The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old September 7, 2008, 05:57 PM   #1
Cimarron Lawman
Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2007
Posts: 53
Is it an Army or a Navy?

Examine these original Colts.

Closely.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 32328.jpg (100.0 KB, 381 views)
File Type: jpg 32330.jpg (105.5 KB, 341 views)

Last edited by Cimarron Lawman; September 8, 2008 at 04:17 PM.
Cimarron Lawman is offline  
Old September 7, 2008, 06:27 PM   #2
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
Yep, pretty close. I don't understand why they left the cutout for loading short tho. Makes it a booger to load conicals without removing the cylinder.
Hawg is online now  
Old September 7, 2008, 07:12 PM   #3
Cimarron Lawman
Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2007
Posts: 53
So is it an Army or a Navy?

By caliber, it's an Army. By grip and barrel length, it's a Navy.

Or, maybe it's a Narmy??

Interesting that one is fluted and one isn't. Could these be prototypes? Limited production models?
Cimarron Lawman is offline  
Old September 7, 2008, 07:25 PM   #4
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
The first 25,000 1860's had fluted cylinders. Maybe the grip frames were changed out at some point. Lots of those old guns were built from parts or customized by their owners much like today. I'd have to see matching serial numbers.
Hawg is online now  
Old September 7, 2008, 07:28 PM   #5
Cimarron Lawman
Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2007
Posts: 53
Odd that they have 7.5" barrels. At first glance, I thought they were 1861 Navies.

I hope I'm not violating copyright laws here.

Serial numbers:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 32328x4.jpg (173.4 KB, 185 views)
File Type: jpg 32328x5.jpg (180.0 KB, 149 views)
File Type: jpg 32328x7.jpg (70.5 KB, 133 views)
Cimarron Lawman is offline  
Old September 7, 2008, 07:38 PM   #6
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
I dunno but I'm no expert. The low numbers bear out the fluted cylinder tho.
Hawg is online now  
Old September 7, 2008, 07:47 PM   #7
Cimarron Lawman
Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2007
Posts: 53
The non-fluted one is serial #24.

Weird huh?

And a final example, serial unknown:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 50995.jpg (22.0 KB, 116 views)

Last edited by Cimarron Lawman; September 8, 2008 at 04:15 PM.
Cimarron Lawman is offline  
Old September 11, 2008, 02:17 PM   #8
w_houle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 29, 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,391
Nice pieces.
__________________
How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished?
w_houle is offline  
Old September 11, 2008, 02:43 PM   #9
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
Ummm, you need to go back and reread the first post. The pics are original Colt's but unusual ones. They may be first models based on the 51 which evolved into the 60 as we know it.
Hawg is online now  
Old September 11, 2008, 02:57 PM   #10
w_houle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 29, 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,391
Yeah, I was doing a few things at once, I got busy there for a second and missed a few important details.
__________________
How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished?
w_houle is offline  
Old September 12, 2008, 11:21 PM   #11
Fingers McGee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 19, 2008
Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks
Posts: 2,113
The pictures intrigued me; so I had to do some research. They appear to be a rare variation of the 1860. The New Model Holster Pistol of Army Caliber could be had with a number of options. They were advertised with 7.5 or 8 inch barrels; with steel handle strap, brass, plated, or blued trigger guard; and the same arm with "attachable carbine breach". They could also be had with square back trigger guards and full or half fluted cylinders. Here's an ad from the period:



[A history of the Colt Revolver; Haven & Belden; 1940]

And from Wilson's Colt, an American Legend. "A scarce variation dating from the first year of manufacture is the fluted cylinder version, identified in the original shipping ledgers as the "cavalry" model. To the confusion of the novice collector, specimens were made in 7.5 and 8 inch barrel lengths, and with Navy and Army-size grips. Another scarce and sought after type is the Army with round, roll engrqved cylinder, the Navy-size grip, 7 1/2" barrel, Hartford barrel address marking, no channel in the capping cutout (on right side of the frame), and silver plated brass gripstraps. Only fifty five were made."
__________________
Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters
Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

Last edited by Fingers McGee; September 13, 2008 at 10:38 AM.
Fingers McGee is offline  
Old September 13, 2008, 10:31 AM   #12
CraigC
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 28, 2001
Location: West Tennessee
Posts: 4,300
At a glance, 1860's with Navy grip frames.
CraigC is offline  
Old September 13, 2008, 05:09 PM   #13
Cimarron Lawman
Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2007
Posts: 53
Yes, and Navy-length barrels. Too bad Colt didn't make more of them.

Perhaps the ultimate configuration.
Cimarron Lawman is offline  
Old September 13, 2008, 07:47 PM   #14
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
I like the longer grip frame of the 60 better.
Hawg is online now  
Old September 13, 2008, 10:33 PM   #15
w_houle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 29, 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,391
I have been kicking the idea around of doing something similar with my 1851. Put on the 1860 barrel, Thunderer grips, and the Kirst Konversion on it and have a unique gun. Taking a look at an original with matching numbers, I would not be so hard pressed to do the Kirst Konversion and stick with my R&D cylinder. The only thing that bugs me about Pietta is that they didn't make the 1860 Civilian model. All of the 1860s I have seen by Pietta have been four screw, not three. Uberti makes an 1860 Civilian model, but then again IIRC Uberti has to take smaller OAL cartridges than Pietta. I think it is a part of what makes this gun cool: You can mix and match different parts, and come up with something cool.
__________________
How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished?
w_houle is offline  
Old September 13, 2008, 11:10 PM   #16
CraigC
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 28, 2001
Location: West Tennessee
Posts: 4,300
I also prefer the 1860 grip frame over the Navy. I wish it had always been an option on the SAA, or at least the replicas.
CraigC is offline  
Old September 14, 2008, 08:49 AM   #17
Cimarron Lawman
Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2007
Posts: 53
The Army grip feels good in my hand also. I like the Navy grip a bit better if the grips aren't too fat and have flat bottoms, or close to it. Uberti's Navy grips flair more than the originals; they feel too fat down low. Whenever I pick up an original Navy, I can't help but smile.
Cimarron Lawman is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:36 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.15202 seconds with 11 queries