Lot 1080

Three-Digit Serial Number Colt Burgess Lever Action Rifle

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Three-Digit Serial Number Colt Burgess Lever Action Rifle

Estimate: $11,000 - $16,000

Starting Bid: $9,500

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 22, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Exceptional First Year Production Three-Digit Serial Number Colt Burgess Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter Manufactured in 1883, this is a very early production three digit serial number example of Colt's Burgess repeater that remains in exceptionally fine condition. The Colt Burgess rifles and carbines were only available from 1883 to around 1885, and only 6,403 were manufactured. They were designed by Andrew Burgess, who held 894 patents by the end of his life. Though they were made in small numbers, the high quality and robust nature of these rifles certainly made them highly sought after in the American West, where they could be readily paired with a Colt Frontier Six Shooter in the same caliber. According to legend, Colt and Winchester came to an agreement that Colt would exit the lever action market and Winchester would not release a revolver, both sticking to handguns and long guns respectively. Whether the tale of this deal is true or not remains up for debate but there seems to be little other reason for Colt to have discontinued these fine repeating arms so quickly after they introduced them, as the Burgess is arguably significantly more advanced and refined than the Winchester Model 1873, which would have been its stiffest competition at the time. The included factory letter lists the rifle in .44-40 caliber with a 25 1/2 inch round barrel, blue finish, and wood stocks when shipped to E.K. Tryon Jr. & Co. in Philadelphia on 4 August 1883 as one of ten guns of its type in the shipment. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and patent dates. The Rampant Colt is on the left of the receiver and the early production three-digit serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a period replaced brass blade front sight, elevation adjustable notch rear sight, and a folding peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with small compass inlet on the right side and a trapdoor crescent buttplate.

Manufacturer: Colt

Model: Burgess-Rifle

BBL: 25 1/2 inch round

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Finish: blue

Serial Number352

Class: Antique

  • Condition: Exceptionally fine, retains 70% of the original high polish blue finish with the balance mostly a faint plum or grey patina and some scattered light dings and scratches. The refurbished wood is also exceptionally fine with some scattered light dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. Early production examples of the Colt Burgess in exceptionally fine condition like this are seldom seen!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000