Very few events in the annals of the Old West have been more portrayed in movies and publications and documented than the "The Fight at The OK Corral", the famous gunfight between the Earp Brothers, Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan, and Doc Holliday and the Clanton Brothers, Billy Clairborne and the McLaury Brothers on October 26, 1881. The location was Tombstone, Arizona, and there, on Fremont Street across from the OK Corral, was a gunshop owned by Samuel Lombard Hart, a Civil War veteran who served as a captain in Company D of the 41st Regiment of Wisconsin Infantry. He ran his retail and gunsmithing shop in Tombstone from about 1880 to 1886 and was a witness to the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral. The guns that passed through his shop were marked with his initials "SL" over a heart. Hart's mark is stamped on the underside of the grip over the U.S. sub-inspector's mark of David F. Clark. Two additional Hart markings are stamped over the "US" marking on the left side of the frame near the three-line, three patent date marking. Of the Hart marked revolvers known to exist, only three are Colt Single Action Army revolvers. The accompanying factory letter confirms that the revolver was part of a 200 gun shipment U.S. government inspector at the Colt factory on October 24, 1884, in .45 caliber with blue finish (blue/casehardened), and the other specifications not listed. As the letter note, the lack of other details usually indicats there were standard features meaning the revolver would have had a 7 1/2 inch barrel and walnut grips. It falls within the 9th U.S. contract of 2,000 revolvers produced from August 1884 through January 1885. The other two known Hart Colt SAA revolvers are from the same government contract. It is therefore likely that Hart purchased these revolvers from Colt or through a distributor at the same time. Additional sub-inspector David F. Clark markings are found near the frame serial number, underside of the barrel near the letter "P" and on the cylinder. An additional U.S. inspection "P" marking is also on the cylinder. A small Colt factory inspector letter "G" is marked under the serial number found on the trigger guard and back strap. Matching numbers are found on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, back strap and cylinder. The loading gate has the assembly number "246." It has a German silver blade front sight (replacement) and a smooth one-piece walnut grip that lack cartouches. The top of the barrel has the one-line Hartford address. The London black powder proof is marked on the underside of the barrel, and a small "crown/GP" proof is marked near the frame serial number. The revolver appeared in an article in the December 1974 issue of the "Gun Report." A copy of this article is included as are papers chronicling Richard Atkinson's quest to discover the meaning being the SL heart marking. Previously from the Richard R. Atkinson collection.

Fine with period shortened barrel. The revolver retains 80% original blue finish with the balance a brown patina. The frame and hammer retain 60% original case colors. The grips are fine showing some minor high edge wear and a few very scattered mild to minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent. This is truly a very rare and unique Samuel L. Hart marked surplus David F. Clark inspected U.S. Colt Single Action revolver. If you're looking for Old West history, here it is! Don't let this one get away!