whats up with this Colt... real or replica

[travistheone]

buddy found this at his dads. I know nothing about these old guys except a little history. anyone know the deal on this gun?

 

[somd_mustangs]

From the limited pics the revolver looks original, would need better pics of all the markings and the S/N.
Looks like a Colt 1860 Army to me. The accessories have a nice patina. Box is most likely modern.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Look for made in Spain. Or made in Italy.

Look for Armi San Marco or Uberti or Pietta. All replica manufacturers.

If the cylinder is rebated and has gear style teeth on the ramming lever, it's an 1860 Army model.

 

[somd_mustangs]

Repro/replica won't have the correct Colt S/N underneath (barely see the 3 s/n's here in front of trigger guard),
if it's an 1860 Army the S/N went from 1 up to 200,000

The patina on the boxed gun looks genuine, unless someone went to a lot of trouble to age a replica.
Need more pics !

this one's circa 1863 which was a big production year (probably for a reason).

The Army model has a Navy battle scene engraved on the cylinder. Go figure.

Army (1860) is .44 caliber, Navy (1861) is .36 caliber - they look very much the same.

 

[somd_mustangs]

Nice article and pics on NRA museum website for the 1860 Army:
http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-g...volvers/us-colt-model-1860-army-revolver.aspx
and 1861 Navy:
http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-g...-revolvers/colt-model-1861-navy-revolver.aspx

 

[travistheone]

 

[travistheone]

see if that helps. thanks guys!

 

[Brickman301]

Great karma, I'm in. Lol

Seriously, I've never seen those markings on a reproduction, makes me think it's the real thing.

 

[j_h_smith]

Looks real to me. Does he know how long it has been in the man's possession?

 

[Doco Overboard]

There is a nice sub inspector mark on the cylinder and may be more elsewhere but sometimes they were omitted because the frame may have already been case hardened. You might find something in the brass back-strap.There should be an inspection mark on the grip panel. The way the address at the top of the barrel has some significance for how the script reads but I forget what it is. It has something to do with Col. Colt and New York or Hartford for assembly. What does it say on the grips? there's something on there that your pictures are not capturing.

 

[somd_mustangs]

Don't confuse the pixs of Colt I posted for reference with the OP's gun
The Colt address on OP is correct font etc for an 1860/1861, war-era... I've never had a replica so can't speak to what they use.

The military acceptance stamps on both sides of lower grips are often worn off but may still be able to detect traces.
It's cut for the shoulder stock (like mine) and not sure the commercial versions had that.

Here's an "everything you wanted to know about Colt 1860 inspection marks" - literally :
https://springfieldarsenal.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/rampant-colt-spring-2010-page-28-35.pdf

 

[rfawcs]

I would ask the OP's question at the Colt forum

 

[somd_mustangs]

First I would encourage getting more detailed pics and the S/N

 

[Doco Overboard]

I was looking at the wrong picture! My 1860 #12475 has the four screw frame and is roll marked just like the one in the picture. The cylinder is smooth with no naval scene and is a civilian model as far as I know. I had notes on the revolver at one time but do not know where they're at. I cant tell anything from the OPs picture but it would be great if there were more to follow especially of the case and the flask.

 

[travistheone]

thanks for all the great answers. so i am looking for more serial number pictures. I will see what I can do