Page 130 - Auction84-Book2

The Epitome of Condition & Rarity the Finest Colt Sheriff 's Model Known
128
LOT 1268
Phenomenal, RARE and Iconic Black Powder Colt Single Action Sheriff’s Model Revolver with Factory Letter - Serial no. 154042, 32 WCF cal., 4 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in 1894. This .32 WCF ejectorless black powder Colt Single Action Sheriff’s Model Revolver is one of the rarest and most sought after variations of the legendary Colt SAA and serves as the benchmark example for all other known examples in public institutions and private circulation. In “A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver,” only around 1,000- 1,200 of these “ejectorless” revolvers were estimated to have been manufactured with the majority of the production occurring before 1900 (page 69). Per Keith Cochran in “Colt Peacemaker Encyclopedia, Volume 1,” only 494 out of a grand
total of 1,000 “ejectorless” SAAs were manufactured with a 4 inch barrel. Based on Cochran’s estimates only 32 SAA out of the total Sheriff’s Model production run were chambered in .32 WCF (page 370). In the accompanying factory letter, Colt historian M.S. Huber states that his office was unable “to locate any information” on this rare Colt, no. 154042. Huber, however, did confirm that this revolver does fall within a serial number range (154040-154054) of known SAAs shipped as Sheriff’s Models. Nos. 154042 and 154045 were not listed in the factory records. This revolver therefore would have been part of this serial number block of Sheriff’s Models. The 4 inch barrel is most certainly factory original. The top of the barrel has the two-line address, “32 W.C.F.” is marked on the left side of the barrel, and the left side of the frame has the two-line patent dates marking along with a circled Rampant Colt. Matching full serial numbers are on the frame, trigger guard and back strap. The matching partial serial number “4042” appears on both grip panels.