OT--Show & Tell--Highway Robbery

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun May 04, 2008 5:28 pm

Went to the gun auction yesterday and could not get near anything except this Colt. People were spending money like there was no tomorrow. Two 1873 Winchesters that were j-u n-k with broken parts, levers hanging, no finish, sewer pipe bores, replaced wood etc going for 1600. Imported & mismatched M-1 carbines and Garands going for 8-10 c-notes. Ain't nobody can tell me there's a resession.

Anyway, I waited most of the day for this U.S. stamped 1878 Colt to go off with no hope of getting it. The action did not work and it must have scared off potential buyers. Its one of 4000+ made by Colt for the U.S. during the Philippine police action a hundred plus years ago. Has the large trigger guard for increased leverage during double action shooting and not for wearing gloves like a lot of people think.

Has a mint bore, no pitting, excellent markings, nice cartouches by R.A.C. with about an overall 60-70% blue left. I took it apart and found someone installed a sping in backwards. That fixed the double action but the spring for the single action was weak so I have to get another. This is a very dependable gun in spite of what some people think. Its a simple action and no where near as complicated as the 1877 Thunderers or Lightnings. Hey, if I can rip it apart, its got to be simple. The gun uses some of the same parts as the Single Action Army---ejector housing, spring and ejector. Cylinders are about the same except for the flutes.

I shot 50 rounds out of it today in double action. You talk about a hard pull. I had to use my middle finger for strength. (well, that finger gets used a lot when I'm driving, so it's very strong)

---Sixgun

Oh, hows $800. Like I said, Highway robbery

,

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sun May 04, 2008 5:39 pm

Congratulations, Sure looks like one mansize revolver.

Ben_Rumson · Post by **Ben_Rumson** » Sun May 04, 2008 6:00 pm

Cool Gun!!

Post by **Hobie** » Sun May 04, 2008 6:32 pm

Amazing how much stuff is for sale because it wasn't "fixed" correctly... Neat.

Jay Bird · Post by **Jay Bird** » Sun May 04, 2008 8:07 pm

WOW!!!!

Where is that money tree. I think your pimping out my mom.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Sun May 04, 2008 8:26 pm

That's the bad thing about having immediate family members on the same forum. Dohh!

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun May 04, 2008 8:55 pm

Sweet deal

!

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:19 pm

Went to an auction of a pawn shop in Clovis, N.M. years ago.
People were buying used stuff for more than they could go down the street and buy it new!
Herd mentality, go figure.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:27 pm

I've never seen one of those before, thanks for sharing.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:40 pm

Hey wait a minute, how about a big picture of the tunnel rat??

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:58 pm

Congrats, but a few of those and the gun fund is really going to be hurting, won't it?

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Mon May 05, 2008 8:33 pm

Sixgun jr wrote:WOW!!!! Where is that money tree. I think your pimping out my mom.

I just don't what to do with this boy.

I tell 'ya dude, your getting better than me at the game. I taught you well.-----------Yo Pappa

piller · Post by **piller** » Mon May 05, 2008 8:43 pm

Nice gun. I had never seen one before, either. Thanks for the pictures.

CaptainFinn · Post by **CaptainFinn** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:37 am

Colt used up their spare stock of 1878 Cylinders by adding bolt notches and installing them in the standard 1873 and Bisley revolvers, IIRC. I've seen some 'long flute' Colt 1873's in catalogues but never in person. Kinda funny looking but cool at the same time.

I've always thought the 1878's were really cool looking. I think Kurt Russell used one in Tombstone--the scene where Curly Bill kills Fred White--and getting one for $800 gives me a serious case of the envies !

Bluehawk · Post by **Bluehawk** » Wed May 07, 2008 10:41 am

NIce gun Jack Always liked that model I would love to shot that some time . Just a few rounds
Talk later

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Wed May 07, 2008 12:32 pm

Always wanted one of those.

Excellent steal by the way!!

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Wed May 07, 2008 1:02 pm

I suppose somebody's gotta steal it, so it might as well be you!

Worth the all-day wait, IMO.

Congrats!

Noah

model55 · Post by **model55** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:50 pm

If it what you wanted you did good!Have never seen one before.The pain in your wallet will go away -better then kicking yourself later.