The Most Expensive Guns Ever Sold at Auction

This Colt revolver was sold by Rock Island Auction Company in August 2022 for over three-quarters of a million dollars – more than three times the upper limit of its estimated price. The firearm, manufactured in 1891, is extremely rare and, according to the auction house, is the finest known of its kind. It has never been fired and is in near-mint condition and includes a gold seal letter of authentication.

This Colt Single Action Army Revolver was issued to a member of the Seventh Cavalry in 1874 during the American-Indian Wars. It is believed to be a battlefield pick-up in the aftermath of the Battle of Little Bighorn – in which Lt. Col. George Custer and his Seventh Cavalry were routed by the Lakota and other Plains Indians. The battle is considered as one of the most lopsided U.S. military defeats of the era, and the revolver’s connection to it commanded a price of over three-quarters of a million dollars when it was auctioned in a May 2022.

A rare and iconic firearm in its own right, this particular Smith & Wesson No. 3 Revolver was shipped to Col. Theodore Roosevelt on May 12, 1898, the day he left for San Antonio, Texas, to train with the Rough Riders. Most No. 3 revolvers were not chambered in .38 Long Colt caliber, but because it was the standard U.S. service cartridge at the time, Roosevelt’s was. Historians believe that this was the firearm Roosevelt intended to carry to Cuba during the Spanish-American War, though whether he did or not remains unclear.

The One of One Hundred model is among the most sought after and rare versions of the Winchester 1873 lever-action rifle. Shipped from the Winchester factory between 1876 and 1878, this rifle is one of only six known today from that period. And though it was carried down the Amazon River by its original owner, this rifle remains in good condition and fetched over $800,000 when it was sold at auction in November 2018 – equal to over $960,000 today.

In May 2014, Rock Island Auction Company sold a Cased Colt No. 5 Texas Paterson Revolver for $805,000, or over $1 million in 2023 dollars. The sales price was driven by the gun’s rarity, condition, historical significance, and materials – which include silver bands and an ivory grip. This particular firearm has a 9 inch barrel, matching the 180 units purchased by the Republic of Texas to arm its navy. The Texas Paterson is the revolver that immediately preceded the Walker Colt and marked a significant advancement in the evolution of repeating firearms.

This lever-action rifle features components made with Peruvian silver and was engraved by the German-American artist Louis D. Nimschke. It was gifted from Peruvian President Jose Balta to Bolivian President Mariano Melgarejo in the 19th century before it was rediscovered by a member of French President’s François Mitterrand’ staff in the 1980s during a trip to South America. It has been restored slightly and fetched nearly $1 million at auction in December 2021.

This Winchester One of One Thousand Deluxe Model 1873 lever-action rifle, which sold for over $890,000 in 2018 – or $1.1 million in 2023 dollars – is extremely rare, one of only 54 ever produced, only 10 of which known to collectors. This particular example is in good condition with limited wear.

In 1908, the A.H. Fox Gun Company made President Theodore Roosevelt a custom, double barrelled, 12 gauge shotgun. Roosevelt called it the most beautiful gun he had ever seen, and he brought it with him on an African safari in 1909. When it sold for $862,500 in October 2010, it was the most expensive firearm ever sold at auction, though it has since been surpassed.

Built for military use, the Colt Walker: E Company, No. 120 revolver is one of few guns on this list not to feature ornate engravings or employ the use of valuable materials. It is, however, extremely rare. One of the most iconic firearms in U.S. history, the Colt Model 1847 was carried by settlers, ranchers, and troops across the West. This particular revolver was the last one issued to American military personnel – the 120th of 120 issued to Company E. An additional 220 were previously issued to companies A through D. The gun sold for over $1 million at auction in September 2019.

The 1847 Colt Walker Revolver, one of the most powerful black powder revolvers ever made, today is also one of the rarest. One of two models of the firearm to appear on this list, this particular Colt Walker was issued to Pvt. Sam Wilson, a Texas Ranger in Veracruz in 1847. After Wilson was killed in battle, the gun was obtained by Maj. Gen. John Reese Kenly, who fought for the Union Army during the Civil War.

Two flintlock pistols owned by Founding Father and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton sold for nearly $1.2 million at auction in May 2021. These guns were gifted to Hamilton by Gen. Philip Schuyler and remain in good, functioning condition. They are inscribed with Hamilton’s initials and are believed to have been used at the Battle of Yorktown, where Hamilton led three battalions to capture key British positions.

This ivory gripped iteration of the 1836 Colt Paterson – the first repeating pistol patented by Samuel Colt, named for Paterson, New Jersey, the city in which it was made – sold for nearly $980,000 in a September 2011 auction, nearly $1.3 million in 2023 dollars. The revolver’s high price is attributable not only to its place in history, but also to its mint condition and high quality.

Considered one of the top lever-action rifles ever made, the Winchester Model 1886 marked a significant improvement in repeating long guns when it was introduced. The Model 1886 that fetched nearly $1.2 million at auction in September 2018 is considered to be the finest example of the rifle ever made. Notable for its craftsmanship as much as its historical significance, the one-of-a-kind piece features ornate engravings and gold and platinum inlays done by John Ulrich depicting a cougar, a deer, a grizzly bear, and two hunting dogs. It also features an octagonal barrel and wood stock carved with floral patterns. Despite its age, the rifle remains in near-mint condition.

This cap and ball revolver features gold inlays and ornate engravings, depicting a bear, dog, leopard, pheasant, and fox, while the hammer is engraved with a wolf’s head. It is one of only six such units made, another of which was gifted to Russian Czar Nicholas I, and two others to the kings of Sweden and Denmark. The gun’s craftsmanship, historical significance, and good condition attracted $1.1 million in a 2012 auction – equal to about $1.5 million in today’s dollars.

The first ever Winchester Model 1886 lever-action rifle, marked with the serial number “1,” sold for nearly $1.3 million at an April 2016 auction. Not only notable as the first of its kind, this particular rifle was presented to Capt. Henry Lawton by cattle barons in New Mexico after he accepted the surrender of the famed Apache leader Geronimo. The firearm’s connection to Lawton is perhaps its most valuable asset, as Lawton was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in the Civil War, ended the Apache Wars, and also fought in the Spanish-American War before being killed in action during the Philippine Insurrection.

Of the three firearms on this list that once belonged to Theodore Roosevelt, the silver-plated Colt Army revolver sold for the most at auction at nearly $1.5 million in December 2020, or $1.7 million in 2023 dollars. Four days after an assassination attempt was made on Roosevelt’s life, this single action Colt Army revolver was ordered for the president, as he had decided never to leave home unarmed again. This particular gun features ornate engravings by Colt Master Engraver Cuno Helfricht and an ivory grip depicting a steer head.

The Millikin Dragoon series of Colt revolvers were ivory handled presentation pistols – three of which were gifted to Russian Czar Alexander II and his family. This particular example, which sold for nearly $1.7 million in a May 2019 auction, once belonged to Union Army Col. John Minor Millikin Jr. When Millikin was killed in battle, his son, Paul Minor Millikin, who went on to serve in the Spanish-American War and as chief of police in Cincinnati, inherited it.

The gun’s value is due not only to its historical connection and pristine condition, but also to its fine scrollwork by the well-known engraver Gustave Young. The firearm features an octagonal barrel and etchings that depict an eagle head, dog head, and wolf head.

Only 100 civilian Colt Walker revolvers were ever made. Rare to begin with, this particular model remains in its original casing. It was first purchased by a Danish sea captain named Neils Hanson on an 1847 visit to New York City. In Denmark, during the Nazi occupation nearly a century later, the gun was buried in a garden to avoid discovery by German troops. When it fetched $1.8 million in an April 2018 auction, it was the most expensive gun ever sold to date.

These two flintlock pistols, made by Nicolas-Noël Boutet, Napoléon’s gunsmith, once belonged to Simon Bolivar, a revolutionary who is credited with leading the liberation of six South American countries from Spain. They were gifted to him in 1825 by Marquis de Lafayette at the request of George Washington. The pistols are ornately carved and engraved and feature gold inlays and silver mounts.

When Napoleon made a name for himself during the French Revolution, he was gifted a rifled carbine, two rifled carriage pistols, and two pocket pistols, as well as a sword and scabbard. The weapons are gold encrusted and feature carvings of Greco-Roman symbolism. Napoleon himself gifted the weapons to Marshall Junot, Duke of Abrantes and is said to have been wearing the sword when the French government was overthrown in 1799. This collection of weapons sold for nearly $2.9 million in a December 2021 auction.

During the American Revolution, Gen. George Washington was gifted two flintlock pistols from Marquis de Lafayette. Washington is believed to have carried the pistols at Valley Forge, Monmouth, and the Battle of Yorktown, as well as the Whiskey Rebellion during his presidency.

The pistols were later inherited by Andrew Jackson during his presidential campaign. In a January 2002 auction, they sold for nearly $2 million, equal to over $3.3 million in 2023.

These two Remington revolvers, with 8 inch octagonal barrels, are thought to have been gifted to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant after his troops took Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, during the Civil War. The two guns are engraved by L.D. Nimschke and feature the likeness of Grant etched into the ivory handles. Notable for their artistry as well as their historical significance, the pair of revolvers sold for over $5 million in a May 2022 auction – over $2 million more than the upper limit of their estimated price.

This Colt revolver was the one used to kill the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid in New Mexico in July 1881. Drawing a bid of over $6 million in 2021, it is the most expensive firearm ever to be sold at auction. Unlike many other firearms on this list, this revolver is not engraved nor made of valuable materials, though it is in very good condition. Garrett is said to have taken the gun off Billy Wilson, another outlaw in the old West, and carried it as his own.