Sometimes lightning does strike twice in the same place. As the days grew closer to Milestones March 11 and 12 Premier Collectible Firearms Auction, company co-owner Miles King felt increasingly certain that the sales top entries might achieve the same sort of estimate-defying prices as those paid at the March 2022 edition of their Premier sale. His hunch was right on the money. The high-powered lineup of antique, military, sporting and civilian arms with a timeline spanning the Civil War through Vietnam era attracted a gung-ho field of bidders and closed the books at a hefty $2.5 million, exactly what Milestones March Premier sale had grossed one year ago. All prices quoted in this report include the buyers premium. The auction went amazingly well, said King, who also presided over the sale as principal auctioneer. There were some extremely rare and choice firearms in every category, and they produced a lot of surprises. The antique guns, especially the matched and cased flintlock pistols and those manufactured during the Civil War era, were very strong. Nothing slipped through the cracks. The star of the big two-day event turned out to be a P & D Moll Allentown (Pa.) brass-barreled, brass-mounted, German silver-escutcheoned flintlock pistol manufactured around 1820. With the manufacturers name marked on the barrel and the lock marked C. BIRD & Co PHILAD, WARRANTED, the .42-caliber antique smoothbore pistol had a captivating look and a desirable pedigree from an esteemed family in the Lehigh Valley firearms trade. Estimated at $4,000-$6,500, it flew past expectations to settle at $45,630. Many motivated bidders went after a matched pair of ca. 1860 Belgian Brevete Colt Navy Revolvers. The .36-caliber black powder pistols were of a type known to have been offered to the South during the U.S. Civil War. Presented in a French velvet-lined fitted case with a full complement of accessories, they sold within estimate for $43,050. Another coveted duo was the pair of 1851 Colt square-guard Navy Revolvers, both .36 caliber black-powder models. Marked with an early Colt N.Y. address on the barrel and engraved with an Ormsbys Naval Engagement scene on the cylinders, the revolvers were offered in their correct red-velvet-lined factory case, with accessories, and sold near the high estimate for $30,750. Made in 1874, a very fine, documented Colt .45-caliber SAA (Single Action Army) revolver bore the number 4672, meaning it fell within the serial-number range (4500-5504) for guns issued to George A. Custers U.S. 7th Cavalry regiment. The A stamped on barrel indicated the gun had been inspected by Orville W. Ainsworth, who examined and put his mark on Colt SAA revolvers for the government only in 1873-74. With matching serial numbers on frame, barrel, trigger guard, back strap, ejector housing and cylinder, the historical Colt sold near its high estimate for $27,000. The magical Colt name attracted aggressive bidding throughout the sale. A Colt .45-caliber Single-Action Revolver inlaid in 24-carat gold, fine silver and pure copper was engraved in 1997 by Colt master engraver Ken Hurst. It was autographed by Hurst in gold on the back strap together with the word Colt. Excellent provenance accompanied the gun in the form of a three-page letter from Jim Alaimo, former superintendent of the Colt Custom Shop, who wrote in detail about the work that had been performed on the handsome firearm. It sold for $17,220 against an estimate of $6,000-$8,500. A Colt 1911 transitional 45 ACP pistol was one of only 10,000 of its type ever produced, all in 1924. The gun bears 1911 U.S. ARMY markings but has a short checkered 1911-A1 trigger, distinguishing it as a transitional model. It sold above high estimate for $10,200, A rare Winchester Model 70 rifle in caliber 284, which is unique to Winchester, was manufactured in 1963, and, according to Winchester researchers, the obscure chambering is believed to have been created for in-factory, experimental, or special-order purposes. A genuine rarity and only the second example of its type to have been discovered, it sold for $16,380. To learn more, call Milestone Auctions at 440-527-8060 or email info@milestoneauctions.com. All images courtesy of Milestone Auctions.