I need to find info about my colt percussion. Have serial #...anyone know how?
- Thread starter 951shaggy
- Start date
Sorry, Hawg, but no. We can get fooled by pictures because the 1851 Navy is almost a perfect scale-up of the 1849 Pocket model, and the long barrel tends to fool the eye as it is uncommon on the 1849.
But aside from subtle differences, the stagecoach holdup scene on the cylinder instead of the naval battle scene makes it clear that the gun is an 1849 model, 31 caliber, made in 1854.
(BTW, that marking was not really engraved in the usual sense; it was made by rolling the cylinder under pressure on a steel plate with the scene on it in reverse.)
While the 1849 is the most common Colt percussion revolver, they are now becoming fairly valuable. That one seems to be in quite good condition, with traces of silver on the grip and a good cylinder scene; I would put it in the $1200-1500 category.
Jim
But aside from subtle differences, the stagecoach holdup scene on the cylinder instead of the naval battle scene makes it clear that the gun is an 1849 model, 31 caliber, made in 1854.
(BTW, that marking was not really engraved in the usual sense; it was made by rolling the cylinder under pressure on a steel plate with the scene on it in reverse.)
While the 1849 is the most common Colt percussion revolver, they are now becoming fairly valuable. That one seems to be in quite good condition, with traces of silver on the grip and a good cylinder scene; I would put it in the $1200-1500 category.
Jim
I'm not that up on 49's, wasn't aware they came with long barrels and silver plated grip frames.Electroplating was invented in 1840 and AFAIK all the Model 1849 and Model 1851 brass grip Colts were originally silvered. But Sam wasn't going to waste a lot of money on show so it wasn't the heavy plating we know on items like tableware. The grips were given a quick dip, leaving a very thin silver coating that lasted just about as long as it took the buyer to get out of the gun store. You can often see the original silver by removing the grips.
Colt was not alone in that kind of stuff; such silver "plating" was common at the time for just about everything from whiskey flasks to watches. In a later era, nickel plating was the fad and everything was nickel plated.
Jim
Colt was not alone in that kind of stuff; such silver "plating" was common at the time for just about everything from whiskey flasks to watches. In a later era, nickel plating was the fad and everything was nickel plated.
Jim