Colt Bisley Target Model Flat Top Single Action Army 1st Gen, 1895 Antique
Sold For: $8,011.99
LSB#: 200814LA01
Make: Colt
Model: Bisley Target Model “Flat-Top” Single Action Army, 1st Generation
Serial Number: 159773
Year of Manufacture: 1895 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .44 S&W Russian (.44 Russian)
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Markings: The left of the barrel is marked “44-S.&W.”. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”. The left side of the frame is marked “PAT SEPT. 19. 1871. / JULY 2. 72. JAN. 19. 75.” and with the encircled “Rampant Colt” logo. The underside of the frame at the grip frame is marked “159773”, as is the bottom of the trigger guard assembly in front of the trigger guard. The butt at the front is marked “159 / 773”. The rear face of the loading gate is marked with assembly number “1”. The front face of the cylinder is marked “1083”. The hammer slot is marked “0”. The inside of each grip panel has “9773” hand-written.
Barrel Length: 7 1/2”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade screwed to a slotted base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the flat topstrap, drift-adjustable for windage.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth walnut. They show light-moderate handling wear with scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is some discoloration from age and handling. The right panel has a very small loss at the bottom-rear corner and a ding on the bottom edge of the left panel. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition as Antique
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original, the cylinder may not be original to the revolver.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is well defined. There is infrequent scattered minor erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 50% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is finish wear along the left of the barrel, the outside of the ejector rod housing, the outside of the cylinder and loading gate, the left of the recoil shield, on the trigger guard, and the grip straps are mostly worn to white. There is some other minor finish wear with several scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is one more notable ding on the right of the frame below the cylinder, and a cluster behind one of the cylinder stop notches. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation, most visible in the worn areas, especially the backstrap. The screw heads are generally sharp or lightly tool marked, the ejector rod housing screw is disfigured but useable. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Very Good-Fine condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder has a removable bushing. The cylinder locks up on each chamber with little play. The checkered trigger is crisp. We did not fire this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Colt Bisley was introduced in 1894 as a target pistol. The name Bisley came from the famous firing range in Bisley, England. The Colt Bisley can be distinguished by the longer grip, the wider hammer spur, and the wider trigger. Bisleys were serial-numbered in the range of 156300–331916, in the same sequence as the Single Action Army. This example is a fairly early Bisley Target Model, made with the flat-top frame but before the barrels were marked with “(BISLEY MODEL)”. It is also one of the earliest Single Action Army revolvers to have the new cylinder pin retainer with a sprung cross-pin instead of a retaining screw in the bottom-front of the frame. It is chambered for the .44 Russian cartridge, popular with target shooters for its reputation for both accuracy and reliability. The revolver is in about Very Good-Fine condition as Antique, retaining about 50% of its original blue finish with strong mechanics and a really great bore for a 125 year old target revolver. Pretty much any 1st Generation Single Action Army is collectible, but this flat-top Bisley Target Model will make a great addition to even advanced SAA collections. Please see our photos and good luck!
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: We will ship this Antique direct in California.
