Collecting C&B revolvers

[Long Johns Wolf]

Two Uberti 1862 Griswold & Gunnison pistols from the 1970s.
Top one with the regular Uberti production grip (which is actually Colt 1851 Navy shape) , bottom one with the corrected period contour.
Long Johns Wolf

 

[Long Johns Wolf]

Two Uberti Colt 1851 Navies from the 1970s "transformed" into 1862 Leech & Rigdons fitted with early production lever latch (ball type latch).

 

[Long Johns Wolf]

A pair of Uberti Colt 1851 Navies was transformed into 1862 J.H. Dance & Brothers Navies.
Barrel/loading lever groups and cylinders were from two C.O.M. GGs.
Since the dia of the C.O.M. cylinders differs from the Uberti specs new arbors had to be made and fitted by the smith.
Only after completion of the transformation and some more research the schrew heads of the Dance pistols were flattenend to be period correct.
Long Johns Wolf

 

[ShotgunDave]

Wolf, your creations are my all time favorite C&B guns. I never tire of looking at them.

 

[Whitworth]

A pair of Uberti Colt 1851 Navies was transformed into 1862 J.H. Dance & Brothers Navies.
Barrel/loading lever groups and cylinders were from two C.O.M. GGs.
Since the dia of the C.O.M. cylinders differs from the Uberti specs new arbors had to be made and fitted by the smith.
Only after completion of the transformation and some more research the schrew heads of the Dance pistols were flattenend to be period correct.
Long Johns Wolf

Who or what is "C.O.M." ? I'm guessing the G.G. are for Griswold and Gunnison.

 

[Zulch]

Who or what is "C.O.M." ? I'm guessing the G.G. are for Griswold and Gunnison.

Maybe Colt Original Manufactured? Just a thought

 

[Ajgall]

My C&B revolvers I think I’m well set but there’s always room for a Walker or Paterson.

 

[cynthialee]

wow y'all got a lot of revolvers'

I want one of them Dragoons had one many years ago. Got rid of it and promptly started to kick myself for ever since

 

[hrt4me]

Two Uberti Colt 1851 Navies from the 1970s "transformed" into 1862 Leech & Rigdons fitted with early production lever latch (ball type latch).

ball-type latch lever is just like on my original Hopkins & Allen 3rd Model Bacon .31 caliber 5-shot pocket revolver

 

[springfield art]

The other day I was talking to a buddy who I was convincing to try muzzleloaders- flintlock rifles, caplock rifles and C&B revolvers. I told him I had a few which I would bring with me for him to try out. As I was putting together a shooting range afternoon of my favorite reproduction C&B choices I took a picture of those I planned on bringing for the day. And then it struck me- how and when did I acquire a bench full of percussion revolvers !? I mean I knew I had a small assortment but didn't realize until the photo how many of them bred while I wasn't looking! Is it the same for you ? Please post your fave C&B revolvers here, would enjoy seeing what you guys have collected and hearing how you came by them.

Here's my current C&B line-up, from left to right;
- '76 Colt 2nd Gen 1851 Navy .36
- '93 Uberti 1858 Remington .44
- early 90's Uberti 1847 Walker .44
- '63 Replica Arms 1860 Army .44
- early 70's ASM (defarbed) 3rd Model Dragoon .44
- early 70's Rigarmi 1858 Remington NM Navy .36
- mid 70's Colt 2nd Gen 1860 Army .44

Well-done photo display!

 

[Boston Bill]

A pair of Uberti Colt 1851 Navies was transformed into 1862 J.H. Dance & Brothers Navies.
Barrel/loading lever groups and cylinders were from two C.O.M. GGs.
Since the dia of the C.O.M. cylinders differs from the Uberti specs new arbors had to be made and fitted by the smith.
Only after completion of the transformation and some more research the schrew heads of the Dance pistols were flattenend to be period correct.
Long Johns Wolf

Have you shot these? If you have do the caps come off of the nipples where there is no recoil shield?

 

[springfield art]

View attachment 49542
Grant commemorative, 1971 C series Colt 1851 Navy.
View attachment 49544
1847 H. Aston, US model 1842. Above is a Whitneyville Dragoon replica
View attachment 49545
Remarkable condition for its age. Shoots well too!
View attachment 49546
3rd model Dragoon Whitneyville, Texas Ranger commemorative. Not a big fan of commemoratives but this one is just awesome!
View attachment 49548
Grip inlay with Texas Ranger motto: Free as the breeze, swift as a mustang, tough as a cactus.

I don't know why the replica companies never offered the Aston-type pistol. They're handsome, simple in construction, and a real handful. There are many odd-ball repros, but these classic military arms are neglected.

 

[Bad Karma]

I love these C&B revolvers.
Here are a few pics of a 1862 Tucker & Sherrard Dragoon low Hammer Spur Model made from an ASM Colt 1848 2nd Mod. Dragoon.
Like the original frame, cylinder and arbor are .25" shorter compared to the Colt Dragoon.
The recoil shield on the right has been opened some to make room to load the unmentionable extra cylinder.
Note the typical rear sight of the T&S.
Long Johns Wolf

Looks like one of Elmer Keith’s slip hammer rigs. Nice though…

 

[CaptainKirk]

Who or what is "C.O.M." ? I'm guessing the G.G. are for Griswold and Gunnison.

C.O.M. (I forget what the words are...Italian...) is an Italian black powder manufacturing conglomerate using parts from various manufacturers much as Navy Arms did. I actually own an 1851 Navy with the COM marking on it. The late Dr. Jim Davis gave me the rundown on it some years ago, but I have misplaced the information. My barrel bears the DGG symbol indicating the barrel itself was manufactured by Armi San Paolo (ASP). The gun itself bears the EXCAM import mark.

As far as collecting goes, here are a few of the Colt side of the family...

And the Remington cousins...

...not to mention the ones that didn't make the photo shoot that particular day.

 

[Whitworth]

Thanks for that info CaptainKirk. Someone recently posted a question about C.O.M. and it had not yet gotten a reply. So much to learn

 

[wb78963]

If you just have one they can't reproduce. Once you got the second one you lost control. They are very promiscuous, as you have discovered.

No kidding and they seem to come as twins

 

[kh54]

on December 31, 2020, I had a single cap-and-ball percussion revolver

on December 31, 2021, I will now have approximately 40 or so... I actually need to count and take inventory and thin the herd!

I never intended to be a BP collector but like many who have posted, my modest collection grew that fast too. I bought my first revolver, a new (2018) Uberti 1851 Navy, for my wife just three years ago. (Yes, I really did buy it for her, but she is gone now so I inherited it.) The onset of my addiction was unnoticeable at first - I only picked up a couple of cheap project guns during the first 18 months or so after I bought that Uberti. UPS delivered my thirty-third revolver to me last Friday. Somewhere in the intervening three years I became a full-blown addict.

That first revolver is one of only two new-in-the-box BP guns that I have purchased; all the others are used, older reproductions and range from a 1963 ASM 1849 Colt pocket (serial number 8) to only two or three that are less than ten years old. Most date from the mid-1960s to the 1970s.

I've enjoyed cleaning up or repairing beat up or neglected guns to then make available to someone else, and I've re-sold eight or ten revolvers that way. I also like hunting down the appropriate accessories to put together cased sets, and I have ten or so with plans for a couple more. Every gun is fun to look at and to handle but ultimately, the best part of my collection is being able to shoot them. My problem now is that the collection is large enough that I haven't had time to get them all to the range. I guess that means I just need to manage my time better so that I can. Screw the job and other obligations - I have a bona fide addiction!

 

[Long Johns Wolf]

C.O.M.: Contrini Officine Meccaniche di Contrini Givanni, Gardone ... that is another gone maker from Gardone, around the corner from Uberti.
Yes, I fired the Dance Navy.
No issues with caps coming off from recoil or such.
Long Johns Wolf

 

[Zulch]

I never intended to be a BP collector but like many who have posted, my modest collection grew that fast too. I bought my first revolver, a new (2018) Uberti 1851 Navy, for my wife just three years ago. (Yes, I really did buy it for her, but she is gone now so I inherited it.) The onset of my addiction was unnoticeable at first - I only picked up a couple of cheap project guns during the first 18 months or so after I bought that Uberti. UPS delivered my thirty-third revolver to me last Friday. Somewhere in the intervening three years I became a full-blown addict.

That first revolver is one of only two new-in-the-box BP guns that I have purchased; all the others are used, older reproductions and range from a 1963 ASM 1849 Colt pocket (serial number 8) to only two or three that are less than ten years old. Most date from the mid-1960s to the 1970s.

I've enjoyed cleaning up or repairing beat up or neglected guns to then make available to someone else, and I've re-sold eight or ten revolvers that way. I also like hunting down the appropriate accessories to put together cased sets, and I have ten or so with plans for a couple more. Every gun is fun to look at and to handle but ultimately, the best part of my collection is being able to shoot them. My problem now is that the collection is large enough that I haven't had time to get them all to the range. I guess that means I just need to manage my time better so that I can. Screw the job and other obligations - I have a bona fide addiction!

Wow kh54!! You've got quite a collection! I got into this only a little over a year ago and I have only 5 cap and ball right now. I have an 1847, 1851, 1858, 1860 and an 1861. I'm a mere fledgling but I'm looking for my next one...I hope to have a Model 3 Dragoon as my next purchase Not a lot available new right now

 

[Zulch]

C.O.M. (I forget what the words are...Italian...) is an Italian black powder manufacturing conglomerate using parts from various manufacturers much as Navy Arms did. I actually own an 1851 Navy with the COM marking on it. The late Dr. Jim Davis gave me the rundown on it some years ago, but I have misplaced the information. My barrel bears the DGG symbol indicating the barrel itself was manufactured by Armi San Paolo (ASP). The gun itself bears the EXCAM import mark.

As far as collecting goes, here are a few of the Colt side of the family...

And the Remington cousins...

...not to mention the ones that didn't make the photo shoot that particular day.

Cap, is EXCAM an importer out of FL? Beautiful collection by the way.