1851 Colt Navy .36 Information - Page 2

deerslayer303 · January 21, 2024, 08:49 AM

Griswold & Gunnison

jcj54 · January 21, 2024, 12:28 PM

Griswold & Gunnison a Confederate maker

Jim Watson · January 21, 2024, 12:56 PM

Once commonly referred to as Griswold and Grier. Mr Gunnison was the "mechanic" close to what we would now call a mechanical engineer, Mr Grier was the company lawyer, Mr Griswold's son in law. I know a Grier family with connections to south Georgia; I wonder if they are related. Can't get them to do a family tree search, though.

bamaranger · January 22, 2024, 12:15 AM

So....is the general consensus that the musket is in fact a period piece?

That sure looks like a set of initials and some type of unit marking on the butt plate.

Jim Watson · January 22, 2024, 02:31 AM

Yup, what is commonly called a Potsdam musket. German surplus sold to both sides.
Here is another
https://www.americanrifleman.org/con...tsdam-muskets/
Museum grade
https://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum...on-musket.aspx

ligonierbill · January 22, 2024, 08:42 AM

I'm not an expert on these things, but Suhl is and was a German gunmaking center. Googled "1835 Suhl musket" and came up with hits on a 69 caliber military musket. Muzzleloader, yes? Is the barrel rifled? Smoothbore muskets of this caliber were common in many arsenals of that era.

PS: It looks a lot like the Springfield 1842, but unless the armory was buying locks from the Germans, I'm betting it was an import.

Duke48 · January 22, 2024, 01:07 PM

Yes, it is a muzzleloader and smoothbore.

bamaranger · January 22, 2024, 03:31 PM

First glance I thought it was a "Mississippi" too, then I saw "Suhl". Not familiar enough with the lock , just saw the brass fittings.

Hey, so there's one correct heirloom for posterity and passdown and another for shooting.......win/win

Duke48 · January 23, 2024, 11:14 AM

Thanks for all the info guys. It was fun reading all the posts and learning about the history. I really appreciate you taking the time to educate me on these weapons. Again, thank you...

January 21, 2024, 08:49 AM	#26
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,654	Griswold & Gunnison __________________ "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery." - Thomas Jefferson

January 21, 2024, 12:28 PM	#27
jcj54 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2011 Posts: 219	G&G Griswold & Gunnison a Confederate maker

January 22, 2024, 12:15 AM	#29
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,317	back to the musket So....is the general consensus that the musket is in fact a period piece? That sure looks like a set of initials and some type of unit marking on the butt plate.

January 22, 2024, 01:07 PM	#32
Duke48 Junior Member Join Date: January 11, 2024 Posts: 10	Yes, it is a muzzleloader and smoothbore. Last edited by Duke48; January 22, 2024 at 01:24 PM.

January 22, 2024, 03:31 PM	#33
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,317	"Mississippi" First glance I thought it was a "Mississippi" too, then I saw "Suhl". Not familiar enough with the lock , just saw the brass fittings. Hey, so there's one correct heirloom for posterity and passdown and another for shooting.......win/win

January 21, 2024, 12:56 PM	#28
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,546	Once commonly referred to as Griswold and Grier. Mr Gunnison was the "mechanic" close to what we would now call a mechanical engineer, Mr Grier was the company lawyer, Mr Griswold's son in law. I know a Grier family with connections to south Georgia; I wonder if they are related. Can't get them to do a family tree search, though.

January 22, 2024, 02:31 AM	#30
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,546	Yup, what is commonly called a Potsdam musket. German surplus sold to both sides. Here is another https://www.americanrifleman.org/con...tsdam-muskets/ Museum grade https://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum...on-musket.aspx

January 22, 2024, 08:42 AM	#31
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,459	I'm not an expert on these things, but Suhl is and was a German gunmaking center. Googled "1835 Suhl musket" and came up with hits on a 69 caliber military musket. Muzzleloader, yes? Is the barrel rifled? Smoothbore muskets of this caliber were common in many arsenals of that era. PS: It looks a lot like the Springfield 1842, but unless the armory was buying locks from the Germans, I'm betting it was an import.

January 23, 2024, 11:14 AM	#34
Duke48 Junior Member Join Date: January 11, 2024 Posts: 10	Thanks for all the info guys. It was fun reading all the posts and learning about the history. I really appreciate you taking the time to educate me on these weapons. Again, thank you...