Colt 1st Gen Early Smokeless SAA B. Heune Engraved Silver 7 1/2″ Single Action Revolver, 1902 C&R .45

SOLD FOR: $3,035.00
LSB#: 
180918JR07

Make: Colt

Model: 1873 Single Action Army 1st Generation, Early Smokeless Powder

Serial Number: 236848

Year of Manufacture: 1902

Caliber: .45 Colt

Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder

Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.”, the bottom is marked “45” just forward of the base pin. The left side of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT.19.1871. / JULY 2,72. JAN.19,75.” and with a circled Rampant Colt logo. The underside of the frame at the trigger guard and the trigger guard are marked “236848”. The bottom of the backstrap is marked with “236 / 848”. The back of the frame under the hammer and above the firing pin hole is marked “W”. The barrel, ejector rod housing, frame, cylinder, and grip frame have scroll and floral relief engraving, there is an engraved ring at the muzzle and the front sight has border engraving. The bottom of the frame at the serial number marking is marked with “HEUNE” and an Elk’s head (Benno Heune’s signature mark).

Barrel Length: 7 ½”

Sights / Optics: This revolver is mounted with a “V” groove in the top strap for a rear sight and a rounded blade front sight fixed to the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut panels with smooth diamonds around the grip screw escutcheons and decorative smooth extensions into the checkering from the top and bottom. The grips ahve a few scattered light compressions and handling marks and the checkering has smoothed with handling while still being well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good-plus condition.

Type of Finish: Silver, with blued screw heads and base-pin.

Finish Originality: Refinished, likely at the time of engraving.

Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 98% of its current metal finish. The silver finish has darkened slightly from tarnish in some areas with some edges and corners showing small spots of darker tarnish. There are some scattered light marks which do not go through the finish. The cylinder has a turn-line which does not go through the finish. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear, though there is evidence that there was an assembly number on the back of the loading gate which has been almost entirely removed. The revolver is in about Fine-Excellent condition as refinished.

Mechanics: The cylinder lockup shows a small amount of play. The trigger pull is crisp. The hammer has 1/8 and ½ cock safety positions. The action functions correctly. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The Colt SAA revolver and Winchester Model 1873 rifle were two guns that helped tame the Wild West of the United States in the last quarter of the 19th Century. This is a nearly one hundred and twenty year-old Colt SAA 1st Generation revolver made in the Early Smokeless Powder period with a 7 ½” barrel, checkered walnut grips, and is chambered in .45 Colt. The grip’s checkering pattern matches a Colt pattern two-piece walnut checkering pattern and we believe these to be Colt grips, though we do not know if they are original to this gun. The bore is bright with sharp rifling and no erosion. Iin addition to being refinished in silver, the revolver has been engraved by Benno Heune, a member of the Firearms Engravers of America who lived in Bridgeport, California. His signature mark is an elk’s head as “Heune” means “Elk” in German. Heune got his start engraving at Pearly Haror while convalescing, where he would engrave knives of fellow servicemembers. After the war, Heune would go on to be a firefighter and owner of a sporting goods store, but he came back to engraving where he developed a good reputation, even writing a series of instructional books which many consider to be the best resource for beginning engravers. All of the Colt 1st Generation revolvers are heavily collected, and we expect this one to be as well. This is a goregeous revolver that would take a valued place in any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!

CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This C&R eligible single action revolver CAN be transferred as a dealer sale in California and CAN be sold as a Private Party Transfer (PPT) at our Simi Valley shop. All cartridge firing handguns (even C&R’s and antiques) sold to a California resident must be DROS’d. This does not apply to out of state residents.

Colt 1st Gen Early Smokeless SAA B. Heune Engraved Silver 7 1/2" Single Action Revolver, 1902 C&R .45
Colt 1st Gen Early Smokeless SAA B. Heune Engraved
Silver 7 1/2″ Single Action Revolver, 1902 C&R .45