what's the "complete" BP pistol collection ?

C

CaptainCrossman

Moderator
Excluding the "small frame" Colt pistols, what do you consider the "complete" historically accurate BP pistol collection ?

I'm a minimalist, yet a completist- I don't like to buy the same gun twice in a new color, or with a shorter/longer barrel, because those guns just seem like marketing gimmicks to me. Here's my list, there's a degree of "practicality" in it (i.e. no Patersons, Confederate guns, etc.), and I'd like to hear all of yours- this is what I'd someday like to hang on the wall as a "box set" for display- and shooting:

Walker Colt
Dragoon 1st model
Dragoon 2nd model
Dragoon 3rd model
1851 Colt Navy flat barrel 36 cal.
1858 Remington 44 cal.
1860 Colt Army 44 cal.
1861 Colt Navy 36 cal.

and for cartridge conversions:

One Remington conversion, Colt Richards 1st and 2nd designs, Richards-Mason, long cylinder, and 1871-72 open top.

all with at least 7.5" long barrels- no short barrel guns- reason: the shorter loading lever has less leverage for loading the ball in.
 
Can`t forget the
Spiller & Burr 36 cal
Griswold & Gunnison 36 cal
Rogers & Spencer 44 cal

1863 Pocket Remington 31 cal
If you scratch the Confederate guns ........you wouldn`t own any .....the Confederates were known to use those fine yankee made guns also ...
 
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In my opinion, and my collection, you cannot leave out the 1st Colt, the Paterson. Nor can you leave out the most produced Colt, the 1849 .31, or the last Colts that Sam Colt designed, the 1862 .36 Pocket Police and Pocket Navy. I also think that one Dragoon covers all three models.
Then there's the Root (1855) that I've yet to acquire.
Also, the Remington in .36 & .44.
Toss in a Whitney .36, a Savage & North .36 and and Rogers & Spencer, and you got it covered.
 
Paterson (2)
Walker
Dragoon 1st model
Dragoon 2nd model
Dragoon 3rd model (2)
1849 Baby Dragoon
1851 Navy
Trapper .36
Pocket Police
1860 Army (4)
1861 Navy (3) 1 original
1858 Remington (3)
1858 Remington carbine
Pocket Remington
LeMat
Leech & Rigdon
Griswold & Gunnison (3)
Schneider & Glassick
Rogers & Spencer
SA Star
DA Star

I'm sure there could be more added to my list. I need the pocket police, the two Star's and the .36 Remy to complete my collection.
Your addicted when you start collecting variations of the same gun.
Almost forgot, Whitney, an original if possible.

The last one I would let go....the LeMat. The EBR of the Civil War.
 
Here is a few in my collection ....I made a shadowbox out of a glass top coffee table .....with the wife`s premission of course ...

2eprod2.jpg
there is a Spiller & Burr
Colt Walker
Rogers & Spencer
Griswold & Gunnison
1863 Remington Pocket pistol
And a few things from the era I enjoy looking at
 
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If you want to save money ....keep those in mind you want and check Gunbroker Auctions every day ..and buy as the best deals come up ..
This is how I started ....I have very few I paid full retail for ..
always a good to ask around in the forums also ...someone may have one they want to sell so they can buy something else ..this happens alot also .
 
IMNSHO you cannot have even a semi complete collection without the 'small frame' pocket models or the Confederate models.

In addition to the previously mentioned:

Whitneyville (transition) Model Dragoon
Leech and Ansley Augusta model Navy
Dance Brothers in both .36 and .44 caliber
Tucker and Sherrod .44 cal
Manhattan in .31 and .36 cal
1848 Colt Pocket Model with and without the loading lever
1849 Colt pocket Model in 5 and 6 shot versions
1861 .36 cal Remington Navy

Quote grymster:
OK.... so what order to collect them in?
Click to expand...

Collect them as they become available at low prices.

Quote Sundance44s:
If you want to save money ....keep those in mind you want and check Gunbroker Auctions every day ..and buy as the best deals come up ..
This is how I started ....I have very few I paid full retail for ..
Click to expand...

That's how I got started also. Check Auction Arms, Guns International, and Guns America Daily too. You can get good deals at Greg Martin Auctions, Rock Island Auctions, and Gunslinger Auctions. NIB 2nd Gens, Sig Series & Ubertis go for much less than retail there also.
 
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Dingoboyx was correct when he mentioned the Ruger Old Army. The only history it has is its own but it's probably the best made BP gun available.
Some of the guns on these lists will be hard to find - the Paterson, for example (with or without an attached loading lever).
Yep, and then there's the Southern guns, too. Hope you're not in a hurry.
 
The question was not limited to percussion revolvers, yet that's all anyone has suggested.

There are many, many more flintlock and percussion sidelock single shot pistols that deserve a place on the list. I don't have the energy to type even a basic, rudimentary list; it's larger than any of those proposed so far.
 
I had given it a thought; but the OP only had a small list of C&B single action revolvers and conversions on it.

You're right. There's a loooooooooooong lost of flint & percussion single shot pistols that could be included.
 
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