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"The Ordnance Office Model"
LOT 245
Historically Significant, Well-Documented and Exceptionally Rare U.S. Colt “Ordnance Office” Cavalry Model Single Action Army Revolver, One of Three 1877 Ordnance Model Revolvers, with John Kopec Gold Seal Letter, Factory Letter, and Sealed Box of 1877 Dated Ammunition - Serial no. 33191, 45 LC cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Offered here is one of the rarest of the U.S. Cavalry Model revolvers to roll off the Colt assembly line. Known simply as the “Ordnance Office Model”, no. 33191 is one of only three Ordnance Model Revolvers specifically ordered by the U.S. Ordnance Department in 1877 to be manufactured to exact specifications of the gauges for use as “benchmark guns” for U.S. inspectors; and out of the three models, no. 33191 is the most complete. In 1877, Lieutenant David A. Lyle of the U.S. Ordnance Department ordered three specially built and distinctly marked Colt Cavalry Model Revolvers. These three revolvers were manufactured to exact specifications and were to serve as the production standard for all subsequently produced Cavalry Models. These revolvers were to be assembled to as near perfect gauge as humanly possible. At the time Lyle had become increasingly frustrated with inconsistencies in Colt factory quality, especially with the alignment of the barrels with the cylinder chambers. The most significant improvement found on the Ordnance Models was the ejector tube stud having been screwed into the barrel before brazing that made for a more secure fit, a technique that had already been incorporated to the civilian SAA production line early in the 18000 serial number range. Each of the three revolvers were given a distinctive name that corresponded to the revolver’s specific designated area of service. This revolver no. 33191 was named “The Ordnance Office Model.” No. 33220 was named “The Commanding Officer’s Model.” No. 33186 was named “The Inspector’s Model.”“The Commanding Officer’s Model” was formerly of the Robert Sutherland collection and is pictured on page 250 of R.L. Wilson’s “The Book of Colt Firearms.” Wilson referred to no. 33220 as an “extreme rarity of an original American casing of the Single Action Army. Used as a model or benchmark gun by government inspectors at the Springfield Armory.” The same can be said of this revolver, no. 33191. The three Ordnance Model revolvers are identified by serial number in the meticulous notes made by the Ordnance Department in 1877 that laid out the special characteristics of the revolvers. Included are excerpts from these original documents that now reside at the National Archives. The story behind the three revolvers is retold in the 2006 edition of “A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver” on pages 523-525 with this revolver pictured on page 524 and “Cavalry & Artillery Revolvers... a Continuing Study” on page 153. In both publications, all three revolvers are identified by serial number.
Important Historic Note
Due to the frustrations of U.S. inspectors with inconsistencies in production quality, Lt. David Lyle ordered three revolvers to exact specifications to serve as the production standard. These three revolvers were each given a distinct name, corresponding to the specific revolver's designated area of service. This revolver, one of the three ordered, is named "The Ordnance Office Model", serial number 33,186 was named "The Inspector's Model" and serial number 33,220 was named "The Commanding Officer's Model".
SIMILAR EXAMPLE PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF COLT FIREARMS BY WILSON. SERIAL NUMBER LISTED IN THE BOOKS A STUDY OF THE COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER BY KOPEC, GRAHAM AND MOORE AND COLT CAVALRY & ARTILLERY REVOLVERS BY KOPEC AND FENN
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