Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have an 1884 Colt Single Action Army attributed to Bob Dalton of the Dalton Gang, allegedly recovered from his body after the disastrous Coffeyville, Kansas bank robbery on October 5, 1892. This comes with extensive documentation including notarized affidavits and a factory letter confirming government delivery.
The Coffeyville raid was a disaster for the Dalton Gang. They attempted to rob two banks simultaneously in Coffeyville – the First National Bank and Condon Bank. Citizens recognized them immediately, armed themselves, and a massive gunfight erupted. Bob Dalton, Grat Dalton, Bill Power, and Dick Broadwell were all killed. Emmett Dalton survived with 23 gunshot wounds. According to a December 26, 1957 notarized affidavit from Ollie Reed, this revolver was taken from Bob Dalton’s body by her husband W.D. Reed, who was 12 years old at the time. The affidavit states Reed kept the gun until his death in November 1957, when it was purchased by Loy Grimes.
The provenance chain is documented through multiple affidavits. Clell Furnell purchased the revolver from the Carl Rogers estate in 1989. Rogers had bought it from Loy Grimes in 1958. Grimes purchased it from Ollie Reed in 1957. However, conflicting accounts exist – a Watonga newspaper article quotes W.D. Reed saying he purchased the gun from Jess Marlow rather than taking it from Dalton’s body.
An interview with Evelyn Ruth Pethroud conducted February 17, 1991 attempts to reconcile this discrepancy. She stated that Jess Marlow was suspected of stealing Reed’s gun, and Reed later spotted it in a trunk at Marlow’s house and took it back, saying “THAT’S MY GUN.” The factory letter confirms this revolver was sold to the U.S. government and delivered in a 150-gun shipment on November 19, 1884 in .45 caliber with blue finish. It carries “D.F.C” (David F. Clark) inspection initials on barrel, frame, and cylinder, confirming military issue. The revolver has matching serial numbers except for a replacement trigger guard. Three pearl inlays appear in the right grip panel, and “MC” is inscribed on the butt.
Bob Dalton served as a deputy U.S. marshal before turning to outlawry. Whether he obtained this cavalry Colt during his lawman days or acquired it later is unknown. The gun’s documented government issue makes it plausible as a lawman’s working revolver that stayed with Dalton when he joined his brothers in crime.
Most of our POTDs utilize images from our friends at Rock Island Auction Company, the premier firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse their current auctions – who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!
“Historic U.S. Cavalry Model Colt Single Action Army Revolver Attributed to Bob Dalton of The Dalton Gang with Factory Letter and Extensive Research Documentation.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/1049/3015/historic-bob-dalton-attributed-colt-single-action-army-revolver. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.
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