U.S. Contract Colt Model 1873 Cavalry revolver manufactured in 1874 and inspected by Ordnance Sub-Inspector Orville W. Ainsworth. The revolver has a 'bull's-eye' ejector rod head, early style ejector housing with barrel dowel, early cylinder with small bolt stops and guides and cavalry style hammer with elongated cross-hatching on the spur. The barrel has the early script address with crosses at either end. The left side of the frame is stamped with the early, 'two-date/two-line' patent marking followed by the "U.S." property mark. The loading gate is stamped with the assembly number "156". The serial number, "9286" is located on the underside of the barrel, the side of the cylinder and on the bottom of the frame, trigger guard and backstrap. All of the serial numbers match. Small "P" proofmarks are stamped on the underside of the barrel and on the side of the cylinder. Ainsworth's "A" sub-inspection mark is visible on the barrel, trigger guard, backstrap, cylinder and on the bottom of the left side of the grip. A Colt "C" inspection mark is stamped in the hammer well above the firing pin hole. The left side of the one-piece walnut grip is stamped with the script initials "OWA" in a rectangle near the butt. The revolver is accompanied by a Letter of Authentication by Colt Single Action expert John A. Kopec. The Kopec letter notes that this revolver falls between the serial numbers of two revolvers issued to the 8th U.S. Cavalry Regiment and that it also may have been issued to the 8th Cavalry in 1874.

Good as professionally restored. The revolver has a smooth, dove-gray patina with some very minor flash pitting on the cylinder. The frame markings and serial numbers are sharp. The grip is in fine condition with moderate handling wear, right grip panel edge wear, and legible sub-inspector inspection marks on the left heel. The Ordnance final inspector's mark on the right heel of the grip is no longer visible. The action is crisp and functions perfectly. The Kopec letter states that the barrel, mainspring, trigger and ejector head are modern replacements with facsimile markings and that the ejector tube has been re-worked to incorporate a dowel hole. These parts are excellent reproductions and have been expertly aged to match the finish on the frame and cylinder. The replacement parts can only be detected by close comparison to original parts. This is a good looking example of a scarce and very desirable Ainsworth inspected Colt Cavalry Model Single Action Revolver that is very difficult to obtain in original configuration.