Check out my new shootin' irons.............

[cciota]

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz83/cciota/005.jpg


Top one is a Cabelas 1858 Remington New Army and the bottom is a Colt Navy that my Grandfather gave to my Dad. He, in turn, sent it to me last week. I think it is a 1851 Colt in .44.

Maybe some of you can help me out and tell me what I have. The cylinder is engraved with a naval battle scene an the inscription ""engaged 16 May, 1843". "Euroarms * Brescia Made in Italy" is stamped on the top of the barrel.

I think my Dad tried to take the Colt apart with a jackhammer. The wedge is all boogered up so I ordered a new one from Dixie Gun Works. I took it apart and cleaned it yesterday. A little rust in the chambers of the cylinder but not too bad. I noticed a few of the nipples looked smashed on one side. He said he never fired the weapon, so I figured it had to be dry fired.

I'm waiting for a few odds and ends to arrive from Dixie Gun Works and I then I'll finally take them out and see what they can do!

[slamfire51]

Nice looking shootin irons there.
Your dad more than likely dry fired it to mushroom the nipples. A common mistake.
Did you order a nipple wrench? It's a must have. You need to remove the nipples after every firing to prevent rust from forming on the threads.

The bottom is a Navy model, I believe, although most Navy models were, IIRC, 36 cal.

Good score there. They are a hoot to shoot. I wish I had my back.

[cciota]

Your dad more than likely dry fired it to mushroom the nipples. A common mistake.
Did you order a nipple wrench? It's a must have. You need to remove the nipples after every firing to prevent rust from forming on the threads.

The bottom is a Navy model, I believe, although most Navy models were, IIRC, 36 cal.

Good score there. They are a hoot to shoot. I wish I had my back.

Yep, I got one when I ordered the Remington. I also found out the scoop on the Colt. After the success of the 1851 Navy, Colt made a civilian model of the 1851 Navy in .44 caliber.

[slamfire51]

Yep, I got one when I ordered the Remington. I also found out the scoop on the Colt. After the success of the 1851 Navy, Colt made a civilian model of the 1851 Navy in .44 caliber.

LOL, I still have a little memory from 30+ yrs. ago when I owned mine.

Enjoy!!!

[O.S.O.K.]

Welcome to the dark side. :anim_beer-1:

[old Grump]

Are you going to clean them like a civilized man or take them into the shower with a brush like I do and kill two birds with one stone so to speak. Purty guns the both of them but for some strange reason the Navy seems to appeal to me more. When you get tired of it I know of a good home for them.

[cciota]

Are you going to clean them like a civilized man or take them into the shower with a brush like I do and kill two birds with one stone so to speak.

I can just imagine how that conversation would go with the wife.

[old Grump]

Well she can clean one while you do her back and then you do the other while she cleans your back. You do let her shoot them don't you? That way she is obligated to help out.

[slamfire51]

I always threw mine in the dishwasher.

[cciota]

Well she can clean one while you do her back and then you do the other while she cleans your back. You do let her shoot them don't you? That way she is obligated to help out.

I haven't shot them yet but she can't wait to try them out.

[slamfire51]

I haven't shot them yet but she can't wait to try them out.


The back washing or shooting the pistols?

[cciota]

The back washing or shooting the pistols?

Depends on her mood.:thumbspbig:

[slamfire51]

Depends on her mood.:thumbspbig:


Doesn't it always? :laugh:

[aliceinchains]

They are eye candy to me. Now why did you go and want me to spend money on something else i wanted.

[alismith]

Nice guns. You're going to love them. Once you become familiar with all the aspects of BP revolvers, it'll become almost second nature shooting them.

[Maser**]

Those are nice. I picked one up at a gun show once. VERY heavy.

[Kadmos]

After the success of the 1851 Navy, Colt made a civilian model of the 1851 Navy in .44 caliber.

Pretty sure they didn't.

The .44s were either the Army or the dragoons.

The barrel isn't an army and the cyclinder isn't a dragoon.

Colt made a "civilian" army but not the navy. The civilian Army doesn't have the 4th screws for the stock.

I think I see a step down on the frame, but can't tell on my screen. About midway under the cyclinder that slant might have a little step down because of the larger diameter of the front of the cyclinder. If it has that, then it's an Army frame.

Basically it's an Army frame and cyclinder, with a navy style barrel in army caliber.

Kind of a "fantasy" gun.

Should both be real fun guns

[cciota]

Pretty sure they didn't.

The .44s were either the Army or the dragoons.

The barrel isn't an army and the cyclinder isn't a dragoon.


Colt made a "civilian" army but not the navy. The civilian Army doesn't have the 4th screws for the stock.

I think I see a step down on the frame, but can't tell on my screen. About midway under the cyclinder that slant might have a little step down because of the larger diameter of the front of the cyclinder. If it has that, then it's an Army frame.

Basically it's an Army frame and cyclinder, with a navy style barrel in army caliber.

Kind of a "fantasy" gun.

Should both be real fun guns

This is the info I was going from:
http://www.cabelas.com/p-0012107.shtml

And then I have this. third column over, third row down:
http://rprca.tripod.com/ModelsColt1851Navy.htm

I could be wrong but I'm just trying to learn.

[Kadmos]

This is the info I was going from:
http://www.cabelas.com/p-0012107.shtml

And then I have this. third column over, third row down:
http://rprca.tripod.com/ModelsColt1851Navy.htm

I could be wrong but I'm just trying to learn.

The "civilian" part they refer to is the steel, or silver plated or nickle plated backstrap and triggerguard.

Alot of private (non military) customers liked the plating rather than brass, when the English government ordered Colts they wanted steel making those the "London" model.

Navy actually is a term collectors gave them and refers to the caliber (.36) as is Army (.44).

In reality the US Army and Navy ordered both types

Is the plunger for the loading lever system 36 cal or 44 cal?

[az_paul]

Congrats!! Nice catches.

[cciota]

Is the plunger for the loading lever system 36 cal or 44 cal?

The plunger is a .36. I just measured it. What does that mean?

[Kadmos]

The plunger is a .36. I just measured it. What does that mean?

A couple of things.

1st colt would never have done something like that on a production model

But, I've heard rumours of some replica company that actually did them in .44 on a "navy"....which may or may not be rare, but I think they would be. I've always seen them in .36 of course.

[cciota]

A couple of things.

1st colt would never have done something like that on a production model

But, I've heard rumours of some replica company that actually did them in .44 on a "navy"....which may or may not be rare, but I think they would be. I've always seen them in .36 of course.

I was reading where the Colt Army used the same frame as the Colt Navy but the Army was in .44. The thing that keeps throwing me off is that the Colt that I have , as you can see in the picture, has an octogon barrel and the 1860 Colt Army had a round barrel.

I just talked to my Dad and asked him when my Grandfather gave it to him. My Dad said he got it 40 years ago and my Mom said my Grandfather had it way before he gave it to my Dad.

[Kadmos]

I was reading where the Colt Army used the same frame as the Colt Navy but the Army was in .44. The thing that keeps throwing me off is that the Colt that I have , as you can see in the picture, has an octogon barrel and the 1860 Colt Army had a round barrel.

I just talked to my Dad and asked him when my Grandfather gave it to him. My Dad said he got it 40 years ago and my Mom said my Grandfather had it way before he gave it to my Dad.

Yeah the frames are pretty much the same, but the army has that step down milled for the larger caliber and some armys have the extra screws for the shoulder stock

But the army is a round barrel with a rather different more ornate look with the different lever system and contour.

nearly all of the Italian ones have a date code on the side either roman numerals or a pair of letters

here is a great resource on the markings for that
https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/POWDER/MBPProofmarks.pdf

[cciota]

Yeah the frames are pretty much the same, but the army has that step down milled for the larger caliber and some armys have the extra screws for the shoulder stock

But the army is a round barrel with a rather different more ornate look with the different lever system and contour.

nearly all of the Italian ones have a date code on the side either roman numerals or a pair of letters

here is a great resource on the markings for that
https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/POWDER/MBPProofmarks.pdf

Thanks for the info. My pistol has XX8 stamped in it so it was proof test in 1973. The other thing I noticed is that ".44 cal. Navy Colt" is stamped on the left side of the barrel. That, in it's self, is a contridiction. I just e-mailed Euroarms of Amaerica and see if they can give me any info. We'll se what that gets me.

[Kadmos]

Make sure you update us if you hear more from them.

They are neat and so fun to shoot.