Folks,
There is a lot of information about Colt serial numbers. But Colt pistols represents only a small percentage of the BP revolvers in use.
I look at the various serial numbers on the Italian pistols (oops....Belgian too) and they mean nothing. I have begun to accumulate a small supply of individual parts which I am assuming originated in pistols which were disassembled and spread to the four winds.
When you examine the various serial numbers you can see that they have a different character and I assume this is because different manufacturers put their serial numbers on the pistols in different ways.
In some pistols, the numbers line up nicely, while in others they appear to have been carelessly stamped using individual number punches by a worker who appears to have been under some time pressure.
On my Belgian and on my Colts, the stampings are relatively consistent in their depth. The punches that were used appear to have flat ridges rather than "Vee" shaped ridges. The size of the punches appear to be different from one manufacturer to another. And of course the serial numbers don't reveal a pattern or sequence in the small number of pistols I have.
I am not certain why I think this is important. But I can tell you that the issue came to a head when I was examining a Colt style frame last night. I got this frame separately and wondered who the original manufacturer was. I examined the serial number as a way of finding out. I figured I would compare it with other frames in pistol for whom the manufacturer is known to me.
It would be nice to know the serial number ranges of pistols manufactured overseas in the last 30 or 35 years. It would also be nice to be able to identify a manufacturer not only by the value of the serial number but by the characteristics of the numbering operation.
I know this is a tall order but my guess is that the info is out there somewhere.
Any thoughts?
There is a lot of information about Colt serial numbers. But Colt pistols represents only a small percentage of the BP revolvers in use.
I look at the various serial numbers on the Italian pistols (oops....Belgian too) and they mean nothing. I have begun to accumulate a small supply of individual parts which I am assuming originated in pistols which were disassembled and spread to the four winds.
When you examine the various serial numbers you can see that they have a different character and I assume this is because different manufacturers put their serial numbers on the pistols in different ways.
In some pistols, the numbers line up nicely, while in others they appear to have been carelessly stamped using individual number punches by a worker who appears to have been under some time pressure.
On my Belgian and on my Colts, the stampings are relatively consistent in their depth. The punches that were used appear to have flat ridges rather than "Vee" shaped ridges. The size of the punches appear to be different from one manufacturer to another. And of course the serial numbers don't reveal a pattern or sequence in the small number of pistols I have.
I am not certain why I think this is important. But I can tell you that the issue came to a head when I was examining a Colt style frame last night. I got this frame separately and wondered who the original manufacturer was. I examined the serial number as a way of finding out. I figured I would compare it with other frames in pistol for whom the manufacturer is known to me.
It would be nice to know the serial number ranges of pistols manufactured overseas in the last 30 or 35 years. It would also be nice to be able to identify a manufacturer not only by the value of the serial number but by the characteristics of the numbering operation.
I know this is a tall order but my guess is that the info is out there somewhere.
Any thoughts?