(A) EARLY LONDON SHIPPED COLT MODEL 1877 LIGHTNING DOUBLE ACTION REVOLVER.

First-year production gun. According to the Colt Factory archive letter, this gun left the factory as a .38/C with the barrel not listed. It was blue with the stocks not listed. Special notation it has a short barrel. It was shipped to Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Mfg. Company London Agency in London, England on August 23.1877 in a shipment of 25 guns. It has a very rare factory German silver Single Action front sight and a V-notch rear sight. Six-shot fluted cylinder with original one-piece cours checkered rosewood grips. Case color frame and niter blue small parts. This gun does not have a Pall Mall address. It has a two-line barrel address, "COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD CT. U.S.A." There is an etched panel on the left side of the barrel "COLTD.A. 38". Three-line patent dates on the left side of the frame. There are crown V British proofs at the end of every flute on the cylinder and on the bottom of the barrel. Matching serial numbers observed on the frame, trigger guard, backstrap, cylinder, and inside of the grip channel. The action works in both single and double action. CONDITION: This gun retains much of the original factory-applied blue finish with the majority of the finish loss being to the cylinder. Vibrant case colors. It retains some of the niter blue finish on the small parts. The checkering on the grips is sharp and crisp. The grips do show a few handling marks. The bore is dark with frosting and some light pitting in the lands and grooves. Barrel Length: 3 - 1/2" Caliber/Bore: .38 Colt FFL Status: Antique Manufacturer: Colt Model: 1877 DA Paperwork: Factory Letter Serial Number: 1016