEN WITHT HIS REVOLVER, SINCE IT WAS FIRST PURCHASED, HAVE A FINE MUSTARD PATINA, AND THE CORRECT AGE STRIATIONS IN THE BUTT. A REAL FRONTIER REVOLVER, UP THE TRAILS FROM GALVESTON NORTH TO THE RAIL HEADS , THIS IS THE COLT THAT MADE THAT TRIP.

THE YEAR OF 1883 WAS A RAMBUNCTIOUS YEAR IN THE OLD WEST, LINCOLN COUNTY CATTLR WARS HAD JUST ENDED, AND PARTICIPNATS, LESS A FEW WHO WERE DEAD, WERE STILL ACTIVE. NOT OT MENTION THROUGH THE WEST, TRAIN ROBBERIES, BANK ROBBERIES, AND STREET VIOLENCE WERE PAEAKING. MANY A GUN FIGHT IN MANY A TOWN, IN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, KANSAS AND INDIAN TERRITORY. THIS COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY, SERIAL No. 93101, VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN IN ONE OF THOSE PLACES. COLT FACTORY LETTER STATES THIS COLT SHIPPED TO A WESTERN DEALER, SIMMONS HARDWARE , ST. LOUIS, MO. FEBRUARY 12, 1884. SIMMONS IN TURN SOLD THEIR COLT REVOLVERS ALL THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN FRONTIER. THIS ORDER ALONE CONSISTED OF 5O SAME TYPE REVOLVERS.

THE COLT HAS ALL THE FACTORY MARKINGS, CLEAR AND PRESENT. TWO LINE BARREL ADDRESS, FRAME PATENTS, AND ALL MATCHING SERIAL NUMBERS IN CORRECT LOCATIONS. SCREW SLOTS FOR THE MOST PART ARE CCLEAN SLOTS ORIGINALLY A FCATORY BLUE FINISH, AND STILL A PERCENTAGE IS PRESENT. THE BARREL, ONE SDIE , HAS STRONG DARKENED BLUE, AND FAINT CASE COLORS CAN BE SEEN ON THE FRAME AN SHAMMER. EXCELLENT KNURLING ON THE HAMMER SPUR. THE FINISH IS A DARK BLUE MIXED WITH PLUM TO YIELD AN ORIGNAL NEVER BEEN CLEANED ANTIQUE PATINA AN ATTRACTIVE REVOLVER. SINCE IT IS 1883 IT HAS THE ORIGINAL HARD RUBBER GRIPS OF EAGLE PATTERN. THEY SHOW HAND USE BT REMAIN UNDAMAGED AND CLERALY EAGLE PATTERN AND CHECKERING, NICE GRIPS ! THIS COLT IS 100% ALL ORIGINAL . NOTE: THE WORKING ACTION IS STRONG, CRISP AND FUNCTIONS 100% CORRECTLY EVERY TIME IT IS ENGAGED. ALL NOTCHES, HAMMER POSITION, CYLINDER ROTATES INDEXES AND LOCKS TIGHT. 100% MECHANICALLY CORRECT COLT.

AVERY GOOD COLT FOR 1883. 143 YEARS OLD, A REMINDER OF WHAT ONCE WAS IN AMERICA. PARTICULARLY NOW WITH OUR HISTORY AND CULTURE UNDER ATTACK FROM DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN ENEMIES.

THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE REVOLVER, FOR MANY REASONS ! SERIAL NO. 4520x EXEMPLIFIES COLT’S COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE, WITH BELT SIZE PISTOLS. CHAMBERED IN .38 COLT CENTER FIRE. THE INNOVATIVE MIND OF COLT’S DESIGNER MASON, PRODUCED A REVOLVER, USING SOME OLD ON HAND PERCUSSION PARTS. ADDED THE ALL NEW ! SOLID BARREL, A.K.A. “S” BARREL. JUST LIKE THE BARREL ON THE 1871-1872 .44 RIMFIRE OPEN TOP. THIS REVOLVER IS CALLED THE “BABY OPEN TOP” BY MANY COLT ENTHUIASTS ! THE DIFFERENCE IS IT CHAMBERS THE CENTERFIRE .38 COLT. FURTHER INFO: THE RIFLING IS THE SAME AS FOUND ON THE 1877 LIGHTNING MODEL AND COP AND THUG REVOLVER.

THIS ONE HAS THE 5-1/2 INCH BARREL, ALSO HAVING 98% ORIGINAL FACTORY NICKEL PLATE FINISH. THE CYLINDER HAS A COMPLETE STAGE COACH HOLD UP ROLLED CYLINDER ALL PARTS ARE MATCHING, ALL SERIAL NUMBERS ARE TOTALLY MATCHING MOST SCREWS SHOW ONCE BLUE, AND HAVE CLEAN SLOTS!  THE ORIGINAL WALNUT GRIPS SHOW ONLY NORMAL HAND WEAR AND THEY HAVE A SOFT ANTIQUE PATINA. BEST PART: ALL WORKING MECHANICAL ACTIONS ARE 100% PERFECT. SCARCITY!!!! ONLY 1,500 WERE MANUFACTURED: OF THAT 550 WERE MADE WITH ALL NEW PARTS, 950 USED UP EXISTING PERCUSSION PARTS FROM PREVIOUSLY MANUFACTURED REVOLVERS.THIS ONE WAS MANUFACTURED FROM ALL NEW PARTS, OF SPECIFIC INTEREST THE SOLID ” S” BARREL.

INTEREATING POINT:  ON FEBRUARY 28, 1882 ALMOST THE ENTIRE  INVENTORY OF THIS MODEL WAS SHIPPED TO WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY. IT SEEMS THYE WERE DESTINED FOR EXPORT, MEXICO AND POINTS SOUTH !!!!

FINDING ONE IN THIS GREAT CONDITION, FINISH AND MECHANICS IS JUST SHORT OF A MIRACLE.

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS MODEL CAN BE FOUND IN THE BOOK; VARIATIONS OF COLT’S NEW MODEL POLICE & POCKET BREECH LOADING PISTOLS,   BY JOHN BRESLIN, WILLIAM PIRIE AND DAVID PRICE, PAGES 82-89

This 3rd model Dragoon is really in very fine condition for a 169 year old Colt ! Serial No. 1732X was manufactured in 1856. It is quite remarkable that ALL the ORIGINAL parts are present, even the Matching Wedge by Serial Number. Along with Matching Rammer. ALL parts are serial numbered to the revolver, including Cylinder which STILL has some cylinder scene as shown in the Images with this listing. The Overall finish is a soft medium gray original untouched natural patina. However, there are visible traces of blue on the bartrel lug and cylinder. Traces of case color , faded are on the Rammer and Frame. ALL Factory Applied markings are present and easily seen. Barrel Address, Frame Patent and the US below. ALL Serial Numbers Present and MATCHING. there is quite a bit of original finish on the Frame screw heads, and extended screw to accommodate the Stock.. The original brass has the dull, smooth “Mustard Patina” NEVER been polished !!! The Walnut stocks are in very fine condition with a soft hand patina, ONLY one ding on left Grip. Amazing condition for a 169 year old issued Dragoon. Most Important: the Working Actions, are ALL 100% correct.  This is a very fine Dragoon suitable for any Cplt or US Collection

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 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 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.

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.