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According to The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army by Brown, only 506 Colt Single Actions were manufactured for .44 S&W Special
LOT 114
Outstanding, Rare, Documented Dual Caliber .44 Russian/.44 S&W Special Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver with Original Box and Factory Letters - Serial no. 352717, 44 Russian S&W special cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel finish, hard rubber grips. While Colt Single Action Army revolvers were often chambered for the same cartridges as Winchester’s popular repeaters, they were not commonly chambered for cartridges by Smith & Wesson, their main competitors
in the handgun market. This revolver is one of the exceptions, and the same year is shipped, Colt switched to marking these revolvers “44 SPECIAL” which removed any mention of Smith & Wesson from their revolvers. It is one of only an estimated 506 Single Action Army revolvers manufactured for .44 S&W Special per “The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army” by David M. Brown. This revolver was manufactured in 1929. The accompanying factory letters lists this revolver with a 7 1/2 inch barrel in .44 S&W and a nickel finish. It was shipped to H. & D. Folsom Arms Company of New York City on May 7, 1930, and was the sole gun of this type in the shipment. The letter for the .44 S&W shown in the book was also a one gun shipment to Folsom. The barrel has the two-line “RUSSIAN AND/S & W SPECIAL” followed by “44” marking on
the left side. The other markings and features are standard, including matching serial numbers on the frame, grip straps, and back of the grips, as well as a faint “17” hand marked on the rear of the cylinder and matching “264” assembly number marking on the loading gate and rear of the frame. The included factory black box has the matching serial number on the bottom, end label with the barrel length and caliber, additional white label marked “RUBBER NICKEL,” and a white label above marked “S. & W. CARTRIDGE.” The box contains a bore brush, instructions pamphlet, and Shapleigh Hardware Co. “DIAMOND EDGE” hang tag. Also included is an H. & D. Folsom Arms Company envelope with a 1918 dated stamp, H. & D. Folsom Arms Co. letter from 1937 and a Winchester letter from 1937 about a Remington Model 141 reshipped to H. & D. Folsom Arms Company, H. & D. Folsom invoices for the same, and two catalogs from the company from 1941 listing SAAs for $37.75. CONDITION: Excellent plus, near new in box, with 99% plus original nickel plating and some extremely light handling and storage marks. The grips and mechanisms are excellent. The box is very fine with mild age related fading and edge wear. Mechanically excellent. A stunning and rare pre-World War II Colt Single Action Army complete with box and factory letters.
Provenance: The Jerry Berger Collection; The George S. Lewis Jr. Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 25,000 - 40,000
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