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LOT 1133
Rare Spanish-American War Era Colt Sheriff’s Model
Single Action Revolver in Very Scarce .38 Long Colt with
Factory Letter - Serial no. 168450, 38 Long Colt cal., 3 1/2 inch round
bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. The ejector-less Colt
“Sheriff’s Model” Single Action Army Revolver is one of the rarest and most
sought after variations of the legendary Peacemaker. On page 357, “The
Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, 1873-1895” the
authors list just 8 “.38 Colt Plain Revolvers without ejectors” and 3 1/2 inch
barrels out of 18 total without ejectors. On page 326, they note, “just under
600 ejector-less Single Action Army revolvers were produced in all calibers
from 1882 to the 1930s.” That makes this revolver a representative of less than 2% of
the total ejector-less revolvers and around .0022% of total First Generation production and thus
among the rarest of all Colt revolvers.
This revolver was manufactured in 1897, and the included factory letter indicates it was not shipped until
June 1, 1898, and lists the revolver in .38 caliber with a 3 1/2 inch barrel, blue finish, and rubber stocks when
shipped to “F.H. Woodworth” (address not available). While collectors and shooters differentiate between
the original .38 Colt with a heeled bullet (.38 Short Colt) and the later .38 Colt with a inside lubricated bullet
(.38 Long Colt), the factory recorded them both as .38 caliber or .38 Colt in the ledgers and always stamped
the revolvers “38 COLT”. Since the cylinders are bored straight through, this revolver will chamber both the
.38 Short and .38 Long Colt cartridges. The latter was notably the same cartridge used in the U.S. contract Colt
Model 1892 revolvers and was thus the standard U.S. military handgun ammunition of the Spanish-American War.
Given the revolver’s caliber, this rare revolver may have been special ordered by a soldier or military officer,
especially given that it was ordered during the Spanish-American War. Though the shipping address was not
available, the revolver was likely shipped to sporting and hardware dealers F.H. Woodworth & Co. of 704 Market
Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee. The firm was owned Frank H. Woodworth (1864-1928) and in 1898 “on account of
immense trade they have received from the army, found it necessary to establish” a branch store at Chickamauga
Park where they carried “a full stock of Hardware, tinware and general military camp supplies.” In June, they
advertised in The Daily Times “Colt’s Army Revolver. Holsters, cartridges belts, leggins, cutlery, barber supplies,
baseball goods, etc. We invite members of the army to inspect our line.” During the Spanish-American War,
Chickamauga Park (Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park) was utilized as a major training area
for troops from the southern states, and thousands of troops passed through the city. Unfortunately, we do not
have documentation regarding its original owner, but it is certainly exciting to imagine the revolver being used
by a southerner serving in the U.S. Army in Cuba, Puerto Rico, or the Philippines.
The revolver has the distinctive Sheriff’s Model fluted “black powder” frame. The barrel, cylinder, trigger guard,
and backstrap are blued; the frame, hammer, and loading gate have a color casehardened finish; and the two-
piece, black hard rubber stocks are checkered and have the Rampant Colt trademark embossed in an oval at the
top. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line Hartford address, and the left side is roll-stamped: “38
COLT”. The caliber designation “38” is also stamped on the bottom of the barrel. The left side of the frame is roll-
stamped with the three-date, two-line patent marking followed by the encircled Rampant Colt trademark. The
loading gate is stamped with the assembly number “806”. A “G” inspection mark is stamped in the hammer well
above the firing pin hole. The serial number “168450” is stamped on the bottom of the frame, the trigger guard,
and the backstrap, and the matching partial serial number “450” is etched on the inside of both stocks. The short
barreled, ejector-less Sheriff’s Model Single Action revolvers with the distinctive fluted frame are scarce
and desirable.
CONDITION: Fine. The revolver retains 50% of the original blue finish and 30% original case colors. There are
particularly strong case colors in the protected areas. The finish shows moderate handling wear, and the worn
areas display smooth gray and brown patina. The grips are also fine with some age fading and some light
handling wear. The action functions fine, but the hammer will not hold at half-cock. This is a fine example of a
rare and desirable documented Colt Sheriff’s Model Single Action revolver.
Provenance: The TTT Collection.
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
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