RARE & FINE 1848 COLT SECOND CONTRACT DRAGOON REVOLVER

Inv. 01-19825

Cal. 44
S# 2150
Bbl. 7 1/2″

Long known as “Fluck” Dragoons after 1956 John Fluck article “Colt’s Hartford Walker”. Fluck contended that 300 Dragoons in the serial number range from 2216 through 2515 were replacements, which Colt was forced to supply for Walkers that had failed in service. These revolvers now are known to be 1848 2nd contract revolvers made by Colt, utilizing the same serial number dies used on civilian Walkers made by Whitney for Colt.

There are several excellent accompanying articles which give details of these earliest Colt dragoons supplied to military w/ improvements made to the Walker model. All 2nd contract revolvers made were shipped in staggered lots in 1848. They were 1st issued to the 1st and 2nd US Mounted Rifles who saw hard service in the West. Of the 998 pistols made, survival is about the same as Walkers, w/ less than 150 examples currently documented. This is a nice representative, sharp original survivor.

PROVENANCE: Derek Provah Collection; Robert Howard Collection; Tom Power Collection, 2006.

STATUS: ANTIQUE