Colt 1851 Navy - Looking for advice

[Cronus]

I'm looking for anyone's input on what I should look for in a second inspection of a Colt 1851 Navy that I'm interested in purchasing. My guns are 100 to 150years older and revolvers are unfamiliar to me but this one has become available. I've looked it over and it's in functioning order but I didn't know what to look for. The seller knows nothing about it as it belonged to her husband, now deceased. I know from it's 130XXX serial number it's a middle fourth model manufactured in 1862. The serial numbers agree on the backstrap, trigger guard and frame (and all are sharp). The address of Col. Sam Colt etc. on the barrel is not bad.

I didn't see a naval scene on the cylinder as I didn't know to look for it so if it's there it's faint or gone. I see references online about safety pins and what they do but here again I didn't know what to look for. I don't know if they exist and still don't know what to look for as they're not visible on any diagrams I can find. The grips are beautiful and bluing is non-existant. The NRA ANTIQUE FIREARM CONDITIONS STANDARDS suggest the condition is good and perhaps very good if all parts are original (I've yet to thoroughly examine the cylinder for a serial number).

So,
1) what should I look for when I go back Wednesday?
2) what do safety pins look like?
3) did all Colt 1851's have a navy scene on the cylinder?
4) should the cylinder have a serial number and should it agree with the rest of the gun nos. or were they often mismatched for fast reloading reasons?
5 what should I look for in a bore and how do you examine such a small bore as .36 cal. (I'm accustom to looking at a .70 bore on a flintlock which is easy)?
6) How does an asking price of $1200.00CDN sit with what little I can tell you in the above info?
7) I'm pretty sure I saw a patent number somewhere are there any other markings I should be looking for.
8) what should I look for in condition?
9) what should I look for in play i.e. trigger, revolver, spring, loading leader?
10) What should I be wary of (other than little old ladies who say I know nothing and yet know enough to price her Army and Navy Colt differently)?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. I have Flintlock pistols as well as old
Percussion and a Colt Army or Navy would be a nice transitional cap n ball model. She also has a $1500.00CDN 1859 Army (Mfd. 1861) with matching serial numbers, minor pitting in a small area but My books and online reference material threw me all over the place with values. I'm interested in it but.................


Thanks, Doug

 

[Tommygunn]

I'll take a few:

Safety pins are small pegs on the back of the cylinder midway between the chamber, or the nipples. They fit into a slot on the heel of the hammer.
On original guns they may have been beaten down, or possibly broken off, depending on wear.
Colt Navies had the navy scene on the cylinder. Depending on wear it may not be evident. The Confederacy made copies of the Colts without the scenes but if it is a genuine Colt, it should have the scene though you might have to look hard and it may be only partially present.
I believe the cylinder should have the serial no. or atleast partially on the cylinder if it's original to the gun.
I'm not 100% certain about this so I'm subject to correction by someone more expert.
I believe the serial ## was on the bottom of the frame in front of the trigger guard, and on the barrel, just in front of where the ser. # on the frame is.
You're going to have to decide what to look for as far as condition. Do you want a nice condition one? It will cost more.
The rest I'll leave for others.

 

[pohill]

Are you going to shoot it or admire it?
$1200 seems to be a middle of the road price for an original. There are many for alot more, and some for less, though the ones that I've seen for less are close to relic condition.
If I could get a Colt 1851 .36 Navy for $1200, in good condition, with little cylinder scene left, and no serious pitting, and as many matching serial numbers as possible, I'd do it, because I think that is THE Colt to own. I'd probably shoot it once, then admire it, display it, show it off, etc.

 

[scrat]

With that said you need to make sure its functional. Also make sure when the hammer is all the way pulled back that its in line in Battery to fire. You have to pull the hammer back 6 times to check the battery of all the cylinders. Then Obvious look for pittings. How bad are they. Then pull the hammer back in half cock rotate the cylinder make sure it rotates freely ok but in one direction. Then pull the wedge out and take the barrel off. look at the rifiling is it true and very present or worn down. This will give you clues on it functions and how well it works.

 

[Hellgate]

If you are able to look down the barrel, I believe it is gain twist rifling which gets more spiraly toward the muzzle. That is the case for the 1860 Colt Army and one way to tell a fake.

 

[Voodoochile]

Are you sure Hellgate?
I've heard of some Remington's having gain twist rifling but never heard of nor seen any Colt with it not even my 152 year old '51 Colt Navy.

 

[Hellgate]

A friend showed me his grandpa's (or other ancient deceased relative's) original Colt army and he let me knock it apart and lo & behold the barrel had gain twist rifling unlike any of my replicas. I don't know for sure on the '51 Navy but the '60 Army was surely gain twist. I've never looked down the barrel of any other original colt or Remmie.

 

[Old Fuff]

Hellgate is right - Percussion Colt revolvers had gain twist rifling, as did some of the cartridge conversions. Colt changed around 1877 to a regular twist.

Some target grade Renington replicas were made with gain twist barrels, but this wasn't a feature in the original guns.

 

[Voodoochile]

Hmmm I'll have to get back to my dad's then & take a look at the bore of mine "mine has been in my family since before the War of Northern Agression" & I may be wrong on it's rifling.

 

[Old Fuff]

I may be wrong on it's rifling.

To see the gain twist you have to remove the barrel and look through it back to front. If you look front to back it won't be apparent.

 

[Voodoochile]

That's probably why I haven't noticed it then.

The last time the barrel has been off of it was in 1978 "the last time we agreed to shoot the old girl one last time" & since then it has been in the case I made while in high school.