Custer's Avenger Serial Range U.S. Colt Artillery Model Single Action Army with Lot Six 7th Cavalry Custer Range Barrel, Factory & John Kopec Letters

Description:
A remarkable factory-documented and Kopec-authenticated U.S. Colt Single Action Army with layered military, frontier, Colt refurbishment, and Hollywood “movie gun” provenance. Originally manufactured in 1875 as an A.P. Casey-inspected U.S. Cavalry Model and later factory refurbished as an Artillery Model, this revolver offers exceptional collector appeal with ties to post-Custer 7th Cavalry history, documented government shipment, and later Western Costume Co. / Stembridge Gun Rental Co. markings.

• Originally manufactured in 1875 as a U.S.-issued Cavalry Model revolver
  • Inspected by A.P. Casey
  • Later returned to Colt and factory refurbished as an Artillery Model
• Accompanied by a Colt factory letter documenting:
  • Sold to the U.S. government
  • Shipped January 2, 1896
  • Shipped to the U.S. government inspector at the Colt plant
  • Shipped with 150 guns of the same type
  • Listed in .45 caliber
  • Listed with blue finish
  • Barrel length not listed
  • Type of grip not listed
  • Factory letter remarks that the revolver was returned to Colt for refurbishment and later reshipped as noted
  • Letter further states that the majority of revolvers received during this time frame had their barrels shortened to 5 1/2 inches
• Examined and authenticated by noted Colt historian and author John Kopec
  • Accompanied by Kopec’s letter of authentication dated April 7, 2013
  • Kopec recorded this revolver as a new listing to his survey
  • This revolver falls between U.S. Cavalry Model revolvers serial numbered 16911 and 16927 in Kopec’s database
• Important U.S. Cavalry serial-number context noted by Kopec:
  • Kopec states that National Archives material shows this revolver’s frame number falls between:
    • Serial number 16850, a revolver belonging to “Troop C, 7th Cavalry” as of January 26, 1891
    • Serial number 16928, a revolver issued to “Troop C, 5th Cavalry” as of August 17, 1886
  • Kopec notes that several other examples in this general serial-number range are cited as belonging to reorganized Seventh Cavalry troops
  • These Cavalry revolvers were issued to the 7th Cavalry on October 3, 1876, approximately three months after the famous “Custer Battle”
  • The newly reorganized troopers were nicknamed the “Custer Avengers” by citizens of Bismarck, Dakota Territory
• Significant Artillery Model refurbishment history:
  • During 1893, most U.S. Cavalry revolvers then in service were recalled by the Ordnance Department and placed into storage
  • Kopec notes that a lot of 1,200 “battle-worn” Cavalry revolvers were returned to Colt in 1895 and subsequently refurbished there
  • This revolver is one of the desirable examples connected to that important U.S. military refurbishment program
• Hollywood and motion picture provenance:
  • Right side of the frame and underside of the barrel are marked “W.C.C.O.”
    • Kopec identifies these markings as property marks of the Western Costume Co.
  • Underside of the frame, just above the serial number, is stamped with a large letter “S”
    • Kopec identifies this as the property stamp of the Stembridge Gun Rental Co.
  • Both companies were located in the Hollywood, California area
  • Kopec notes that this gives the revolver interesting motion picture significance
  • The specific Hollywood films in which this revolver may have appeared are currently unidentified, making it worthy of further research
  • Kopec notes that most of these “movie guns” were sold off as surplus during the early 1940s, with thousands reportedly sold at $3.00 each at that time
• Serial-number and inspection details:
  • Trigger guard bears the correct serial number, 16923
  • Trigger guard displays the tiny single initial “J” of Sub-Inspector W.W. Johnson
  • Serial numbers on the butt strap and cylinder were too worn for Kopec to make conclusive determinations
  • Cylinder is a military example and retains the ordnance proof letter “P”
  • Upper back strap shows a worn letter “A,” indicating ordnance sub-inspection by O.W. Ainsworth during the 1873–1874 period
• Barrel details:
  • Barrel is serial numbered 6277
  • Barrel shows the proper early “script” address
  • Kopec notes that this barrel’s original “host” Cavalry revolver came from within “Lot Six”
  • Lot Six covered serial numbers 5505–6516
  • Kopec identifies Lot Six as one of the “prime” lots from which revolvers were issued to the Seventh Cavalry just prior to their departure into the Black Hills on July 2, 1874
• Frame and U.S. military markings:
  • Left side of the frame has the two-line patent date markings
  • Patent markings are followed by “US”
• Replacement and component notes recorded by Kopec:
  • Hammer is a 1930s-style replacement
  • Cylinder pin is a replacement
  • Ejector housing is a replacement
  • Ejector has the desirable bull’s-eye button
  • Back strap has three “kill” marks
• A highly compelling Colt for advanced collectors, combining:
  • 1875 U.S. Cavalry Model origins
  • A.P. Casey inspection
  • Factory Artillery Model refurbishment
  • Colt factory letter documentation
  • John Kopec authentication
  • Serial-number proximity to documented Cavalry-issued revolvers
  • Post-Custer 7th Cavalry historical context
  • Western Costume Co. and Stembridge Hollywood property markings
  • Strong research potential for future motion-picture attribution

Condition

Good as a well traveled Single Action Army, retains strong traces of blue finish, with mostly brown patina on the balance, pitting, and proper characteristic wear. The grip is fair, with a cracked section in the right retained by a period nail, and chips. Mechanically functions. A very historic U.S. Colt Artillery Model Single Action Army revolver that has plenty of stories to tell!

Handgun Caliber: .45 Colt
Manufacturer: Colt
Model: Single Action Army
Serial Number: 16923
Barrel Length: 5 1/2 inch round
Condition: The bore is darkened with defined rifling.

Price: $24,999.99