Rare, Ainsworth Inspected Colt Single Action Army - Custer Range, Lot Five

Description

7/10/25 - This is a historic Colt Single Action Army revolver, with serial placing it firmly in the Lot Five serial range as the most likely Custer issued Colts that were issued and carried at the infamous Battle of the Little Bighorn. Our current revolver falls within the "prime lot" of Colt Single Action Army revolvers issued to Custer's men prior to that fateful day: the Lot Five revolvers, serial numbers 4500-5504. Confirmed battlefield pickups include serials 4949 & 4955. This firearm has mismatched serial numbers throughout. It is marked with the 'A' for Ainsworth inspection on the trigger guard. The finish is original but shows obvious patina throughout. This revolver has had the barrel shortened to 5.5in and the sight moved in that process, perhaps done back at the arsenal. No markings are visible on the grips. The serial numbers of the revolvers issued to the 7th Cavalry are within the 4500-6559 range in Colt production Lots Five, Six, and Seven. On page 281 of "Colt Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers...a Continuing Study” by Kopec and Sterling Fenn, 600 of the 7th Cavalry Revolvers are estimated to have come from Lot Five, 300 came from the Lot Six, and just 39 came from Lot Seven. Thus, Lot Five revolvers are particularly desirable as they are significantly more likely to have been issued to the 7th Cavalry.

The Battle of Little Bighorn, fought on June 25-26, 1876, was a major confrontation between the combined forces of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes and the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry Regiment, led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, resulting in a decisive Native American victory and the death of Custer and all his men near the Little Bighorn River in Montana; the battle is often referred to as "Custer's Last Stand" and is considered a significant event in the Great Sioux War, symbolizing the clash between Native American culture and the encroaching American settlers.