1271

EXTREMELY RARE COLT EARLY PRODUCTION FIRST MODEL 1855 SPORTING REVOLVING RIFLE.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:37,500.00 USD Estimated At:75,000.00 - 125,000.00 USD
EXTREMELY RARE COLT EARLY PRODUCTION FIRST MODEL 1855 SPORTING REVOLVING RIFLE.
SN 60. Cal. 36. All blue finish with 27" oct to rnd bbl, tiny blade front sight and squirrel ear rear sight in top strap. Top flat is hand engraved "Address S. Colt Hartford C.T. U.S.A.". Left side of frame & at the muzzle contain a full length orig steel cleaning rod with knurled end. Cyl is unfluted, 6-shots with roll marking of a hunter shooting at running deer. Trigger guard is distinctive to this model with finger rests before & after the trigger bow. This model is also distinctive in its lack of a forearm and the oiler device that is mounted to the left side of the bbl lug. Mounted with very nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate. Bottom of stock, below the bottom tang is stamped with the cartouche "J.R.H., JR." in an oval. Only 1,000 of these scarce rifles were produced in the period 1856-1859. These rifles are scarce today and rarely encountered with any orig finish, especially orig roll marking. No disassembly was effected to check for matching SNs. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus, appears to be new & unfired. Bbl retains about 75-80% glossy orig blue with areas of flaking, not wear, about mid-point; frame retains 95-97% glossy orig blue with the loss areas flaked, not worn, to a light patina, also with some light candy striping; top tang retains glossy bright blue and the bottom tang is flaked to about 50% orig blue; hammer retains about all of its bright orig case colors; cyl is equally new with about 96-97% glossy orig blue and about 99% crisp roll marking; buttplate is mostly flaked to a blue/gray patina. Stock has a few, scattered small bruises on left side and overall retains about all of its bright orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. One of the finest of its type extant. 4-48154 JR334