Part of the first shipment on the first contract between Colt and the United States Army. This highly desirable Colt Single Action Cavalry Revolver with three-digit serial number was manufactured in 1873. The revolver was inspected by Ordnance Inspector Orville W. Ainsworth and has the distinctive "A" sub-inspection mark on major components. The ejector housing is the first style with barrel boss and round ejector rod head. The hammer is the correct cavalry pattern with elongated crosshatching on the spur. The one-piece walnut stock has an oil finish. The barrel has the early script address: "+COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.+" with a slanted cross on either end of the marking. The left side of the frame is roll-stamped with the early, 'two-date in two-line' Colt patent markings followed by the "U.S." property mark. The serial number "954" is located on the underside of the barrel, the frame, trigger guard and back strap. The cylinder has the early, small cylinder stops and is serial numbered "967". "P" proofmarks are stamped on the underside of the barrel and on the side of the cylinder. The small "A" Ainsworth sub-inspector's marks are visible on the underside of the barrel, the back strap and on the right grip heel. The distinctive loading gate is, correctly, not stamped with the assembly number found on later production revolvers. Early, Ainsworth inspected, Government Contract, Single Action Cavalry Revolvers are rare in original condition. Most of these revolvers were subsequently overhauled and altered to Artillery configuration for use in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection. This particular example is extremely rare in that it escaped this scenario. The Colt factory letter states no information was found on this revolver because the records have apparently been "lost or destroyed years ago". Page 345 of "A Study of The Colt Single Action Army Revolver", states "All the letters forwarding the Inspection Certificates to the Chief of Ordnance were in the National Archive files. However none of the certificates are available. The Fiscal files (NA, RG217) were also checked for the documents but all certificates were removed and destroyed in order to condense the files." The Fiscal Records (NA, RG217, 2nd Comptroller) shows revolvers received at Springfield Armory for inspection were received 1,000 at a time on 8 separate dates starting on November 28, 1873, the shipment this revolver would have been in.

Good. The revolver has been lightly cleaned and has a steel-gray patina with scattered spots of age discoloration. The barrel, cylinder and frame have minor scratches and age texture but no significant pitting. All of the markings except some of the small "A" sub-inspection marks and the grip inspection marks are legible. There are light period applied file marks on the butt with the serial number having been partially defaced. The grips are in good overall condition with a repaired hairline crack on each side and two small chips on the right side at the junction of the back strap and frame. The 967 cylinder is from another Ainsworth revolver, likely exchanged in the field during soldiers' batch cleaning of interchangeable parts. The action is tight and functions well. This is a good, original example of a very early, U.S. Cavalry issue, Ainsworth-inspected Colt Model 1873 Revolver.