Percussion muzzleloader

[Grenadier1758]

The brass frame is meant to be a replica of the CSA revolver by Griswold and Gunnison. The CSA revolver should not have roll engraving on the cylinder.

The original posting shows a steel framed revolver. I agree with @Justin.44 that because of the related cylinder, the caliber is 44.

The 44 caliber Colt revolvers and the replicas have roll engraving depicting a land based action, hence the Army designation.

 

[Virtuoso87]

The “AF” on the side plate means a manufacturers date of 1980. If you could show a picture of the bottom of the barrel with the loading lever removed, there should be a manufacturer’s cartouche there.

I can't get it fully apart yet, Im not sure if the previous owner ever took it apart or cleaned it. I ordered some gun lubricant I'm waiting on.

 

[Notchy Bob]

@Justin.44 has provided excellent information. Good posts!

@Virtuoso87 , I don't know how familiar you are with blackpowder revolvers. If you have not taken one apart before, I would recommend David T.T. Smith's book, The Civil War Reenactor's Blackpowder Guide. This is a manual that provides very clear instructions for disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly of a variety of Civil War era firearms. There is also a chart in it showing the correct nipples for most of the reproductions you are likely to encounter. He has some information about shooting blanks but nothing about live fire. Another book you may find even more useful is Percussion Pistols and Revolvers, by Johnny Bates and Mike Cumpston. They have a whole chapter devoted to shooting and managing the M1860 Colt, and another chapter on disassembly.

I really like the revolver you have. It is a reproduction, but it has acquired an honest patina over its 40+ years of existence and it looks like a real old-timer. Once you get it fixed up, it ought to be a good shooter, too. The original 1860 Colt saw service all through the Civil War and on into the Indian Wars of the 1870's. From what I've been reading about that period, the soldiers in the west generally preferred the Colt 1860 above all other percussion revolvers. After the Civil War, a lot of them were gathered up and refurbished in the arsenals. Much like the later M1873 "Artillery" revolvers, the refurbished 1860's frequently had parts with mixed serial numbers, and the barrels were slightly shortened. My point is that this model of revolver was so well regarded that the Ordnance Department took pains to keep them running. It was a real favorite on the frontier, and I'm sure you'll enjoy owning and shooting your reproduction.

Notchy Bob

 

[Justin.44]

Thanks @Notchy Bob! I'm a little dismayed by the fact that I've provided pictures and text showing irrefutably that the 1860 Army had the same engraving on the cylinder as the 1851 and the responses are still saying it didn't So here's a picture from my book Standard Catalog of Civil War Firearms for those who don't trust thousands of pictures on the Internet. Guys, please read the first paragraph, I'll even do a zoomed shot afterwards. After this, I'm done making my case for it, I've done all I can do lol

 

[Justin.44]

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[ppg1949]

Great pictures of the barrel under the loading lever. Youtube can assist in disassembly. They cover the 1860 Colt and they all disassemble the same way. Have fun and keep us posted.

 

[Packrat]

Looks like pictures of two different revolvers, first one if .44 cal is 1860 army, if .36 is 61 navy, the second set of pictures are 51 navy , not? Mising front sight

 

[Packrat]

Different posrs, sorry

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Justin.44, thanks for your input. The Colt 1860 Army revolver has the naval roll engraving on the cylinder. The 44 caliber is the Army caliber because the Army only bought 44 caliber revolvers in the contract for the 1860 revolvers. I was mistaken in what I remembered about the Colt 1860.

 

[DementedMindOfJac]

The '51, '60, and '61 all had that same roll engraving.

The 1860 Army and 1861 Navy both had rounded barrels like this one, but the '61 was .36 and this one is .44 as you can tell by the rebated cylinder and the notch cut in the water table of the frame to accommodate the larger cylinder.

All the Colt open-top percussion revolvers from the 1847 on had scrollwork on the cylinder. It was a patent-protection device which enabled the buyer to immediately spot a knockoff.

 

[Virtuoso87]

@Justin.44 has provided excellent information. Good posts!

@Virtuoso87 , I don't know how familiar you are with blackpowder revolvers. If you have not taken one apart before, I would recommend David T.T. Smith's book, The Civil War Reenactor's Blackpowder Guide. This is a manual that provides very clear instructions for disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly of a variety of Civil War era firearms. There is also a chart in it showing the correct nipples for most of the reproductions you are likely to encounter. He has some information about shooting blanks but nothing about live fire. Another book you may find even more useful is Percussion Pistols and Revolvers, by Johnny Bates and Mike Cumpston. They have a whole chapter devoted to shooting and managing the M1860 Colt, and another chapter on disassembly.

I really like the revolver you have. It is a reproduction, but it has acquired an honest patina over its 40+ years of existence and it looks like a real old-timer. Once you get it fixed up, it ought to be a good shooter, too. The original 1860 Colt saw service all through the Civil War and on into the Indian Wars of the 1870's. From what I've been reading about that period, the soldiers in the west generally preferred the Colt 1860 above all other percussion revolvers. After the Civil War, a lot of them were gathered up and refurbished in the arsenals. Much like the later M1873 "Artillery" revolvers, the refurbished 1860's frequently had parts with mixed serial numbers, and the barrels were slightly shortened. My point is that this model of revolver was so well regarded that the Ordnance Department took pains to keep them running. It was a real favorite on the frontier, and I'm sure you'll enjoy owning and shooting your reproduction.

Notchy Bob

Thank you for that information! This is my first one I grabbed the pistol and a 50 cal Bobcat rifle. I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos and I’m going to stop by my local shop Dunkleburgers this weekend for some powder and balls and whatnot. I like everything about muzzleloaders so far and I appreciate everyone’s input and information!

 

[Virtuoso87]

Thank you for that information! This is my first one I grabbed the pistol and a 50 cal Bobcat rifle. I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos and I’m going to stop by my local shop Dunkleburgers this weekend for some powder and balls and whatnot. I like everything about muzzleloaders so far and I appreciate everyone’s input and information!

 

[Flint1]

I've noticed some posts here about the naval scene making it a navy revolver, as in the 1851 Colt Navy Model and the 1861 Colt Navy Model, vs. the 1860 Colt Army Model. That is not accurate. During the percussion era the first .36 calibers were referred to as Belt Models, such as the Pattersons. The .31 caliber was called a pocket model. Later the .36 caliber came to be called a Navy Model, and the .44 caliber was called an Army Model. The Army and Navy designation refers solely to the caliber, not any branch of service. Remington is the same, with the Beals army and navy models, the old model army and navy models, and the new model army and navy models. None of those have engraved cylinders. During the War Between the States both branches of service used the navy models, and both used the army models, which is why among collectors of that period they are referred to as an Army-Army, Army-Navy, Navy-Navy , and Navy-Army. That last bit can be confusing but the model designation in that era referred only to the caliber.

 

[RB POWELL]

Hello all, I came into possession of what I was told is an western arms replica of an 1813. I wasn’t told anything else. I can’t find any info but I think it might be an 1860 navy? It has uberti on the side of the barrel and western arms on the top of the barrel. It has ships on the cylinder with the words engaged in 16 May 1843. It’s missing the site and whatever piece that would be under the barrel. I’m having a hard time getting info because I don’t know what it is to look for. If anyone has any information they can offer I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you

Very neat. Looks like it has had an interesting life so far. To be continued...Enjoy.

 

[William Lincoln]

1851 did not have round barrel.