1849 Pocket Colt

[makos_goods]

Berkley,
Excellent post! Great shots and very informative.

Thanks,
Mako

You too Junkman, I figured it out after you two pointed out the six shot versions. I appreciate good and factual information.
~Mako

 

[Norton Commando]

Ok, I must be communicating with a young audience here because nobody picked up on the line: "Is that a real Colt or a Sears Colt?"

It came from Frank Zappa back in 1973 from his song "Camarillo Brillo." In this song he says: "Is that a real Poncho or a Sears Poncho".

 

[junkman_01]

Actually you are dealing with an audience that doesn't give a hoot about Frank Zappa.

 

[72coupe]

I had a choice and Frank Zappa was rejected.

I really like 1849s. I have to get me one.

 

[Skinny 1950]

Thanks for the information on this gun, if a gun can be "cute" I think these are. There is another question that I have about this gun.
The Serial number under the loading lever,on the frame,trigger guard and back strap all match # 187581 which dates it to 1861 if my information is correct. The serial number on the cylinder is #186581 the same last 3 digits but a 6 instead of 7 for the third digit. If this is not the original cylinder it is exactly 1000 earlier production.
The grips on the gun are homemade as is the wedge,some screws have been replaced and the over all condition is "rough". But it is a Colt and I just had to have it.
Here is what it looks like now...I have some better grips on order which should improve it a bit.



I was going to get a Uberti Pocket Colt repro but the 4 inch barrel makes it prohibited here in Canada.

 

[rocky branch]

Frank Zappa was an innovative musical genius, like him or not.
I am reeling over someone reblueing an original piece.

 

[Skinny 1950]

I was giving some thought to re-bluing etc. but decided to keep it original so that it looks old. My gun has traces of silver plate on the trigger guard and back strap so it was a fancy gun when first made.

 

[tpelle]

Man, you guys are killing me! Now I'm really, really wanting one those 1849 pocket pistols!

 

[Jim K]

Skinny, that barrel marking is the most common for the 1849 pocket pistol, being used from c. 187000 to end of production at c. 340000. The Model 1849 had, IIRC, the highest production of any Colt percussion revolver and the basic frame was used for the 1862 Police, the Pocket Navy, and some conversions as well as cartridge revolvers, the latter being made as late as 1880.

One result of the numbers made and the variations is that it is also has aroused a lot of controversy over various esoteric details, with collectors firing books and magazine articles at one another for years. (So far there have been no fatalities, but a number of theories have been blown up by the research.) Much of the dispute arises over the relation of the Pocket pistol to the Baby Dragoon; most purists seem to forget that Sam Colt never threw anything away and that if old surplus parts were usable in a new model, they were used.

Those guns all had silver plated grip straps, but the plating was thin* and it is uncommon to find one with that much plating intact. Please don't do anything to the finish.

* It was called "silver wash" at the time, although it was one of the first uses of the then-new electroplating.

Jim

 

[Skinny 1950]

I like these guns so much that I just bought a reproduction to shoot while I fix up the old timer.
I started another thread about the squareback trigger guard and what it means.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Uh, I don't think so. IIRC, he went bankrupt at least once.

Yes, but never with his own money.

 

[mykeal]

That matters?