new toy, 1860 Colt Army, 2nd gen.

[mikeyr]

So LGS had a 1860 Army in black colt box a week ago when I went in. I saw the price and didn't give it a second look, for that price I figured it was pretty beat up although from the behind the glass it looked good.

I decided to go back yesterday and have a look at it, sales guy says never fired...uh uh, sure, the box is there but all torn up, been opened a thousand times. The wedge is pretty beat up and that's rust in one of the cylinder bores, but the nipples do look new. And there is rust on the outside of the barrel, pretty obvious that the previous owner stored it in the foam in the box. No pitting, just some spots where the blueing is gone and only one side, the side the gun was laying on. Action is nice and tight, price is right, at the price a new Uberi or Pietta would cost new and its a real Colt.

Because the LGS guy kept saying any rust, just hit it with 00 steel wool I am assuming that is what he did to the barrel. I wont try cold blue or like that on the barrel, I think that would be even more obvious than the way it is now. I briefly thought I would maybe get it re-blued but its going to be a shooter so why bother ? Anything i can do to the barrel ?

I was going to buy a new wedge but darn it, that wedge is serialized. So I will hit it with some stones to smooth it and cold blue the outer edge, it looks like they hit with a steel punch. Why remove the wedge if the gun is unfired ?

So today, I took it apart, at the price I bought it for, I didn't remove the barrel to check it but I certainly did not believe the LGS guy when he said gun is unfired...Well now I do believe it. Nice clean bore, clean cylinder bores, the rust was discoloring it came right off and the nipples were a pain to remove, they had been in there forever and really do look unfired.

I do have a Uberti Navy and this colt is far superior to that, but I think I still prefer my Ruger Old Army stainless that I bought new back in the late 70s or very early 80s.

So, anything I can do about the barrel to clean it up ? And what about my idea on the wedge ?

[Wheellock]

I'd smooth the wedge a little, just to get any burrs off, and a little cold blue. Mostly I would take it to the range and then shoot it a bunch. I can't see much on the barrel from the photos.

Is the rifling on those gain twist?

[highpower]

That's not in too bad a condition all things considered. These "C" series reissue Colt blackpowder guns are getting on to be 40 years old or more now. While I see many that are still basically NIB, I also see them from time to time that are in roughly the same condition as the one you bought. I see the prices on these going up and I feel they will continue to appreciate in value as time goes by, as unlike the Italian replicas, these will letter as a Colt from the factory.

There are three separate series of the reissued Colt blackpowder guns. The first to come along was the "F" series, then the "C" series and last was the "Signature" series. The individual parts for the "F" and "C" series guns were made by Uberti, shipped to Colt and finished here in the US. The signature series was made and finished by Uberti under the auspices of Val Forgett at Navy Arms Co.

I have a few of these Colt blackpowder reissue revolvers and if I see one for a reasonable price, I will always pick it up.

These are all second generation "C" series Colts:
Top to bottom,
1848 First model Dragoon
1851 Navy
1860 Army


This is another one I have had for many years, it is one of the very first of the reproduction Colt blackpowder series made in 1971. These first blackpowder reissue Colts are known as the "F" series and are beautifully fit and finished. This came in the fitted case with the powder flask, bullet mold, cap tin and nipple wrench. There were two commemorative sets made with the fitted case, U.S. Grant and Robert E. Lee.

[mikeyr]

Mine is a F-series and in really good condition from one side...the other side that it was laying on a little less good condition but very presentable. I didn't pay a lot for it, really happy.

I will try and clean up the wedge, that will be easy. And I don't want a polka-dot barrel so leave that alone.

Next thing for me is to find a display case or make one...my other hobby is making sawdust after all.

[Jimboecv]

I picked up two 2nd gens, a '51 and a '61. The '51 is about 70%, clearly shot a lot but in great shape. The '61 appears to be unfired or little fired at worst. Odd thing, it has a fluted cylinder. No boxes or anything special. Got them both for $600 recently.
The guy is a 1911 collector (like 400) and found these in the back of a safe, forgotten about. I had recently done a few transactions with him and we struck it off so he sent me a text asking me if I wanted them before it put them out to the world.
Pay's to be nice!

[THBailey]

If you feel the need to try and clean the rust do not use steel wool. Soak the spots with Kroil or equivalent and use the much softer bronze wool.

[Flintlock Tom]

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the Colt Army revolvers had the stagecoach scene on the cylinder and the Navy had the sailing ship.
Am I remembering incorrectly or did things change?

[harbormaster]

Gotta get me one of these; I can't use grandpas'

[Darto]

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the Colt Army revolvers had the stagecoach scene on the cylinder and the Navy had the sailing ship.
Am I remembering incorrectly or did things change?

Correct. The later 1861 Navy had the stagecoach (Eastwood dug a 1861 out of the ashes of his parents burned out house by Yankees in Josey Wales).

The Dragoons had the other engraving, the Indian fight scene (Walker Creek Battle). Colt thought he owed Hays and McCullugh (and Walker) a debt for saving his bankrupt company and put that scene on his Walker and later dragoons.

http://www.texasescapes.com/JefferyRobenalt/Battle-of-Walkers-Creek-and-Colt-Paterson-Revolver.htm

Still owing a moral debt to McCullugh and the rangers for making him one of the richest men in America whereas before he was bankrupt, Colt shipped 1000 model 1860 revolvers to McCullough just about 2 days before the civil war started at Fort Sumpter. Colt took a lot of heat for that. (Colt was a Democrat, not Republican, and the ruling Republicans suspected him of mixed loyalties when the war started).

The McCullugh 1860s guns had an unusual cylinder compared to most 1860's. Cimarron makes 2 McCullugh 1860 models in tribute (Cimarron is a Texas company in a State where Walker, McCullugh, and Hayes are still heroes. Ben McCullugh died in the war (Confederate side of course).

[THBailey]

Thanks Darto, most interesting.

[Darto]

I have only one Colt reissue, it's not the later signature series. The markings are more correct on the Colt and the finish is better on the Colt.

[musketjon]

It's not a "real" Colt. They were made in Italy and shipped to Colt while in the white. All Colt did was roll-stamp, finish, and assemble them. Dead give away is that the barrels are not gain-twist as were the originals and the screws are not interchangeable with originals.
Sorry to burst your bubble.