Help ID part Colt Navy 1851

[theprofessor]

attached are several pix of a Colt Navy 1851, # 33XXX. All the serial numbers are matching including wedge. There is a bushing on the cylinder pin which keeps the barrel, frame and cylinder from being too tight. It acts like a spacer? Never saw this on any other Colt Navy. In real life the metal is the same color and texture as pistol frame color. In the photos it looks to be a different color. The action is crisp and smooth and no parts rattle.

Has anyone seen such a part on pistol? Is it OEM or some field add-on? Does not seem to have caused any wear or rub marks on pistol. Thanks for looking.

 

[jtmattison]

I can't help with any info but it sure looks like a good idea.
I might just make one for my Pietta repro 1851.

HD

 

[Robert an saa fan]

First, congratulations on having your nice old matching numbers gun!

Based on thirty five years collecting experience and owning quite a few original Colt 1851 Navies; believe this bushing is an added item.

Do not currently have access to my book by Swayze, '51 Colt Navies. Will check book when able to in a couple days. Have no memory of this being done at the Colt factory.

Hopefully other members will weigh in also.

 

[Mulebrain]

That spacer has been added at one time or another. It is not original to a Colt.

MB

Nice pistol BTW :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

I agree with Mule Brain.
Colt pistols didn't have bushings in this location.

Is it possible that it was intended to fit into the cylinder to "bush" the bore for a better fit with the cylinder pin? It may have worked its way loose?

If the cylinder is a good fit with the cylinder pin I can see no good use for it except to reduce the amount of fouling that can work its way down around the cylinder pin and while this might be a good idea for a modern replica which is going to be shot a lot, I don't know why anyone would do such a thing to an original gun.

 

[Mike Brooks]

The Italians are doing this to there '51 conversions now. Theirs is a permanent part of the cylinder. Works very well and keeps alot of fouling away from the pin. I'm considering doing this on one of my '61 navy C&B's as it has just a bit too much play forward and backward.

 

[PRM]

Just a guess, no real need for the bushing to be a spacer. It looks like someone tried to make a gas ring to keep the powder gases/residue from blowing back into the cylinder/arbor areas. This was a common feature on the black powder cartridge guns. It looked like a sleeve the was pressed into the cylinder and could be seen at the front of the cylinder blocking the gases. One of the downsides to the cap and ball revolvers is that they got dirty quickly from the gases blowing back and binding the cylinder on the arbor.

I think Zonie is right on this one

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

It doesn't look nearly as pitted and aged as the rest of the revolver. It looks like it was added at a much later date to make up for wear. I've seen a similar bronze bushing fitted to a '60 Army that was well worn and needed to be tightened up. It wasn't a conversion, either.