This rifle is one of a reported 101 first contract delivered Model 1855 military rifles originally purchased by the U.S. Government in April 1857, found in the 1-300 serial number range with spur type trigger guards and fluted cylinders. Surviving examples are considered rare today. According to page 194 of "The Book of Colt Firearms" by Sutherland and Wilson, "First contract Hartford rifles, all numbered below #300, are considered rarest of Hartford contract arms." Some of the pre-war contract examples such as this one ended up in Confederate hands at the beginning of the war. This rifle has a blade front sight that doubles as a socket bayonet lug, three-leaf notch rear sight with 100, 300 and 600 yard graduations, bordered knurling on the hammer, double spur trigger guard, fluted cylinder, the matching serial number "285" marked on the underside of the barrel, rear of the cylinder, cylinder pin, frame, trigger guard tang, and handwritten in black ink inside the forend channel, inspection initial "C" marked on the trigger guard tang directly after the serial number, "GG" on the rear of the cylinder, "COLTS/PATENT/U.S." marked on the upper receiver tang, correctly without a barrel address, smooth walnut forend and buttstock with a partially visible "WAT" (William A. Thornton) inspection cartouche stamped on the right of the wrist, and a rifle buttplate. Includes a cleaning rod inside the buttstock.

Good, with an attractively aged slightly artificially enhanced plum patina overall, some patches of minor pitting, and defined markings in the metal. The lightly sanded, re-oiled wood is fine with some light handling marks and dents, and a partially visible cartouche. Mechanically excellent. Surviving first contract Colt 1855 military rifles are seldom found in any condition, and this example would make a fine addition to any Colt or U.S. martial collection!