Just inherited my grandpa's 1861 Colt revolver… need help!

[crash32]

Hey guys, I did a search on this forum and looked at the Colt serial number sticky on this forum and am still stumped.

My uncle came by the other day to give me my grandpa's pistol. It was given to my grandpa by his grandmother. I am told by my uncle that it is a 1861 model. I went to the Colt website and entered the serial number which is 188677. When I did that ….. 15 models came up. Not sure which one it is.

The cylinder has a cool engraving scene with horses and a stage coach. It came with the leather holster and the gun powder dispenser. I did some research and it seems as if many of the antique Colt revolvers made in the 1800's came with a box. I do not have the box that it came with…. just the pistol, holster, and gun powder dispenser.

I would really like to find out more about this pistol as it is something of great sentimental value as it belonged to my grandpa. Any suggestions of what steps I could take? Colt offers a service called Archive Services that they will send you all the information along with the complete history of the firearm. I believe for my pistol it would be $200. How can they do that if my pistol carries many of the same serial numbers as other early pistols as I have read that an unique serial number was not required until 1960. Maybe someone can clear this up for me.

Also, one more caveat. The gun is all original except it is missing one screw. Where would I start to be able to find an "antique" screw that would match the rest of the screws in the best possible way?

Thanks in advance for all the help and suggestions that you can offer me!

 

[J-Bar]

Move this post to the Blackpowder Forum and add pictures, including close-ups of all markings.

 

[Old Fuff]

The cylinder engraving you referred to depicts a stage coach robbery, and was used on Colt's smaller Pocket Model(s), the most common being the 1849 model.

If my speculation is correct (and it would take a clear photograph and additional details to confirm it) serial number 188677 was made during 1861 as it is in a range running from 184000 to 197000 that were produced during that year.

Hopefully this will get you started. Our ability to help you is directly propositional to the amount of information provided.

Screws are obtainable, but first you must determine the exact model.

 

[Jim K]

The information about serial numbers not being required until the 1960's does not apply to Colt; the company always numbered all its guns (except for a few that were not intended for sale) but numbers were duplicated on different models, which is why pictures are important.

Jim

 

[crash32]

Hey there guys... thanks a ton for the help so far. It took me a while to figure it out, but here are some pictures! You will see a close up of the slide that is missing the screw.

 

[crash32]

Do these pictures help?

 

[threoh8]

Looks like an 1849 Pocket Revolver, .31 caliber.

 

[Jim Watson]

Colt lookup says Pocket Model of 1849 made in 1861.
I don't know why they say .36, the 1849s were .31 caliber.

It looks in pretty good shape, no blue/CH and missing the wedge screw, but the nipples aren't battered and it retains a good deal of grip strap silver plate and the stock varnish looks good. Maybe it was put up dry in the holster which ate off the steel finish but not shot much to wear the grips and grip straps.

Screws are available but you would probably have to "antique" a new blue screw to look good on the gray gun.

Good for Great Great Grandma.

 

[Crawdad1]

Here is a good source for parts for your 1849 Pocket,

http://www.coltparts.com/parts1.html

 

[Old Fuff]

You're pictures are very good, and confirm that you have a Colt .31 caliber/cap&ball/1849 Pocket Model revolver that was made in 1861.

A Colt historical letter wouldn't tell you much more except that the particular day in 1861 it was shipped, how many guns were in the shipment, and to what distributor or dealer the shipment went to. It's unlikely you'd find any specific connection to you're ancestor.

A screw can also be obtained from www.dixiegunworks.com Be sure to order a screw for an original Colt and not a modern replica.

They also offer a 700 page give-or-take print catalog, shipping prepaid, for only $5.00 that is to say the least an exceptional value; and among many other things has additional information about you're Colt.

Consider yourself to be very fortunate in that you have a genuine historical artifact.

 

[J-Bar]

Old Fuff forgot to add that the rest of us are jealous!

Congratulations on inheriting a wonderful heirloom.

 

[crash32]

Thanks a ton for all of the information!!! Any tips of how I should proceed to clean this pistol? I have tons of experience cleaning firearms.... just not antique firearms. I did not know if steel that old had different composition and reacted differently to certain cleaners, oils, etc. It has some very mild surface oxidation. Would it be safe to get very fine steel wool and gun oil and try to get some of the surface oxidation off?
Any recommendations?

Thanks again guys!

 

[J-Bar]

I would not do ANYTHING to it until I had it appraised by a knowledgable person. Even though you are not considering selling it, you need to know what it is worth for insurance purposes. "Cleaning" could hurt its value.

 

[4v50 Gary]

You can clean it, but use neutral things that will not harm the patina. First, wash your hands with hot soap and water. You may then want to wear rubber gloves.

Use coconut oil (I was told Frog's Lube but we've since learned that it's the same stuff but with a anti-coagulant added to it) and scrape away any rust and dirt with a five cent piece (nickel and only a nickel). After cleaning off any rust, protect the metal (and the wood) with Renaissance Wax. Apply a light coat and rub it in with a 100% cotton cloth.

 

[Old Fuff]

Darn! You type faster then I do. I must be getting old.

The procedure described above is standard practice in most museums. I will add that the back and bottom of the handle (backstrap) and trigger guard are silver plated. Very thin and delicate. Use extreme care and do nothing harsh. Yes it is oxidized in places and black. Leave it that way!

 

[crash32]

Yikes.... Very glad I asked about cleaning it!!! I think I will best leave it alone for now. I was thinking about putting a very light film of gun oil to prevent further oxidation, but even that is making me nervous that some of the solvents in the oil might mess it up.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I use olive oil on my reproductions. I use it only because it is in the house and is fairly cheap in comparison to regular gun oils that create nasty fouling when used with black powder. You are now the present caretaker of a fairly valuable family heirloom. Treat it as such so it can be passed down to the next generation. It looks like it has a problem with the wedge\arbor fit because the wedge appears to be all the way in and the bottom frame\barrel gap is cocked. I would have it looked by a gunsmith who is familiar old Colt percussion revolvers.

I wish I had a family heirloom like yours. All the luck and enjoyment with it.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Be careful with olive oil. Olives are soaked in brine before they're pressed. I'd rather use even distilled water (cotton cloth) than olive oil and then toss it into the oven to make sure that it is dry.

If nothing else, use RIG Grease (but Renaissance Wax is better).

 

[Choctaw]

What a great pistol. I'm curious about the holster. Is there a maker's cartouche anywhere on it?

 

[4v50 Gary]

BTW, almost forgot to mention that you should get your uncle to sign a notarized letter attesting to the pistols provenance. It should mention about when he got it and from whom he received it. It should mention that your grandfather (name him and his DOB and Date of Death) received it from his grandmother (name her and her dates too). Get the family ownership's history down on paper so that it's no longer just family lore. Keep that paper with it and it will enhance its value.

 

[robhof]

robhof

The cleaning mentioned above will protect the value, Rick from Pawn Stars was burned on an original Colt that he thought he got for a steal, till the expert explained that it had been cleaned with 4 0 steel wool and was worth less than he paid, uncleaned it was worth 5 times what he paid!

 

[Jim Watson]

Oil, gun oil, motor oil, machine oil, is not going to hurt steel, brass, or silver. I would not put oil on the varnished grips. I would not use food oil or gimmick products.
Ballistol would be good, since you can't get whale oil any more.

Do not scuff with steel wool or scrape with a coin.
Oil heavily, let soak, rub with a coarse cloth and a toothbrush for the nooks and crannies.

 

[crash32]

@Choctaw… there is no markings of any kind on the leather holster. I even looked inside of it and all over…. nothing!

To you guys that say that potentially cleaning it could hurt the value. Are you guys serious? Obviously if the cleaning is too heavy or coarse abrasives are used it can damage the finish, but how can just a cleaning hurt the value? Just curious!!!

I have started calling a couple of local places trying to find someone that specializes in antique guns especially old Colt pistols. I am from Greensboro so I am looking for someone near the Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh area.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Don't remove any patina. That removes the value. All you want to do is to arrest any deterioration and then conservation in its present state. Remember leather may be treated with Renaissance Wax (I learned this from world class museum conservators).

 

[crash32]

Why does removing the patina devalue the pistol? Is the patina like a badge of honor proving legimate aging?