Milestone June 17-18 Premier Collectible Firearms Auction follows timeline from Civil War through Operation Desert Storm

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – Milestone Auctions will “present arms” on June 17-18, with a 1,450-lot sale chock-full of rare military, police, Old West, Civil War, NFA and other collectible and historical weapons. The auction will take place at Milestone’s spacious, custom-designed suburban Cleveland gallery, with all remote forms of bidding also available, including live via the Internet through Milestone’s website.

Highlights include an outstanding collection of M1 carbines and Johnsons along with numerous military gems such as an Izhmash 1975 Dragunov sniper rifle, a USMC Desert Storm documented semi-auto Barrett rifle, a superb 1937 Mauser Code S/42 Luger with rig, and several early C-96 Broomhandle pistols.

Since the auction catalog first posted, there have been many enquiries about the authentic Russian military SVD Dragunov sniper rifle manufactured in 1975 by Izhmash. This rarely encountered model was crafted in 7.62X54R caliber. The example offered by Milestone is serial-numbered YK-237, has a proper early infrared filter and detachable bipod, and comes with two additional magazines, a cleaning rod and magazine pouch. It is believed to have been acquired in Grenada or Panama and shows little actual use.

Another highly prized military rifle, a Barrett M82A1, was manufactured in 1991 and adopted by the US Marine Corps for scout sniper use during Operation Desert Storm. This .50BMG gun, Serial No. 0974, is documented by Barrett Manufacturing and in Marine Colonel Norman Chandler’s book Death From Afar (Vol. I, Page 100). It is included in the inventory (a copy accompanies auction lot) of the 100 rifles purchased by the USMC in 1991 for shipment to Saudi Arabia. In Very Fine condition with a smooth, correct action; bright, sharp bore and more than 95% of its original finish.

A full complement of Colts will be offered, including coveted productions from the Civil War era. One of the single most sought-after specimens of all Colt percussion revolvers is the Model 1861 Navy Revolver. The example entered in the sale is one of fewer than 39,000 made by Colt and comes with a powder flask, an iron bullet mold, a wrapped 6-round packet of Colt’s combustible cartridges, and a tin of UMC percussion caps. It is securely housed in a compartmented, velvet-lined case.

Another Colt rarity and one of fewer than 29,000 made, a Model 1862 Police Revolver, manufactured in 1862, is a .36-caliber percussion firearm with a 5-shot fluted cylinder, Diminutive Army-pattern barrel with creeping loading lever. “It would be difficult for a collector to obtain another gun of this type in Fine or better condition,” It retains its compartmented, velvet-lined case with accessories including an extremely rare eagle-motif pocket-size mechanical flask, an iron 2-cavity mold, and a “POLICE MODEL” marked cartridge packet with a correct 250-count Eley Bros. cap tin. 

It isn’t every day that collectors run across a Colt SAA (Single Action Army) Revolver that was made for commercial use, since most were made for the US military. The example entered as auction Lot 329 was shipped in 1876 to H&D Folsom, a major distributor of its day. The .45-caliber Colt, Serial No. 28579, is smooth and clean with a crisp patina and matching numbers. 

The factory-nickel Colt SAA .45-caliber revolver offered as Lot 333 was initially shipped on July 22, 1879 from Colt’s Connecticut headquarters to a Mexico City distributor, Wexell & DeGress. It was part of a 400-gun shipment ordered by the Mexican government. This gun is serial No. 46165 and has a strong, clean bore, retains 85% to 90% nickel on its frame and straps, and has excellent grips.

Every Colt collector knows the name Cuno Helfricht. He was Colt’s chief engraver for 46 years (1876-1921), and his work was incomparable. His shop would have been responsible for the carving on a pearl-handled Colt .41-caliber Army Special Revolver entered in the auction as Lot 330. The motif includes a carved steer’s head with ruby eyes, on the right side of the grip. The gun was dispatched in 1909, as a shipment of one, to distributor J.B. Crook & Co., New York City. In addition to its ornamental attributes, its special features include a checkered trigger and a 4-pound trigger pull. 

A recent discovery and an outstanding example of one of the most desired of all Confederate-used handguns, a rare LeMat Grapeshot revolver was manufactured sometime between 1856 and 1865. The 9-shot .42-caliber percussion gun with a secondary .63-caliber smooth-bore barrel is capable of firing either buckshot or grapeshot. 

An early Henry Patent Winchester Model 1866 rifle made in 1868, Serial No. 16098, should attract widespread interest on day one of the auction. Retaining extremely sharp rifling in its bore, this fine .44 RF caliber firearm with a Henry patent stamp would warrant pride of place in any collection. 

Two exceptional firearms from the 1890s are among the top highlights. An 1894 Steyr Mannlicher “Blow Forward” pistol in 7.6 caliber, bears Serial No. 19. “It’s one of the rarest of all evolutionary automatic pistols, and in terms of condition, this one would be very hard to improve upon,” said Miles King. The second of the two is a massive .577-caliber Boxer Bland & Pryse revolver, Serial No. 1, manufactured circa 1890. It was designed to protect against tigers and other maneaters in the British Empire’s colonies, India, in particular. In exceptional condition and described by King as “the finest example Milestone Auctions’ specialists have seen in the past 40 years.” 

Several NFA-regulated firearms will be auctioned, including a Harrington & Richardson .45ACP-caliber Model 50 submachine gun. Manufactured circa 1940, this formidable weapon was created for use by both US military and police personnel. The auction example comes in a period case marked “Property N.C. Highway Patrol” and is accompanied by six factory-marked 20-round magazines and one very rare 30-round magazine. Note: this gun transfers ownership only under the provisions set forth by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). 

The auction includes many other exceptional items, such as: an FN Model 2495, Stevens 520 Trench gun, 1903 A4 Remington sniper, Springfields, a fine Spencer, an engraved and gold-plated Smith & Wesson No. 2 Army, a high-condition Sharps New Model 1863 rifle, a 1st Model Schofield Hartley & Graham, and several incredible 19th-century Colt holster and matching rigs (including a Montana Territory marked rig), and matching JS Collins and Collins & Morrison rigs, all marked and in excellent condition.

The selection of superior handguns includes a 1950 near-mint fat-barrel Colt 1911 .38 Super, an engraved and gold wash large frame Merwin & Hulbert, the documented 1851 Navy used by Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales, a Gough-engraved Colt Army with carved pearls, a high-polish Colt 1902 Long Slide, an unfired boxed Remington Rider, two unfired Colt New Line .41-caliber revolvers and many more.

Milestone’s June 17-18, 2022 Premier Collectible Firearms Auction will be held at the company’s gallery at 38198 Willoughby Parkway, Willoughby (suburban Cleveland), OH 44094. Start time: 10 a.m. ET. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through Milestone Auctions’ bidding platform or LiveAuctioneers. For additional information, call 440-527-8060, email info@milestoneauctions.com. Online: www.milestoneauctions.com

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