1355

AINSWORTH INSPECTED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
AINSWORTH INSPECTED COLT CAVALRY SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER.
SN 7889. Cal. 45 Colt. Usual configuration with 7-1/2" bbl, very slightly altered front sight and 1-line script letter address. Left side of the frame has 2-line patent dates and a small "U.S.". Mounted with 1-pc walnut grip with matching SN in back strap channel. Matching SN is also found on bottom of the bbl, under the ejector housing, on the frame, trigger guard, butt strap & cyl. Ejector housing is first type with bull's eye ejector rod head and the base pin is early style with dimpled ends. Grip cartouches are worn away but the tiny "A" (Orville W. Ainsworth) sub-inspector initials are found on the bbl, trigger guard, butt strap & cylinder. This revolver was part of Lot 8, 1,000 revolvers received at the Springfield Armory on March 18, 1874 and shipped June 1874 to the San Antonio Arsenal and Fort Union, New Mexico to arm the 5th, 8th & 9th Cavalry Regiments. These three regiments, along with the 2nd & 7th, were the most active & involved in the most fights, skirmishes & battles with Indians during the entire period of the Indian Wars. These three regiments, in fact, probably saw much more fighting than did the more famous 7th. The 9th Cavalry was engaged in fighting the notorious Comanche & Apache tribes throughout the southwest from Texas to New Mexico and later in Kansas & Nebraska where they were engaged against the Sioux and other Plains Indians. The 9th was known as "Buffalo Soldiers" being an all-black unit led by white officers. They remained in the west until the outbreak of the Spanish-American War where they fought in Cuba alongside the Rough Riders at San Juan Hill and then were Theodore Roosevelt's Honor Guard in San Francisco. Almost certainly this revolver would have belonged to one of those famous units and would have seen service during this tumultuous period of American history. Accompanied by a 1-page letter from noted historian, author & collector, John Kopec, wherein he authenticates this revolver as being completely orig and states that it is "an exceptional example of an early 1874 produced O.W. Ainsworth U.S. Cavalry revolver ---". This revolver is an exception in that it escaped the recalls of the 1890s and early 1900s where numerous cavalry revolvers were converted to artillery configuration by having their bbls reduced to 5-1/2". PROVENANCE: Barnes Family Collection. CONDITION: Good, all matching. Revolver shows not a lot of use but a lot of handling and wear; traces of orig finish remain in the most sheltered areas being mostly a gray metal patina; front gullets of the frame retain strong case colors and the hammer traces of case colors; ejector housing retains strong blue in sheltered areas with matching gray patina on the outer radius; cyl is a gray patina on outer diameter with plummy blue/brown in the flutes. Grip has a chipped right toe and shows heavy wear with a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few scattered spots of light pitting. 4-47617 JR200