Rusty repro

[TreeMan]

My daughters boyfriend picked up this rusty hunk of metal for $15 today. He sent me some pics and has me a bit baffled. Is this a brass frame walker? The Italian proof mark shows it made in 1979. Who made it is a mystery by looking at the markings. I don’t recognize any maker marks I’m familiar with. He is wanting me to salvage it but from the pics it looks pretty rough.

 

[Phil Coffins]

It’s an 1851 in 44 calibre.

 

[Treestalker]

Your revolver is an early DART 1851 brass framed gun in .44 caliber. These were around I think in the .70's when I started shooting BP. Yours is proof marked 1979. These were decent copies but not high dollar. If the bore is OK it should clean up and make a shooter, just keep your loads low 20-25gr or so. For $15 your future son in law did very well, LOL!

 

[kje54]

My daughters boyfriend picked up this rusty hunk of metal for $15 today. He sent me some pics and has me a bit baffled. Is this a brass frame walker? The Italian proof mark shows it made in 1979. Who made it is a mystery by looking at the markings. I don’t recognize any maker marks I’m familiar with. He is wanting me to salvage it but from the pics it looks pretty rough.

I've seen worse get restored. It won't be the prettiest but it is doable unless the bore is shot.

 

[TreeMan]

Your revolver is an early DART 1851 brass framed gun in .44 caliber. These were around I think in the .70's when I started shooting BP. Yours is proof marked 1976. These were decent copies but not high dollar. If the bore is OK it should clean up and make a shooter, just keep your loads low 20-25gr or so for $15 you did very well.

Thanks for the info. I’d never hear of dart before.

 

[appalichian hunter]

If the bore is decent clean it up looks to me for 15 dollars and a bit of elbow work it could be a decent gun. If it were mine I would strip the bluing polish the metal a bit and brown it, strip the grips and oil them, maybe replace the nipples if they need it. Also take the frame apart and check the innards that may be a situation that will present the most problems if bad. There's been 15 dollars spent on worst things.

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

It looks like it had been holster worn for a few years back in the day....no problem with that!

 

[Mulebrain]

I will give ya 20

 

[Jay]

Always amazed at the knowledge on this site, keep up the good work gentlemen

 

[Olddude]

good scrubbing with steel wool and rebluing. as long as the cylinder turns it will be a fine shooter.

 

[Cowboy]

Yep, I like the idea that AH said. Stripping off the old blueing but my personal taste would be to leave it in the white and let natural patia do its job.

Whatever you decide, the price is a steal!

Thanks for sharing my friend.

Respectfully, Cowboy

 

[mushka]

If the barrel and cylinder and the rest of the innards are good there isn't anything wrong with that gun. pretty isn't important to me but functionality is.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Even if the bore is pitted it will probably shoot well enough to kill cans and stuff out to 15-20 yards. I have a Rogers & Spencer with a bore that looks like a sewer pipe. It is still fairly accurate to those ranges and fun to shoot. Is it target worthy, no, but still fun to shoot.

 

[toot]

he is a good judge of women & weapons. I like him allready.

 

[sawyer04]

Maybe a good scrubbing with a 3M scotch pad and WD 40. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, strip it down completely and give it a good cleaning.. I wouldn't worry about the spit and polish and super shining. Maybe a little browning would be in order.
Use a biodegradable lube on the outside, and chassis grease on the mechanics after a deburring check and sighting in procedure.

 

[ZUG]

Heck -- at $15 you can't go wrong. I would do as others have already said - strip it down to bare metal, clean it up, Give it a finish (I'd rust blue it), lube it up and shoot it.

 

[B P Arn]

"Rusty"??? You call that rusty?

 

[kje54]

"Rusty"??? You call that rusty? View attachment 48016
View attachment 48017

Yup, that one's definitely a red head..........

 

[Leadball loader]

"Rusty"??? You call that rusty? View attachment 48016
View attachment 48017

How did that one clean up. It looks like a Belgian colt from the sixties.
LBL

 

[B P Arn]

How did that one clean up. It looks like a Belgian colt from the sixties.
LBL

You are correct; it is a Belgian Colt from the mid-60s! The gun had been stored in an attic and then forgotten. Over the years the original owner died. It was found in the attic, and the gun was offered to me at a great price.

I soaked it in WD40 for an extended period of time. After that I took it apart. More soaking in WD40, and I used a brass scraper (using the case mouth of a flattened 30-06 case) and tooth brush to further clean it. Rinse and repeat. NO ABRASIVE CLEANERS!!!

After that, clean, oil, assemble, and shoot. By the looks of it, the gun had never been fired. The bore and internals were in perfect condition.

It is one of my favorite black powder guns.