London 1860?

Z

ZVP

New member
I noticed Cabela's/Piettia is selling a '60 London Model. It has all the attributes of the '51 London and looks to also have the real "Peacemaker-Shaped" grip contour rather than the thin and pointy usual Piettia shape.
Was there ever a '60 Lpndon Model sold?
This Piettia revolver is a very nice looking gun and reasonablly priced. It might be an intresting addition.
My only objection to the '60/'61Navy Models is the additional 1/2" of barrel. I know that you can feel the additional weight of the '60 shaped barrel on the 5 1/2" Piettia Police Model. There is a lot of additional steel surrounding the Creeper Ram and it shows in balance. In fact my Piettia Police feels just as heavy as my '51 Uberti London, balance-wise. You can feel the additional steel just ahead of the cylinder.
I sure hope someone can answer the question of the '60 London Model as I understood the London Factory closed before it could be made.
Thanks,
ZVP
 
Colt closed the London armory in 1857 but ten years later some were made in Hartford and shipped to London with London markings but they weren't very popular over there.
 
THX Hawg, I see it is in the 'New Items' section and not with the black powder revolvers.

Looks like a good buy!
 
I've got an identical gun: 1860 Army with Navy grips, same 8" barrel in 44 but made by Armi San Marco and sold as a "44 cal 1861 Navy". Now I'm tempted to put navy grips on my ASM Hartford model 1860 Army to have a matched pair.
 
Yea, it's in the latest Catalog and you have to really look at the page to notice how different it looks. First you notice the creeping loading lever and then the curvature of the grips, then the full bluing and steel backstrap, etc.
Reading the text you find the story about the revolver and begin to wonder...
After posting, I did some reserch and can't find any referance to a late London Model but as one poster said it's a neat revolver and worthy of a buy if you happen to have the cash!
I'm gonna save up and hope I can make the deadline on the catalog and try to get one to match my Uberti '51 London. Might make an interesting stablemate? I doubt that the "real" Model exhisted but many of Piettia's fantasy revolvers are pretty good (like their 6 shot"Police Model").
I just thought I'd give ya all a heads-up in case anyone might want one...
ZVP
 
There were several hundred shipped over in 67 and 68 but by then cartridges were coming into vogue so they didn't sell well. They were the same as the ones that were sold here with army grips.
 
london colts

A quote from "A History of the Colt Revolver" on page 89, "Colt closed the London branch of his company in 1857". He didn't like the way English did things and "The London Pistol Company"., took over. they used left-over Colt parts and mixed them up accordingly. I quote from the same book and page, "'If Colt could not make as enterprise work, no one could". This is an old book , written by Haven and Belden, and if you like old guns, I suggest you buy it. They have any obscure piece of Colt history you could imagine. I believe a lot of you guys already have it, but if not, I HIGHLY recommend it, if for nothing else than the fine quality pictures of old colts on almost every page. And these aren't drawings, they are actual fine quality pictures, where you can see every scratch and blemish.
 
london colts

I forgot to add that London colts had back straps and trigger guards made out of wrought iron after brass became hard to get shortly after production started. SO... thats why the blued trigger guards and back straps on 'London' colts.
 
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