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LOT 1185
Highly Desirable Antique Colt Flattop Target Single Action Army
Revolver in Rare .22 RF with Factory Letter - Serial no. 128539, 22 RF
cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. The accompanying
factory letter states this revolver was shipped on May 9, 1889, to the
London Agency, London, England, as part of a 3 gun shipment, in .22
caliber, with 7 1/2 inch barrel length, blue finish, rubber grips, and a
“flat top or target frame.” Colt manufactured a reported total 200 First
Generation Single Action Army revolvers in .22 rimfire, with 93 of these
being the flattop target variation, according to page 252 of “The Book of
Colt Firearms” (1971) by R.L. Wilson, and also page 214 of “The 36 Calibers
of the Colt Single Action Army” (1965) by David M. Brown. The Single
Action Flattop Target revolvers were developed by Colt as a variation of
their popular Single Action Army with a flat top frame and adjustable
front and rear sights to satisfy the needs of target shooters, but there was
evidently not much demand for Colt’s single actions in this caliber despite
the popularity of .22 rimfire with target shooters. Thus, these are extremely
rare and highly sought after by collectors.
The revolver is fitted with a set of target sights: a beaded
blade front sight and dovetail mounted rear sight. The
one-line “COLT’S PT. F. A. MFG. Co HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.-”
is marked on top of the barrel. The left side of the “black
powder frame” has the standard three-line patent date markings.
The left side of the trigger guard has the caliber designation “22 CAL”.
London crown proofs marked on the barrel and cylinder. Matching serial
numbers appear on the frame, trigger guard, and butt. The revolver wears
a set of Rampant Colt and American eagle embossed checkered hard
rubber grips.
CONDITION: Very good, retains 20% original blue finish with smooth gray
and brown patina on the balance, scattered light freckling, a few patches
of light pitting, and defined markings. Grips are fine, slightly oversize
replacements, with a brown appearance on the right panel, and distinct
designs. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 13,000 - 22,500
According to "The 36 Calibers of
the Colt Single Action Army" by
Brown, only 93 Colt Flattop Target
Single Action Army revolvers were
chambered in .22 RF.
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