1851 Navy

[Mikey the Barbarian]

What company sells the 'Colt' distributed (or the one made FOR Colt) 1851 Navy? If you could direct me in this direction I would appreciate it a great deal. Thank you

 

Cap'n Mike -
Unfortunately they are no longer in production - you'll have to look at the auction and used market - they have become collector's so the price is usually steep - do an internet search for second or third generation Colt Blackpowder revolvers - IMO the second gen's are the best, but alas they are also the most collectible......IIRC they were also called the Signature Series?

Myself I have one of the early style (the one with the square back trigger guard) imports from Cimarron Fireams and find it an excellent piece.....Still one of the London models with the iron frame is on my list......

aka Chuck Burrows

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The third gen Colts are "Signature Series" guns. Quality is spotty at best. Second gen guns, also known as "Black Box" Colts, are the way to go. You can often pickup a second generation gun for the about same price as a third gen piece.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

What company sells the 'Colt' distributed (or the one made FOR Colt) 1851 Navy? If you could direct me in this direction I would appreciate it a great deal. Thank you

If I recall right, the cap & ball revolvers sold by Colt under their name was not made by them, but by Uberti. IMHO, Uberti has made the finest quality factory produced black powder replica firearms I have ever seen.

 

[Mikey the Barbarian]

Would you folks say the Uberti 1851 Navy square back trigger guard, steel frame is a better quality revolver than the Cimmerion 1851 London Navy, which appears to have a brass frame? Is the Uberti the one Colt was distributing just awhile back? Which would be more acceptable in reenactments groups that do this era? ANY other advice on this subject would be appreciated, esp as far as rifles or smoothguns (shotguns)? I suppose what im asking, in your opinion, which makes a more serious quality sidearm, Uberti or Cimmerion? Thanks guys.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Nope. Colt bought only rough forgings from Uberti. If you look at a second or third gen Colt, it will not have any Italian proof marks on it. These guns are considered to be genuine Colts by collectors and by Colt.
The Ubertis are, in my opinion, the best reproductions being made today, but they aren't Colts.

 

Mike - as I understand it these days the Cimarrons are made for them by Uberti which is now owned and run by Beretta, the oldest gunmaking company in the world. In my experience both are of equal quality.

error corrrection - all 1851's have iron/steel frames, the London models also have iron/steel trigger guards and backstraps, where as the "American" models, which were the most widely made and available, have brass TGs and backstraps.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Nope. Colt bought only rough forgings from Uberti. If you look at a second or third gen Colt, it will not have any Italian proof marks on it. These guns are considered to be genuine Colts by collectors and by Colt.
The Ubertis are, in my opinion, the best reproductions being made today, but they aren't Colts.

Hmmn, sorta like an American made vehicle, with two thirds foreign innards. :rotf:

 

[Mikey the Barbarian]

Can you tell me what time frame difference we are looking at between the 'early square back trigger guard American' as opposed to the "London Navy'? What year would the London Navy have been first started in production? Thanks guys.

 

Mike - The London Agency Navies with the steel/iron oval guards and steel/iron backstraps were built from 1853-1861, total production was 41,000. They were sold both in England and in the USA
The "American" version went into prodcution in 1850 (1851 was when they first became available to the general public)and was built until 1873. Total production was 215,000. There were three models: the first with the square back guard, the second with a larger oval guard, and the third with a smaller oval guard. Other changes were in the barrel wedge and retaining screw.

 

This site lists a bunch of 2nd and 3rd generation Colts. Be prepared to pay three or four times the price of a clone. On the other hand, prices for some models have doubled in the last five years.
[url] http://www.gunsamerica.com/1320/1320-random-1.htm[/url]