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The ejector rod housing uses the early style screw; however,
there is no provision for a stud. Graham continued, “The stud
that was fitted into first style (which could now possibly be
classified as second style) ejector rod housings required the
drilling of a shallow hole just to the rear of the barrel’s drilled
and tapped ejector tube screw hole. That ‘first style’ ejector
housing stud was designed in order to strengthen the tube
attachment and for exact replacement location after removal.
It bears repeating, serial number 14 was factory designed
and assembled without an ejector housing barrel stud!” The
loading gate is of the early production first style (the rear side
is only slight beveled). The gate later received a redesigned
bevel that allowed for easier opening. The frame carries
the two-line, two patent dates marking used on fewer than
25 SAAs. The revolver lacks caliber designation markings.
Like the cylinder, the barrel is also unnumbered. Matching
serial numbers appear on the frame, trigger guard, and back
strap. Unfortunately, factory records for serial no. 14 are not
available. What is known is that in 1873, when this revolver
was manufactured, Colt was very busy fulfilling U.S. contract
orders and thus, very few commercial units were shipped.
Included with the revolver is a blued iron bullet mold stamped
“44/No.3” over “COLTS/PATENT” on the sprue cutter and a
box of U.S. Cartridge Co. .44 S&W cartridges. The extremely
rare bullet mold is an original Colt factory .36 caliber bullet
model factory re-chambered for the SAA in .44 S&W American.
A similar type of factory re-chambered mold in .45 caliber
is found in Robin Rapley’s “Colt Percussion Accouterments
1834-1873” on pages 268-269. In fact, the mold offered here
was purchased by former owner Joe Kiser from Robin Rapley.
Rapley explained, “This mold is the only known .44 caliber
American SAA mold known. It came to me from Mr. Tom
Wibberley of Hagerstown, Maryland, and was one of 116 Colt
molds among 912 molds that I purchased from him in August
of 1998. He was of the opinion, also that this was the only
known specimen.”
Provenance for this revolver traces back to John Francis Ahern
who died in April 1924 at the age of 65. The gun passed to
Ahern’s son, Leonard, and was later received by Leonard’s son-
in-law Woodrow Young who passed it down to his son Roger.
In January 1991, Tommy Hass, Jr. purchased the revolver. An
accompanying genealogy report on the Ahern family indicates
that John and his wife relocated from Colorado to Ogden,
Utah, where they raised a family. Members of the family were
employed by railroad or mine companies. Hass provided
additional information: “Subject revolver surfaced at a Utah
Gun Collectors Association show held in Ogden, Utah in 1991.
(Writer was present and viewed the revolver.) It had been
in the same family, handed down through the generations,
originating with John F. Ahern…Family members alive today
don’t know how John Ahern originally acquired Colt Single
Action #14. However, their best guess is it came in to his
possession by way of a ‘bar debt.’” Two photographs of John
Ahern are also included. Serial no. 14 was exhibited in a Colt
display at the Cody Arms Museum in the summer of 2003. In
1992, the revolver received the
NRA’s Ten Best Arms Award. It
was referenced in Mel Guy’s
article “Needle in a Haystack”
in the October 1993 issue of
The Gun Report.
CONDITION: Fine as an
extremely rare, historically
significant piece of American
and Colt heritage, retaining
30% bright original high polish
blue finish and 20% original
case colors strongest in and
around the protected areas
with a gray patina on the
balance. The grips are also
fine with initials carved at the
top on both sides, high edge
wear, handling marks, and
much of the original varnish
remaining. Mechanically
excellent. The bullet mold is
fine, retaining 40% original
blue finish. This “pre-contract”
serial number 14 pinched
frame Colt Single Action Army
.44 S&W American Revolver is
without doubt well deserving
of the finest collection and
is a significant example of
the evolution of Colt’s famed
Peacemaker revolver.
Provenance:
John Francis Ahern and his descendants;
The Tommy Hass, Jr. Collection; The Joe Kiser Collection;
The Frank Grover Collection; 1992 NRA’s Ten Best Arms
Award; Cody Arms Museum Display Summer of 2003;
The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 250,000 - 375,000
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