Teddy Roosevelt And James Bond Pistols Sell At Auction

by
posted on January 5, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
roosevelt-revolver.jpg

A revolver owned by President Theodore Roosevelt sold during Rock Island Auction Company’s Dec. 5 event. The Colt Single Action Army was ordered as a gift for his 54th birthday and it shipped slightly more than a week before the election of 1912—10 days before an attempt on his life in Milwaukee, WI, while he campaigned for a third term in the White House.

Roosevelt’s Colt is chambered in .38 Long Colt, a suitable choice for the former head of San Juan Hill-charging Rough Riders. The pistol, however, is anything but field grade. The auction catalog explains, “…this Colt Single Action Army revolver is a recent discovery poised to become a new icon, as it is perhaps the most highly embellished firearm owned by the 26th President still in private circulation.”

Metalwork on the 4.75" barreled revolver has silver plating, grips are carved ivory and it wears what the company at the time termed “Level 2” engraving. The web page for the handgun’s auction states, “In terms of Colt Single Action Army Revolvers, it doesn’t get any better than a revolver ordered for the president that wore a Colt on his hip on the frontier and recorded as actively using a Colt in combat during the Spanish-American War.”

Even plain Jane handguns used sparingly on the silver screen commanded lofty sums last month. The Walther PP used by Sean Connery in his first Bond movie, “Dr. No,” sold through Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills for more than a quarter of a million dollars. In the film, “M” (Bernard Lee) introduced the gun as the Walther PPK. In reality Connery carried the Walther PP, which became standard equipment for many Bond heroes who followed.

Carl Walther introduced the Walther PP—Police Pistol—to the public in 1929. The company mainly manufactured the PP in caliber 7.65 mm (.32 ACP) and approximately one million have been produced. The Walther PPK has attained more notoriety among moviegoing MI6 fans. That pistol’s commercial production began in 1931 and 500,000 pieces have been manufactured since.

Latest

Kimber 2K11
Kimber 2K11

Review: Kimber 2K11

The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.

Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”

Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”

Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation

In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.

Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers

The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 6, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

FEMA Notes Decline In Disaster Preparedness

A recent report from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) noted a decline in local government preparedness for natural disasters, putting increased pressure on individuals to prepare themselves for emergencies.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.