1860 Colt questions

[shooter93]

I have a pair of Colt Blackpowder 1860 Armies made buy the now defunct Blackpowder arms company. A long story as how I ended up with these but I may part with them. I think they are Second Generation, not Signature series ones. They are marked....United States Cavalry Commemorative...serial numbered....1xxx US and US 1xxx and have wood grips with the cartouche on them. Any ideas which generation these are?  And what size caps do they take?Thanks.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I would go to whomever your local 'SASS' gunshop is and aske them about worth. When they give you a price that they would take, figure in about $150 for them to turn them around, and you are probably pretty close. IMHO

As far as the cap size, I would go on the Darksiders Den with that question ... in fact, I would put both these questions in there .... you might get a broader audience...

Then I would take them to a Black Powder shooting group .... just from reading, it seems like most either use #10 or #11 caps ... somebody would probably have some extra to try out ... again, IMHO

[Grogan]

I believe you are right, and those most likely ARE 2nd Gen Colt Blackpowder revolvers.

I'm far from an expert on those, but I was around and "looking" back in the days when those were produced.

If my memory serves me correctly there were several different cased "sets" of revolvers offered at different times.

The ones that I'm most familiar with were the individually cased '51 Navy sets of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, slightly different versions (round Trigger Guard & Square Backed Trigger Guard) of the '51 Navy with acroutments in a fitted case and each had a different style Powder Flask. 

Seems I also remember the same two revolvers in a double case that came together as a set.

I think that's what you have here in these two U.S. Cavalry Commemorative revolvers; they most likely originally came together in a double fitted case along with accessories.

[Major 2]

Two cased U.S. Cavalry Commemorative revolvers  came with the shoulder stock and accessories , as Second Gens.
Caps are # 11,  I found the longer RWS Green label fit best over the RWS Red Label which I pefer on my 2nd gen 51 Navy.

Value ?    I've seen prices asked + $1200 - $1400 ... unfired in pristene cond. even higher.

[Fingers McGee]

Your pistols are 2nd Gens made in 1978.  If you just have the pistols, they are worth between $250 and $750 each, depending on condition, box, papers, etc.  If you have the complete cased set, value of it runs between $800 and $1500, again depending on condition, boxes, papers, etc.  Most recent sales of the complete commemorative set on GB have been in the $900 to $1200 range. 

2nd Gens usually work fine with either Remington #10s or #11s.  You may have to use more than one size/brand to see what each individual pistol likes best.

FM