As discussed in the included letter from noted Colt Single Action Army authority John A. Kopec, this early U.S. contract Colt Single Action Army revolver was manufactured in 1874 and falls within the "Lot Five" serial number range of 4500-5505 and was sub-inspected by Orville W. Ainsworth (1814-1875). As Kopec notes, "Many of the revolvers from within Lot Five were those that had been issued to the Seventh Cavalry. These issues were made on July 2nd 1874, just before their departure into the Black Hills. Our subject example's serial number falls well within this group. Although records of these revolvers are very scarce, we have recorded two presumptive Custer associated revolvers within our book 'Colt Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers' (Kopec & Fenn). These examples are #4949, 'Recovered in Canada', Indian Use, and #4955, 'North Dakota, Alleged Cavalry history'. National Archive records cite revolver #4878 as being 'Turned-in' by the Indian 'Fool-Bear' on September 5, 1876, just some three months after the famous Custer Battle. We feel very confident that our subject revolver #4936 may have also participated in this battle, but has survived to this day because of having been issued to either the Reno or Benteen troops which had a greater survival route." The book "Colt Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers. . .a Continuing Study" states: "Other Colt Army revolvers from Lot Five with strong, but less positive Seventh Cavalry association, are serial numbers 4729, 4949, 4955, 5133, 5180, and 5416." At the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25-26, 1876, where Custer's Battalion was wiped out by the warriors of the Lakota, Dakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho after his attack on their village, Reno's Battalion participated in the initial assault on the village before being routed by the large number of counterattacking warriors. They then dug in on Reno's Hill where they were soon joined by Benteen's Battalion which had been deployed on a scouting mission. Their they fought off multiple attacks and advanced in Custer's direction, but then retreated back after facing renewed attacks as the warriors regrouped following their annihilation of Custer and his men. Reno and Benteen's united battalions fought a defensive battle until nightfall. The following day, they remained under fire until the afternoon when the warriors and villagers withdrew as General Terry's column advanced. It was not until Terry's arrival on the 27th that the complete destruction of Custer's Battalion was discovered, and Reno's men then buried the dead. Given that many of Custer's men's guns were captured by the warriors or picked up from the battlefield by native women after the battle, few of their revolvers are known, and those attributed to them are typically in rough condition. Although many of the revolvers of Reno and Benteen's men saw use in the battle, they mostly remained in the hands of the cavalry and thus remain in better condition. This is why Kopec theorized that this revolver was more likely carried by a member of Reno or Benteen's battalions. This early Colt Single Action Army has the Model 1860 Army type mainspring without the hammer roller channel and displays the correct italic "+COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.+" barrel address with die breaks in the "o" in "Co." and the "A" in "HARTFORD." Kopec also notes that it has the early ejector tube without the bevel on the leading edge and the "mystery bevel" on the forward part of the frame. The revolver has blade and groove sights, a "bulls-eye" ejector button, the two-line 1871 and 1872 patent marking on the left side of the frame followed by "U.S.", "P" and "A" on the underside of the barrel at the breech as well as on the cylinder, additional "A" sub-inspection marks on the trigger guard and top of the back strap as well as a faint "A" on the butt of the grip on the left, a "C" on the barrel under the ejector housing, assembly number "824" on the loading gate, and the full matching serial numbers on the barrel under the ejector housing, cylinder, frame, trigger guard, and butt. Ainsworth's "OWA" cartouche is visible on the left side of the grip.

Fine with 30% plus original blue finish remaining in the protected areas by the front sight, ejector housing, breech and top of the back strap, 25% original case colors on the hammer and protected areas of the frame, gray and brown patina on the balance, mild oxidation/pitting, and generally fairly mild overall wear for an Ainsworth inspected Lot 5 revolver. The grip is very good with a period added coat of varnish, clearly legible cartouche, and minor scratches and dings. Mechanically fine. Kopec notes this revolver is, "All in all, a very presentable example of a 'Custer-era' Colt Cavalry revolver." These Lot Five revolvers are very historically significant as some of the earliest U.S. contract revolvers and as among the "prime lots" of revolvers from which the revolvers used by the 7th U.S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, one of the greatest Native American victories and most infamous U.S. military defeats.