As outlined in the included copy of a factory letter, this revolver was in .45 Colt with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, blue and casehardened finish, and walnut grip when shipped to Lt. Col. J.G. Benton at Springfield Armory on August 14, 1874, in a shipment of one revolver in this configuration. The remarks state that this revolver was used by both Colt and the Ordnance Department to test and compare the penetration and accuracy potential of 5 1/2 inch, 6 1/2 inch, and 7 1/2 inch barreled Single Action Army revolvers. After the tests, this revolver and the 6 1/2 inch barreled revolver were returned to Colt. This revolver became a museum display piece. When the collection was turned over to the state in 1957, this revolver was kept in Colt's Engineering Vault and remained there until it was sold by the company in 1978 at auction at the 1978 Las Vegas Antique Show and sold to noted firearms collector Mel Guy. The revolver and letter are discussed and pictured on pages 149-152 of "Colt Cavalry and Artillery Revolvers...a Continuing Study" by Kopec and Fenn where the revolver is identified as the 5 1/2 inch "Test Revolver" and from Guy's collection. In the captions it is noted as having "One of the earliest implementations of the second-model ejector tube.." and it and the 6 1/2 inch test revolver #11846 also discussed in that section represent "Colt's earliest attempt to implement this improved ejector attachment." The authors note that it "displays some additional interesting characteristics" such as the Ainsworth inspected cylinder not having the "P" proofmark and the military production barrel not having Ainsworth's "A" mark or a "P" proof. The revolver is also discussed in the included "Gold Seal" authentication letter from John A. Kopec. He notes that the revolver was "especially assembled during 1874 for a combined Colt and Ordnance Department 'Barrel-Shortening Test.' We believe that this revolver was actually 'pulled-out' of U.S. production especially for this project" and notes the frame has the "U.S." stamp that was applied at the factory before the frame was casehardened and has "A" on the cylinder. "None of the other components fitted to this revolver display the initial of this sub-inspector, indicating that this revolver had been especially assembled as a 'test' revolver." He notes the 5 1/2 inch barrel length was indicated on February 20, 1874, based on a request from von Oppen at Colt's London Agency, and 30 revolvers were shipped on March 28, 1874, in .45 Boxer. This revolver was "shipped" on August 14, 1874. Kopec goes on to not that a "specially adopted barrel was manufactured for this revolver. The barrel has no aperture for accepting an ejector dowel. This barrel was milled for the acceptance of a primitive especially-manufactured barrel stud," and a "special ejector tube was manufactured to accommodated the unique barrel stud. This ejector tube also contains no provision for a barrel boss. This is the earliest example of a 'Second-Style' ejector tube that we have encountered in our records. The ejector tube was also beveled at its leading edge." "The ejector spring was noted to be a steel color rather than the usually encountered brass color." Additional interesting features include the front sight being 1.3 mm farther back and the strong "feathering" by the sight and ejector stud. The muzzle was more rounded than a usual military contract revolver muzzle. The die breaks in the "o" in "Co." and "A" in "HARTFORD" on the barrel are noted as consistent with revolver over serial number 10,000. Kopec notes that the grips are Colt "Spare-Parts" grips with an oiled finish and no military markings. The cylinder does not have the "P" proof indicating it was not proof-fired before being selected for this revolver. The summer of 1874 also coincides with the issues with testing of the .45 Smith & Wesson Schofield revolvers despite earlier tests from 1873 already confirming the superiority of the Colt Single Action Army for cavalry use. Major George W. Schofield of the 10th Cavalry had influence though thanks to his brother Major General John McAllister Schofield, the former United States Secretary of War and future Commanding General of the U.S. Army, to get his revolvers a second chance, and they were ordered alongside Colt Single Action Army revolvers before being sold off as surplus after just a few years. Evidently the results were still most favorable for the longer 7 1/2 inch barrel Colts given the standard 7 1/2 inch "Cavalry Model" remained standard until the adoption of the Colt Model 1892 Double Action Army revolver and the modification of the "Cavalry Model" revolvers to "Artillery Configuration" in starting in the mid-1890s. It was this 5 1/2 inch barrel length that would have been carried by Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders at the Battle of San Juan Hill. This revolver may be the first with a 5 1/2 inch barrel manufactured in .45 Colt unless others were made as prototypes for testing at the factory. "The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver 1873-1895" by the Wilkersons and Kathleen Hoyt also list the birth of the 5 1/2 inch version as originating from orders for the London agency shipped on March 30. Agent Frederick von Oppen had wanted barrels no longer than the ejector housing, but he and the officials at Colt in Hartford settled on 5 1/2 inches to prevent the revolver from looking "stumpy." The authors state that this barrel length was only shipped in .450 Boxer until 1876. Clearly the 7 1/2 inch model was preferred by the U.S. government following the tests and remained the standard until the Single Action Army was replaced. As the U.S. commercial market expanded in 1876, the "short" 5 1/2 inch version also became available in the U.S. though in very limited numbers compared to the standard "Cavalry Model." Both the 4 3/4 inch and 5 1/2 inch barrel revolvers remained limited compared to the "Cavalry Model." For example, among the standard finish .45 Colt Single Action Army revolvers between serial number 1 and 164100, 36,286 had 7 1/2 inch barrels compared to just 2,796 with 5 1/2 inch barrels and 11,704 with 4 3/4 inch barrels per the chart on page 326 of "The Official Record." This does not include the 37,060 revolvers sold to the U.S. Government, just the commercial revolvers. The revolver has a rounded blade front sight, the one-line "+COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.+" address with italicized and serifed letters, the two-line "PAT. SEPT. 19. 1871/PAT. JULY. 2. 1872" and "U.S." markings on the left side of the frame, all-matching visible serial numbers, assembly number "86" on the loading gate, "C" on the rear of the cylinder and above the firing pin hole in the hammer well, an Orville W. Ainsworth "A" sub-inspection mark on the side of the cylinder which has a restamped/double stamped number, and no additional inspection marks visible. Provenance: The Colt Factory Collection; The Mel Guy Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Excellent with 85% plus original blue finish showing some holster type wear, 90% original case colors, some streaking of the finish on the trigger guard, and general mild overall wear. The grip is also very fine and has an attractive dark oiled finish, light dings and scratches, minor lower edge wear including small chips at the toe, and proper proud edges at the junction with the rear of the frame. Mechanically excellent. This is a historically significant early Colt Single Action Army revolver used by the factory and U.S. Ordnance Department in penetration and accuracy testing. Kopec notes that this revolver overall remains in "near-new" condition and "this revolver could be the very first or a forerunner of the Artillery revolvers."