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Well I took it to a gun smith he was the lease competent gunsmith iv ever met so I need to find a new one here also I am still trying to figure out I
The value of it and how hard it is to find bullets hopefully the gun smith will be able to tell me if its safe to shoot. I'm also having a terrible time figuring out how to reload 45 acp for my 1911s is there a good write up or some thing I can't seem to find one or maybe some one in the everett wa area that I could some how convince to show me
 
The gun has some value. It appears to have condition, with original blue. These are not rare, but are not very common either. The big problem with these on the market is the low demand. Many people don't like them for various reasons, and they don't bring the big money that 1st generation SAAs do. The New Service was the replacement for this model. I would say the value, with what looks like ivories, and if it has original finish and original parts, would be in the $2500 range.
 
robhof

Slight correction; the 30-30 was designed originally for smokeless powder, the others mentioned were indeed originally black powder.
 
...the cylinder is really loose the guy who gave it to me said it was and is very clearly loose even when cocked it moves almost a 1/4 inch...
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That's way too much movement. You need to have it checked by a gunsmith before you even consider firing it. I'm guessing he will tell you not to fire it.
 
That gun is very old, is an obsolete design, and would not be a good shooter with modern ammo. It is really in the collectible category. If you want a gun to shoot then sell or trade this ancient piece for something more modern, like maybe not made more than one century ago.

Your questions are those of someone who is not intimately familiar or experienced with revolvers. I suggest you not spend any more time fiddling with this old timer. Move up to something more recent.
 
Ya It's my second revolver the other is a random 22 and ya I know nothing about them I usually stick to a origanal 1913 1911 colt military pistol that'sy favorite to shoot and I get tons on compliments on the condition I think I will just put the revolver away I don't sell I trade my guns just collect thank you all for the information and the new knowledge abou black powder fire arms
 
Your average local gunsmith isn't likely to be qualified or knowledgeable enough to work on that old Colt's lockwork. With as much play as you're describing, it's not safe to shoot, and finding commercially loaded black powder rounds for it isn't going to be simple either.

The gun does have some value though. Don't let a "bubba smith" attempt to work on it.

I'm sure it could be brought back to shootable condition, but it will not likely be cheap. There just aren't a lot of smiths qualified to work on these old Colts,

If you attempt to reload some black powder cartridges, there are some special rules you must follow that are a bit different than loading smokeless. They require a black powder compatible lube, and there must be NO airspace inside the cartridge. Again.. if you're unfamiliar with this, please do a lot of research before reloading black powder rounds.

That's a fine looking old Colt you have there. Might be best to just enjoy it as a collectable instead of trying to shoot it.
 
That is a Colt Double Action Frontier revolver, also known to collectors as the Model 1878. If it is in .38 Colt caliber, it is rare; the Blue Book says only 40 were made in that caliber.

WARNING!!

The hammer screw on the right side has LEFT HAND THREADS.
If you decide for what ever reason to remove it, that means it unscrews by turning clockwise. Many of those guns have been damaged by turning that screw the wrong way. (That makes a good test for a gunsmith who claims to know those guns. Tell him the screw is hard to get out and see what he says. If he reaches for a bigger screwdriver, run, do not walk, to the door.)

Those guns are rather fragile, and I generally don't recommend firing, not out of concern for strength, but because of possible breakage of small parts, which are almost unobtainable. The cylinder is normally somewhat loose (rotationally) when the hammer and trigger are at rest. The cylinder normally locks up when the trigger is pulled or the hammer cocked. There is no cylinder stop, or stop notches, as in a Single Action; the hand on the Model 1878 acts both to turn the cylinder and lock it. The loading gate keeps the cylinder from rotating backward.

The loading gate number is an assembly number; it won't match the serial number except by a very odd coincidence.

I can't tell from the pictures whether the gun has been reblued or not, but I am inclined to think it probably has. If so, I would WAG a value of about $1200-1500. If the finish is original, up that to over $5000.

The gun was made in 1888.

Jim
 
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One more comment. That gun is in .38 (Long) Colt caliber. The ones in .38 W.C.F. were marked that on the barrel. All caliber markings were moved to the barrel c. 1890.

Jim
 
And what is the condition of the inside of the barrel? It might be yuck being a black powder piece that might not have been cleaned properly after use.
 
Well looking down the barrel it looks pretty clean not perfect but good and the rifflig looks good to and it does have ivory grips I'm just gonna lock it away and keep it in my collection
 
Post some good, clear pictures of both sides of the gun (no blurry cell phone pics, please) and of the markings on the barrel, butt and trigger guard.

To check the caliber, try inserting a .38 Special or .357 Magnum into the chamber. If they go only part way in but are the correct diameter, the gun is chambered for the .38 Colt, which is the same diameter as the .38 Special but shorter. If the .38 Special is way too small, the gun is in .38-40 or .38 W.C.F. (I don't think it is).

Jim
 
that's a .40 s&w shell closest I have and its loose it chamber wont fit in barrel
 

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On the rifle side, .30-30, .45/70, and I think the .32 Special were designed around black powder.
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Slight correction; the 30-30 was designed originally for smokeless powder, the others mentioned were indeed originally black powder.
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As the .32 Special was designed off the .30-30 cartridge in 1901, it too was 'designed' for smokeless...
 
I'll give you $150 for it.

Digest that for a second.

Until you do some due diligence research beyond what you can do by asking questions here, especially determining if it has been reblued or not, you don't know whether ANY offer is a good offer or a bad offer.

More than once over the years we've had people come in screaming bloody murder about how they got taken in a deal; how they sold something for X, and then later found out it was really worth a LOT more.

Not a lot of sympathy for people in such a situation. They failed to take the basic steps necessary to find out what they had.
 
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