colt 1851? old or repo

[timedoc]

Hello, I have just purchased this revolver at auction. Last week I purchased a pietta 1851 and thought it would be nice to buy an old gun. I have been trying to educate myself on the 1851 colt navy and the more I read the more confused I get. Some of my questions are as follows, what year would the serial #19893 signify, on the cylinder just after the serial # there is the number 2 stamped sideways, left side of trigger guide is a stamped k and on the upper left trigger guard is a stamped x, the counter sink for the ram seems to be on the wrong side from pictures I have seen and the front sight is very strange and I cannot find any thing like it, also under very powerful magnification I cannot see where it has been attached looks like it has been casted like that. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Ps somwhere between the photo of the gun and me buying it someone helped them self to the ram screw, I have the ram but missing the screw. I also realize the gun is in horrible condition but still love it and would like it even more if it proves to be a 1800 revolver, Thanks Again. Bob.

 

[Berkley]

Looks to me like a genuine Third Model (small rounded trigger guard) Colt 1851 Navy, made in 1853.
The small letters and numbers found on trigger guard and other places are factory inspectors' marks. Front sight was added by someone long ago, and appears to be heavily corroded around the area where it was dovetailed into the top barrel flat.
Not sure what you mean by "counter sink for ram seems to be on the wrong side", but the only side view you show looks normal.
Nice old gun, looks like it could benefit from a little TLC with some oil and a clean rag, but decent condition overall. Dixie Gun Works should have a replacement screw.

 

[J-Bar]

If this is truly an original Colt, I would get a written appraisal on its value from a recognzed authority before doing ANYTHING to it. What we may consider minor cleaning could affect it's value.

True, it does not appear to have been well cared for as it is, but there is no point in risking reducing its value further until you know for sure what you got.

Here's hoping you got lucky!! Personally, I like guns that show their history.

 

[rcflint]

The serial number 185000 started in 1866, 200000 started 1867. some loading plunger screws mounted from the right and some from the left, there doesn't seem to be any year or serial number range associated with the difference. It is usually on the opposite side of the other frame screws.

See if you can locate the book "51 Colt Navies" by Nathan L. Swayze. Originally published by Gun Hill Publishing Co., Yazoo City, Mississippi, 1967. Reprinted in 1993 by The Gun Room Press, Highland Park, N.J.. ISBN 0-88227-030-3 Library of Congress Card 67-19544.

 

[Crawdad1]

From what I see it has all the right markings for an original. First thing is get all the paperwork for it and go from there.

 

[Jim K]

The rammer will have only the last 4 or 5 of the serial number. The full serial should be on the barrel (where it meets the frame on the bottom), on the frame right behind the barrel number, on the trigger guard right behind that, and on the bottom of the rear grip piece. Those should all be complete and all match.

If there are no serial numbers in those places, or only on the frame the gun is most likely a repro. It would be very uncommon for all the numbers to be worn or rusted away. This is what they should look like.


Also, for any real assessment, we need good quality large pictures of both sides of the gun, as well as top and bottom, then photos of the serial numbers and the cylinder markings (should also have the last digits of the serial number).

Jim