{"product_id":"original-u-s-colt-nickel-plated-m1877-41cal-thunderer-3-barrel-revolver-made-in-1879-with-factory-letter-matching-serial-19139","title":"Original U.S. Colt Nickel Plated M1877 .41cal Thunderer 3 ½\" Barrel Revolver Made in 1879 with Factory Letter - Matching Serial 19139","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available The romance around Colt \"Cowboy\" Revolvers never ceases to amaze us. This is fantastic, a truly exceptional offering of a Colt M1877 \"Thunderer\" Double Action .41 Caliber revolver, complete with a factory letter! This is the same model that was carried by \"Billy the Kid\", made a year or so before his death, so it was around for some of the most famous gunfights of the \"Old West\"! Additionally, it comes with an original letter from the Colt Factory, displaying the listed specifications in their records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe M1877 was offered from the factory in two basic finishes: nickel-plated or a case-hardened frame with a blue barrel and cylinder. The revolver was available in barrel lengths from 2 ½\" to 7 ½\" and was available with or without the ejector rod and housing. The shorter barreled versions without the ejector rod were marketed as \u003cstrong\u003e\"shopkeeper's specials\"\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fine nickel-plated example of the Model 1877 \"Thunderer\" Double Action .41 Caliber Revolver, fitted with fantastic Colt checkered hard rubber grips. It is marked on the bottom of the grip, barrel, frame, and trigger guard with serial number \u003cstrong\u003e19139\u003c\/strong\u003e, indicating it was made in \u003cstrong\u003e1879\u003c\/strong\u003e, only the third year of production! The back of the cylinder is marked with shortened serial number \u003cstrong\u003e139\u003c\/strong\u003e, making this a fantastic \u003cstrong\u003e\"ALL MATCHING\"\u003c\/strong\u003e example, with no parts swapped out over the years! It also is marked on the loading gate with assembly number \u003cstrong\u003e272\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis revolver came to us with a Colt Factory letter from the office of the Colt Historian \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKathleen J. Hoyt\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e! It is dated \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDecember 5, 2006\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, and indicates it is a \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLT DOUBLE ACTION REVOLVER MODEL OF 1877\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, with the caliber listed as \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.41\/c\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e with a barrel length of\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e 3 ½\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. The finish is listed as \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNickel\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, and the type of stocks as \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRubber\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. The gun was shipped on \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAugust 23, 1879\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e as part of a shipment of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e25\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e similar guns to \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchuyler, Hartley \u0026amp; Graham\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e in New York City, a very prestigious outfitter founded in 1854. Schuyler had retired in 1876, and in 1880 the name was shortened to \"Hartley \u0026amp; Graham\", so this is completely correct!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example is still in the original factory configuration, with a nice \"gunfighter friendly\" length 3 ½\" barrel and nickel plated finish, where the non-plated parts are niter blued. As it has no ejector rod, this counts as a \"Shopkeeper's Special\". The original factory finish is very well retained, and it is fitted with lovely original \"Prancing Pony\" Colt hard rubber grips. It is still clearly marked on the top of the barrel with the Colt address:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. Co.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHARTFORD.  CT.  U. S. A.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt also still has all of the original patent markings on the left side of the frame:-\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePAT. SEPT 19.1871.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e''     ''   5.    '' 74.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e ''  JAN.19.   '' 75.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs this is an early example, there is no Colt \"Prancing Pony\" stamped into the left side of the frame.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe M1877 revolvers were marketed under different names such as \"LIGHTNING\" to appeal to different groups of customers. Although all were of the same basic design, they were also referred to as \"THUNDERERS\", \"RAINMAKERS\", and SHERIFF'S MODELS\" as well, depending on the caliber and configuration. None of these names were Colt designations, nor used by the factory in any reference materials of the time. All of these terms were coined by Benjamin Kittredge, one of Colt's major distributors. Kittredge was responsible for the terms \"Peacemaker\" for the Single Action Army, \"Omnipotent\" for the Colt M1878 double-action (often known as the \"Frontier\" model), and nicknames for the various chamberings of the New Line models. This example has an oval etched panel on the left side of the barrel reading \u003cstrong\u003eCOLT D. A. 41\u003c\/strong\u003e, so it is definitely a \"Thunderer\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe purchased this revolver as a \"THUNDERER\" and it is in excellent working order and condition, one of the best that we have ever handled. The original Nickel Plated finish is well retained over almost all of the revolver, with some areas of flaking on the cylinder, and some finish loss on the underside of the barrel by the cylinder arbor pin. The trigger, arbor pin release, and screws still retain much of the original niter blued finish, while the hammer has the finish mostly worn off the sides. Its bird's head hard rubber grips bear the Colt prancing horse logo on each side, which show little to no wear. It is really in great unmessed with condition!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe revolver functions almost flawlessly in both single and double action, with very little slop in the mechanics. It indexes great, the cylinder lockup is strong, and it has a crisp dry fire. The cylinder arbor pin pulled out correctly, allowing the cylinder to be removed. The bore is in excellent condition, with crisp lands and grooves and a mostly bright finish. There are just a few spots of oxidation, particularly near the muzzle, and it looks to have seen very little use after being purchased.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \"Lightning\" was the favored personal weapon of famous Manchester (UK) Victorian detective and then head of CID, Jerome Caminada. Old West outlaw John Wesley Hardin frequently used both \"Lightning\" and \"Thunderer\" versions of the Colt 1877 revolver. Likewise the 1877 \"Thunderer\" in .41 caliber was the preferred weapon of Billy the Kid and was his weapon of choice when he was killed by Pat Garrett in 1881.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA fantastic example of a Pre-1899 antique Colt \"Thunderer\" Revolver in .41 caliber, still in the original factory configuration and complete with a factory letter. This is an offering we are unlikely to ever see the likes of again. Ready to research and display!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYear of Manufacture: 1879\u003cbr\u003eCaliber: .41 \"Long\" Colt\u003cbr\u003eAmmunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge\u003cbr\u003eBarrel Length: 3 ½ inches\u003cbr\u003eOverall Length: 8 ½ inches\u003cbr\u003eAction: Double\/Single Action\u003cbr\u003eFeed System: 6 Shot Revolver\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42315324424261,"sku":"ONAC24MA028","price":2995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONAC24MA028__01MAIN_49f571ee-5a03-469c-bc05-4d0404ead02e.jpg?v=1738192002","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-colt-nickel-plated-m1877-41cal-thunderer-3-barrel-revolver-made-in-1879-with-factory-letter-matching-serial-19139","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}