Colt Model 1878 Double Action Revolver Belonging to Texas Ranger Capt. Sam Mcmurry

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Auction No. 119 Featuring Fine Collectible Ar...

By Amoskeag Auction Company

Aug 25, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-08-25 09:00:00 2018-08-25 09:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Auction No. 119 Featuring Fine Collectible Arms https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/amoskeag-auction-company/auction-no-119-featuring-fine-collectible-arms-3383
Fine Antique & Modern Sporting and Military Arms and Collectibles Amoskeag Auction Company amanda@amoskeagauction.com

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• Lot Description
  serial #5494, 45 Colt, 4 3/4” barrel, professionally shortened during the period of use, with a very good plus bore which is mostly bright with good rifling but showing a couple areas of light oxidation or a few spots of light pitting. The revolver is an overall gunmetal gray patina with some sparse light handling marks from the years and some sparsely scattered spots of light pinprick pitting. The arm wears a pair of smooth hard rubber Rampant Colt grips which rate good, the right grip worn nearly smooth, each with a prominent chip from their rear edge, the right grip with a repaired crack along its top edge, they are un-numbered but their fit is excellent. The lanyard loop is intact and the gun will time but does not lock up appropriately. The barrel shows a very professional shortening and has the 7 1/2” barrel legend roll marked across the top, a silver front sight was reset after the shortening, it is no doubt made from a dime or other silver Mexican currency as was fairly common, professionally done and professionally set. The sideplate was neatly engraved during the period of use “Texas Ranger/1882/Company B Frontier Bat.” with the backstrap engraved “Capt. Sam McMurry”, all of this in block letters, appearing to have been on the arm since it was new. Under high magnification there are areas of oxidation and light pitting which are over (or perhaps more accurately “through”) the engraving, as well as minute handling marks which are through the characters, meaning the inscription was in place before these defects occurred. It is known some Texas Rangers preferred double action revolver’s over the single action Colt, in fact one excerpt, which is included in a dossier of paper, was talking specifically about McMurry, but relates an incident that another Ranger Capt. was involved in, regarding pistol whipping, and states “The fellow, who was an imported product, used a double action pistol with which the real “bend” cannot be executed.” (the “bend” being knocking someone on the head in a non-fatal manner). The included factory letter shows shipment April 27, 1881 to Simmons Hardware Company of St. Louis Missouri, confirms the caliber and 7 1/2” barrel. Included with the arm are numerous photocopies of excerpts from books that mention McMurry, photocopies of a couple of pay vouchers for the state of Texas which mention McMurry, a photocopy of a signed oath dated 1883 by the 12 members of Co. B, Frontier Battalion (these from the Texas State archives) and two good images of McMurry. McMurry was born in Gallatin Tennessee an 1847 and in 1877 became a Texas Ranger with Lieut. Lee Hall’s Special Force at Clinton Texas. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1880 and an 1881 reorganization caused Company B to be formed with he being appointed captain. A fine and honest gun in its own right, it certainly deserves to have a proper mechanical repair completed so the arm once again locks up as it should. Included with the arm is an antique holster and belt, the cartridge belt very lightly stamp-tooled with 16 loops which will accommodate 45 caliber cartridges. The unmarked holster is lined, open topped, features dual tone running stitch latigo accent on its face and has a double loop stitched latigo border. Both rate very good with some light flaking and drying but are overall still supple and flexible. This is a very seldom-had opportunity to own a genuine bona fide Texas Ranger owned and carried revolver. (38864-37) {ANTIQUE}
• Shipping Info

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