079-0521-7643, US Colt Cavalry #39xx matching with Kopec Letter and Notebook and history by Guns of History. This gun is near in serial number range to #3256 and #3632 that have direct documentation to the Custer Battlefield,. Kopec states, “#3939 had been issued to Co. K, 4th Cavalry and is marked on the frame. There is no doubt that our subject revolver;’s serial number falls well within the earliest Indian War issued to the 7th U.S. Cavalry. ” This particular number could not be located in records but most guns cannot. This gun was examined prior to this last inspection and the US was reapplied to the side of the frame. There is no doubt it is an original Ainsworth Cavalry, so the US was period removed. Kopec states, “these letters had in several cases been removed by the Indians on captured revolvers and carbines. In other instances, the letters “US” had been removed by a deserter’s upon “liberating” his revolver. Kopec effectively states the gun was Indian War used, captured by Indians or taken by a deserter, and very close in the range of serial numbers that were on the Custer Battlefield, but no way to know for sure. Had the gun remained in the possession of the US Military it would have been turned in to be converted to an Artillery. [/p][p]
The subsequent study by Guns History states the gun has markings tieing it to a LONG DOG of the HUNKAPAPA band one of the seven major bands of the Lakota Tribe. The Hunkapapa were at the battle of Little Bighorn and from another source, Article June 1998, Wild West Magazine, by Greg Michno. Members of the Hunkapapa Tribe came to the battle with only bows and arrows and picked up soldier’s Colt Revolvers and Springfield Rifles to continue the battle against Reno. The gun is basically as issued with correct parts and markings, only trace of cartouche is visible on the side of the grip. Except for re-adding the US as described above. This is a great gun and very likely liberated from the Custer Battlefield by LONG DOG of the HUNKAPAPA band of LAKOTA, SIOUX. Very good overall. [/p][p]
The last Ainsworth Cavalry that had indisputable linkage to the Custer Battlefield sold for 250,000 dollars in value. The only way to do that would be to forensically find a cartridge from the battlefield that was fired from this gun. The fellow who has matched guns this way in the past was Glen Swanson who passed away a few years ago.

Est. Retail Value: $35000