Questions About A Colt 1851 Navy

[expat_alaska]

I came across this photo of a Colt 1851 Navy .36 in a book by Graham Smith (2011) and was intrigued by a few things.



First is the apparent lack of a roll-marked cylinder on a somewhat later model revolver.

Second is the shape of the trigger guard. It appears to be brass (as is the backstrap) but has the shape of the London model which was almost always iron/steel for the British market. (See #5 in the photo below from Swayze's '51 Navy Colts).




Maybe it was a brass version made in Hartford after the closing of the London factory?

The grip is very slim in profile and the length almost seems to be between a Navy and an Army.

Looking for opinions.

Regards,

Jim

 

[ShotgunDave]

Jim, it is possible that the cylinder scene is just worn off. That looks like a well used gun in the picture, and it was pretty common for the cylinder scene to wear off. The picture isn't very clear, so it's hard to tell if there is still a faint imprint on the cylinder.

The trigger guard could be from a London model. Again, the picture is a little fuzzy so it's hard to tell if that's brass or silver plated. Some of the London guns had silver plated trigger guards. Being a Navy contract gun, it could have been assembled using parts from wherever. Colt didn't waste anything, and maybe there were some trigger guards left over from London and he used them to complete guns for the contract. Just a theory of course.

 

[expat_alaska]

The Navy contract guns, known as Navy/Navy (as opposed to Army contract guns known as Navy/Army) all had iron trigger guards and iron backstraps in this style. None of the martial versions were silver plated to my knowledge as that was a civilian come-on, and silver plating was almost always on brass parts, not blued iron. Although the photo does not show it, there should also be a USN stamp on the bottom of the backstrap, as well as a US stamp under the COLTS PATENT on the left side of the frame.

Regards,

Jim

 

[Pocket]

I came across this photo of a Colt 1851 Navy .36 in a book by Graham Smith (2011) and was intrigued by a few things.

View attachment 827204

First is the apparent lack of a roll-marked cylinder on a somewhat later model revolver.

Second is the shape of the trigger guard. It appears to be brass (as is the backstrap) but has the shape of the London model which was almost always iron/steel for the British market. (See #5 in the photo below from Swayze's '51 Navy Colts).


View attachment 827205

Maybe it was a brass version made in Hartford after the closing of the London factory?

The grip is very slim in profile and the length almost seems to be between a Navy and an Army.

Looking for opinions.

Regards,

Jim

I wish I had enough knowledge and experience with these to be able to pick out that kind of detail.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

Jim - Maybe the one in your photo went with Commodore Perry to Japan?
Note the trigger guard in drawing number one listed as the "Early Model."
http://americansocietyofarmscollect...ol-markings-and-variations-B065_Pachanian.pdf
In Figure 21, at the end of the article, he mentions that the early Navies in his study had square iron guards but at the beginning he states that he did not have any of those from before the 1857 purchase of 2000 by the Navy so perhaps Colt used brass on the early - Early (1852-1856) Models!?!
Did Smith's book mention the serial number?

 

[expat_alaska]

EK,

Very good information, sir! I saved a copy of that file.

Smith did not provide a serial number and that is the only photo of it that he provided. The book is picture heavy and not info heavy. A candidate for a coffee table book.

Thanks,

Jim