Offered here is one of 1,001 Colt Model 1878 Revolvers purchased by the Canadian Department of Militia and Defense in .45 caliber, 7 1/2 inch barrel, nickel finish and hard rubber grips from the famed New York City retailer Hartley & Graham. To meet this order, Hartley & Graham retrieved 361 revolvers purchased in 1883 and still in inventory and then bought 640 revolvers from Colt in April 1885. Manufactured in 1885, this revolver came from the second grouping. These revolvers were shipped to Winnipeg to equip a special Mounted Corps to deal with the Riel Rebellion, an anti-government uprising that was crushed in May 1885. Many of the revolvers were subsequently stamped with an issue number followed by "MD" on the left side of the frame under the forward part of the cylinder. This revolver is marked "249. MD." A large number of these revolvers were used by Canadian forces in the Boer War in 1900. The accompanying factory letter lists this revolver with a 7 1/2 inch barrel in .45 caliber, nickel plating and hard rubber grips when shipped to Hartley & Graham of New York City on April 11, 1885, as part of a 90 gun shipment. The revolver is pictured and identified in Don Wilkerson's "Colt's Double-Action Revolver" on page 77 as a Canadian Department of Militia and Defense purchased arm. The top of the barrel has the one-line Hartford address, the left side of the trigger guard is marked "45 CAL.," a lanyard swivel is mounted on the butt, and both grip panels and cylinder are numbered to the gun. Screw heads, cylinder pin, trigger and hammer are nitre blue.

Excellent, retaining 98% plus original nickel plating with loss mostly on the back strap. 97% plus original nitre blue remains. The grips are excellent with crisp checkering and a lightly visible hairline crack on lower near left panel. Mechanically excellent. An exceptional example of a scarce Canadian Department of Militia and Defense Colt Model 1878 Revolver that is missing from even the most advanced Colt DA collections.