"COLT MODEL 1860 FLUTED ARMY PERCUSSION REVOLVER. SN 2862. Cal. 44. Rare fluted Army with very rare 7-1/2" rnd bbl, Hartford address & German silver front sight. It has full fluted cylinder with patent date in one flute & serial number in opposite flute. It has 4-screw frame cut for shoulder stock with flat headed hammer screw & short stock screws. It has brass trigger guard & iron backstrap with 1-pc Army size walnut grip. A large number of these early 60 Armies were shipped to southern orders and are usually considered Confederate arms. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter identifying this revolver as having been shipped April 22, 1861 to Spies & Co. in a shipment of 350 similar firearms. It is well known that Spies & Co. was a large distributor of firearms & had connections in the South, especially Georgia, so it is likely that this shipment of 350 Colt revolvers, including another fluted Army, SN 864 from the same shipment, which is being sold elsewhere in this auction, and was destined for the South. There is no indication that this revolver was Confederate used but the implications are strong that it may have been. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching including wedge, cylinder & grip. Bbl retains 60-70% thin orig military finish, stronger in sheltered areas, with good feathers around front sight. Rammer pivot retains strong bright case colors. Cylinder retains about same, mostly in flutes, with balance a soft patina. All six safety pins are crisp. Frame & hammer retain strong but faded case colors, mostly in sheltered areas with balance turned gray. Trigger guard is a light brass patina & backstrap is mostly a gray patina with blue at top. Grip has a couple of chips in edge, otherwise is sound with a smooth hand worn patina. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with moderate to heavy pitting. 4-32326 JR363 (10,000-15,000)"
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