Original Item: Only One Available. The Colt Model 1894 revolver is an important piece of history in the evolution of the modern handgun. This revolver is sometimes called the D.A. 38 for a good reason: they are marked COLT. D. A. 38 on the side of the barrel, as they are a double action revolver chambered for the .38 Long Colt cartridge. There are many similar models of this handgun made by Colt: the Model 1892, 1894, 1895, 1896 and later the Model 1901 and 1903, which represent incremental improvements in the design. The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army primarily used these models, though there were civilian models as well.

This type of double action revolver represented a significant step in the evolution of the revolver, as it was Colt's first swing out cylinder revolver. It was both double and single action, it utilized the spring-loaded ejector rod, and the later models could fire the new (at the time) smokeless powder cartridges. All of these features appealed to the armed forces. The earlier D.A. 38 guns, such as the 1894, were designed to fire black powder cartridges only.

The New Army & Navy model is unique to Colt in that the cylinder rotates counter-clockwise, and the frame's side plate is on the right side. This unfortunately tended to force the cylinder out of alignment with the frame over time, and this was exacerbated by relatively weak lockwork used to "time", or match individual chambers to the barrel. In later Colt revolvers the cylinder rotation is clockwise and the side plate is on the left side of the frame. Also these Colt's have extremely complex actions that get out of order or break easily.

This is a fantastic researchable example, which was not delivered to either the Army or the Navy, but actually directly to the Connecticut National Guard. from the Colt factory. This is confirmed Colt Factory letter from the office of the Colt Historian Beverly Jean Haynes, which has her signature in the lower left corner. The paper used has the correct Colt Letterhead and bears a raised Colt seal stamp over the signature. It is dated April 25, 2016, and indicates it is a COLT NEW ARMY REVOLVER MODEL OF 1894, in .38/c with a 6" barrel. The revolver was made with a Blue finish and fitted with Rubber grips. Most importantly, there is a field for Factory Engraved:, where it notes "Conn National Guard" is engraved on the strap and "C154" under the stocks. The gun was shipped on July 22, 1896 with 36 other guns of the same type, directly to the Connecticut National Guard. That means this revolver is completely in the original configuration, and is a confirmed factory engraved example!

We checked records from the Spanish-American War, and portions of the Connecticut National Guard were called up to form the 1st and 3rd Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiments during the Spanish-American War. Unfortunately, the war ended while they were still in training prior to deployment. 

The serial number marked on the bottom of the grip frame is 75366, indicating production in 1896 per Colt factory records and the included letter. The frame under the cylinder crane, the cylinder crane itself, and the cylinder release are all marked with assembly number 313. The ejector rod and the rear face of the cylinder under the ejector are marked with assembly number 143.

The top of the barrel is still marked with the original manufacture and patent information, correct for the model 1896, and it is the two line version used on the longer 6" barrels:-

This revolver is stamped with the 1895 patent date, granted for improvements to the revolver, though we are using the model designation from the Colt letter, the Model 1894. The rubber grips have the correct COLT logo at the top, and there is also a worn "Prancing Pony in a Circle" marking on the rear left frame. The rear of the grip still bears the original engraved Conn National Guard, and C 154 is stamped on the left side of the frame under the grips. There is additionally the number 14 stamped into the bottom of the grip frame rear of the lanyard loop.

In terms of condition, the revolver does look to have seen a good amount of use while with the Connecticut National Guard, with the original bluing only retained in recessed areas, as well as on the top and bottom of the barrel. This is typical wear from being in in a holster of some sort while being carried. There are also scratches and such on the sides, so it may have been stacked up in storage for a time. The hard rubber "gutta percha" style grips have matured to a lovely dark brown color, and still retain strong original checkering, as well as a crisp Colt logo. There is no major chipping or wear around the bottom edge, though the right side grip scale has a crack running through the center where the threaded insert for the securing bolt is. This is not due to misuse, but due to the rubber shrinking, and the threaded insert staying the same size. It may someday crack all the way through, something that there is no way to prevent.

The revolver cycles correctly in both single and double action, without any finicky behavior to note, though there is some slop due to wear. The cylinder swings out to the left correctly, with a functional cartridge extractor, though the actuating rod has a slight bend to it, so it can get stuck at times. The bore is in good condition, showing a partly bright finish with clear lands and grooves, though they are definitely worn from use and cleaning. We also noticed some damage to the forcing cone, which has a bit missing on the left side. This is definitely a revolver that saw extensive use while in service.

A great factory engraved and verified Connecticut National Guard used Colt New Army Revolver, with a great patina of age and factory letter. This very well was carried when portions of the guard were called up to become the 1st and 3rd Connecticut Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish-American War. Though they did not see action in the conflict, it still makes this a historically important piece more than worthy of further research!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1896
Caliber:  .38 Long Colt
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 4 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 11 1/4 inches
Action: Double / Single
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

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