Colt 2nd Generation Pistols

[TonyF]

Flint, take a few pics if you can ,
I think we would all
love to see them,
To be honest I’m a little jealous.
But I hope you get to keep them for many years to come.
Regards,
Tony

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

I have a more rare stainless Colt Army 2nd Gen. that I bought new back in the day. Most beautiful revolver I have ever owned. I have no idea how many were made stainless.

 

[Zonie]

According to the Blue Book of Modern Black Powder Values, he 2nd Generation Colt 1860 Army was made in stainless steel only in 1982. There were 1596 of them made. In 2003 the value for a NIB gun was $825, ($1180 in 2020 dollars).

It's too bad it isn't one of the much rarer Electroless Nickel plated ones. There were only 50 of them made in 1982 and in 2003 they were valued @ $1,600, ($2289 in 2020 dollars).
The MN series 1960 Colt "Army Bright Nickle" 2nd Generation pistols had only 42 of them made (no date given) and in 2003 the NIB value was $2250, ($3218 in 2020 dollars).

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I paid $125.00 out the door for my 2nd Gen 1851 Colt Navy, in early 1976. It came in a wood toned cardboard sleeve over a tan ‘woodgrain’ styrofoam box.
i also have a stainless 1851 Colt Navy, NIB. It came from the Colt Archives Collection. A letter from Colt was tucked away inside the box detailing the information regarding that revolver. That is a beautiful revolver. I think only 490 of those were made.

 

[Enfield58]

I got a Colt 2nd Generation in the 1860 Army back in 1981. I bought it to shoot and had a lot of trouble with it.

The loading lever latch fell out and a gunsmith silver soldered it back in for me so it would never come out. He did such a great job you could never tell it was soldered.

Ignition was inconsistent until I got a decent set of nipples but was still always plagued with cap-sucking till I got the Slix-Shot nipples.

It's a great shooter now but not when I got it.

Years later I got a 3rd Model Dragoon. The nipples on that revolver were not long enough to ensure a reliable detonation of the cap when struck by the hammer. I got a better set of nipples and was plagued with cap-sucking till I discovered the Slix-Shot nipples.

I also have to be careful of not pushing the wedge in too far as it will cause the cylinder to lock up.

Now that the bugs are worked out of it, the revolver shoots great.

IMHO, the 2nd generation Colts are only good to look at. If you want a shooter, get an Italian replica.

 

[Coot]

I bought a 2nd gen 1851 Navy in 1975 or 1976 & shot it a lot with no issues.

 

[Bob McBride]

Enfield58, your experience surprises me as my experience is that the Italians, particularly Uberti, are just fine but the 3rd Gens are a bit better, never mind the 2nds. Never any issues with any of them (and I’ve owned something like 40 of them). If anything, the Italians usually could use a bit of deburring, and slicking up, etc. The Colts always seemed to me like a better version of a cleaned up Uberti, and all other Italians somewhere just behind, with the Piettas pretty close. I mean, a 2nd is, at a very minimum, a half breed Italian finished to tighter tolerances with a better finish.

 

[Enfield58]

Enfield58, your experience surprises me as my experience is that the Italians, particularly Uberti, are just fine but the 3rd Gens are a bit better, never mind the 2nds. Never any issues with any of them (and I’ve owned something like 40 of them). If anything, the Italians usually could use a bit of deburring, and slicking up, etc. The Colts always seemed to me like a better version of a cleaned up Uberti, and all other Italians somewhere just behind, with the Piettas pretty close. I mean, a 2nd is, at a very minimum, a half breed Italian finished to tighter tolerances with a better finish.

Maybe I got hold of a couple of lemons.