Real Colt Dragoon?

[TreeMan]

I bought this today for what I’m hoping is a steal. Never fired, bore and nipples are as new, 100% all the way around. Serial number appear to be 1977-78. Is this a true colt, a fake, or a colt assembled dragoon made with Italian parts? A little googling states it’s a C series

 

[Tom A Hawk]

My guess is option #3.

 

[Bad Karma]

Second generation Colt. The parts were forged in Italy and machined here in the US. The Factory will issue a letter of authenticity for all such Colt revolvers.

 

[TreeMan]

Since it’s unfired I’m torn between shooting it or putting it away for safe keeping. I think shooting it is gonna outweigh giving a hoot about collectors value.

 

[Bob McBride]

Not all parts on a ‘C’ started off in Italy. Not to put too fine a point on it but the Italians know at least as much as we do about making fine, and suspect firearms. These are of the fine type.

 

[eggwelder]

This Colt 2nd Gen is a little newer and unfired as well. Serial is in the 30000 range. It`s going to get fired. I`ll trade grips if you want. I`ve not googled the serial number.

 

[Stantheman86]

I just put a Colt stamped 1862 Pocket on layaway and I know nothing about it.....I figured the extra few bucks is worth it just to have an Italian made gun finished by Colt

 

[Stantheman86]

That's a beautiful gun , from what I gathered over the years , basically the info is kinda conflicted but the 2nd Gen Colts were raw Uberti or ASM parts fitted and finished at Colt and 3rd Gens were just straight Uberti with the Colt stamps? Some people believe Colt made some of the parts early on? I don't know.

I just put a Colt stamped 1862 Pocket on layaway and I know nothing about it.....I figured the extra few bucks is worth it just to have an Italian made gun finished by Colt, or a Uberti with the Colt name on it. Either way I figure if I don't think too much about it I can just call it a Colt.

I'd just shoot that Dragoon and not worry about it, keep the loads sane at about 40 gr and it will last forever.

 

[TreeMan]

Well I don’t have the box or paperwork so I decided to just shoot the thing today. Shot six with 40gr of 2F Goex and 6 with 50gr of 2F Goex from a sandbag with .457 RB. Neither was very impressive. Shot a foot high at 25 yards which was expected. 50 gr was better with three shots in a two inch group and the other three in a 12 inch group. 40 grain was simply a 12 inch group. 4gr of 3F fared no better. Gonna have to do some more experimenting.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Well I don’t have the box or paperwork so I decided to just shoot the thing today. Shot six with 40gr of 2F Goex and 6 with 50gr of 2F Goex from a sandbag with .457 RB. Neither was very impressive. Shot a foot high at 25 yards which was expected. 50 gr was better with three shots in a two inch group and the other three in a 12 inch group. 40 grain was simply a 12 inch group. Gonna have to do some more experimenting.

My 2nd model shoots as well as a centerfire. Uniform, medium force load compression is the secret. Dont over do it. Also a taller replacement blade from Taylors will put you in the black.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I was experimenting last week on doing the Davis Tutt, 75 yard shot with both the Eras Gone heeled bullet and 200 grain Lee conical. The results were rather impressive and I plan to re-do this week and make a video. Wild Bill is reputed to have carried a Dragoon prior to his Navies and would have been very well armed. Its weight however does tend to make one's sash sag a bit.

 

[Cpt Flint]

We have always been suspect of the Tutt shooting at 75 yards. Probably the yardage was less and the incident details came from newspapers. If any true historian has evidence to support the facts surrounding this shooting we surely would like to know. What we do not need is poetic license from a newspaper.

 

[TreeMan]

My 2nd model shoots as well as a centerfire. Uniform, medium force load compression is the secret. Dont over do it. Also a taller replacement blade from Taylors will put you in the black.

What kind of load are your shooting? I’m very good with handguns and am a regular winner at club shoots with my ROA. Of course I’m shooting low power target loads in the old army. I was hoping to get some good accuracy with the dragoon with the bigger loads without having to drop down to 20 grain 3f loads to get it to print good scores. I ordered a sight last night to replace the front one on my dragoon.

 

[TFoley]

Well I don’t have the box or paperwork so I decided to just shoot the thing today. Shot six with 40gr of 2F Goex and 6 with 50gr of 2F Goex from a sandbag with .457 RB. Neither was very impressive. Shot a foot high at 25 yards which was expected. 50 gr was better with three shots in a two inch group and the other three in a 12 inch group. 40 grain was simply a 12 inch group. 4gr of 3F fared no better. Gonna have to do some more experimenting.

I'm not sure why you are putting so much stress on the loading lever by forcing in a .457 ball. TMK the only C&B revolver to use that diameter ball is the Ruger Old Army - Lee make a mould of that diameter sold as specifically-designed for the ROA. Your Colt replica should like it better if you tried a .454 dia ball.

I could, of course, be quite wrong, but my Second Series Walker used .454 dia.

2Fg is a suitable powder for .50cal and upwards rifles using anything up to 120gr - for some shooters. Revolvers much prefer 3Fg. That's what it states on the instruction that you don't have, BTW.

Things might improve if you started off with the correct diameter ball and powder.

 

[TreeMan]

I'm not sure why you are putting so much stress on the loading lever by forcing in a .457 ball. TMK the only C&B revolver to use that diameter ball is the Ruger Old Army - Lee make a mould of that diameter sold as specifically-designed for the ROA. Your Colt replica should like it better if you tried a .454 dia ball.

I could, of course, be quite wrong, but my Second Series Walker used .454 dia.

2Fg is a suitable powder for .50cal and upwards rifles using anything up to 120gr - for some shooters. Revolvers much prefer 3Fg. That's what it states on the instruction that you don't have, BTW.

Things might improve if you started off with the correct diameter ball and powder.

.457 fit fine. I got less of a ring of lead on the dragoon than I get on the ROA. If you read my post I used 2F and 3F. On the larger 50gr load I used 2F to keep the stress on the gun to a minimum. I was simply tinkering during the last hour of daylight yesterday. The difference between a .454 and .457 using soft lead is minimal using the massive loading lever on the dragoon. You’re answering questions I didn’t ask. I’ve been shooting these guns for forty years so I’m not a total doofus.

 

[Cpt Flint]

I’m looking at a Colt catalog of the day which specifies .457 round balls. That’s what I use in mine.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

What kind of load are your shooting? I’m very good with handguns and am a regular winner at club shoots with my ROA. Of course I’m shooting low power target loads in the old army. I was hoping to get some good accuracy with the dragoon with the bigger loads without having to drop down to 20 grain 3f loads to get it to print good scores. I ordered a sight last night to replace the front one on my dragoon.

My preferred load is 35 grains Swiss 3F, 200 grain Lee conical, pan lubed with SPG.

 

[TreeMan]

I’m looking at a Colt catalog of the day which specifies .457 round balls. That’s what I use in mine.

Yeah I tried a .454 and it was too small. Like I said in my earlier comment, the .457 leaves a smaller lead ring on this colt than on my Ruger when seating the ball. I’m gonna try some lighter loads of 3F and a filler this week. Thanks for the info!

 

[TFoley]

I’m looking at a Colt catalog of the day which specifies .457 round balls. That’s what I use in mine.

Thank you for the correction. However, the use of 2Fg in a revolver is a waste of good powder that you could be using in a rifle....

 

[Treestalker]

.457 fit fine. I got less of a ring of lead on the dragoon than I get on the ROA. If you read my post I used 2F and 3F. On the larger 50gr load I used 2F to keep the stress on the gun to a minimum. I was simply tinkering during the last hour of daylight yesterday. The difference between a .454 and .457 using soft lead is minimal using the massive loading lever on the dragoon. You’re answering questions I didn’t ask. I’ve been shooting these guns for forty years so I’m not a total doofus.

Congratulations on your find, and loads! I packed a 3rd model Dragoon (Uberti) in the woods for years as a young man, fired 40 gr 3f and never had a problem with nightmares. It would penetrate a Pontiac, LOL! I too would shoot the Colt and try to wear it out! Then my heir who inherited it would say, 'Man, he really used and LOVED this thing! If it could only talk! (And it can if you hide a note in a drilled hole in the grip butt!; They'll love having all those notches explained, LOL!) One of my home made C&B holsters has a silver English (half crown?) coin sewn in under the belt loop. Whoever finds it will wonder about that for years! Have fun, and enjoy your Dragoon!