'HOLY GRAIL' OF CANADIAN MILITARY HANDGUN COLLECTING ACQUIRED - NOW RECEIVED!

[Texas Lawdog]

RSJ, It will be worth the wait, I am sure. RCJ, I like your definitions of the museum and a closet. I think my closet qualifies.

[RattlesnakeJack]

Just a bit of an update on the survival rate of Upper and Lower Canada-marked Colt revolvers .....

In my initial posting, I indicated that only about 200 of these revolvers are known to have survived. However, to ease the wait for mine to arrive I have been reviewing my references, and it turns out that although there are over 200 known serial numbers associated with surviving revolvers, as of 1997 (the last date any details were published) there were only 162 known revolvers.

The reason for the discrepancy is that many of the surviving revolvers have mismatched serial numbers among the four components so marked on Model 1851 Colts. Because the mismatches of known examples are apparently all between revolvers issued to the same Troop of Cavalry (no inter-Troop mismatches having been noted, at any rate) the writers surmise that mismatching likely occurred when the revolvers were serviced by the Troop armourer, and then reassembled without re-matching the serial numbers. (Personally, I think it is just as likely that at least some of the mismatching may be the result of salvaging parts from excessively worn or damaged revolvers to keep others serviceable. That is precisely what has been happening for years with the WWII-produced Inglis High Power pistols which remain Canada's primary-issue military handgun to this day ....)

At any rate, I can say of my newly that acquired revolver (which also has mismatched serial numbers) that neither its Troop issue-marking, nor the two different serial numbers I am aware of on its components, were included in the most recent published update (1997). I have asked the seller to include all information he has on the provenance of the revolver, but I believe he mentioned that he acquired the revolver in 1997 or later.

[Texas Lawdog]

RSJ, It would be nice to know if there is any History with the revolver. I wish you well in your quest for the other revolvers.

[Dr. Bob]

RJR,

My heartiest congratulations on your acquisition!  Bully!  It couldn't have a better home!

[Border Ruffian]

Congratulations on such a treasure!!!!!

[RattlesnakeJack]

My Upper Canada- marked Colt London Navy has reached its new home!   

Turns out all of the visible serial numbers match on frame, barrel, loading lever, trigger guard, grip frame/backstrap, and it is just the cylinder which is mismatched.  (It is also British proofed, so my mild concern that it might turn out to be an inappropriate US-produced cylinder haven proven groundless.)

Looks like the bore and chambers will take a bit of scrubbing .....  There is quite distinct rifling, but some apparent patches of moderate pitting.  Cones (nipples) appear to be quite "elderly", although I cannot if course say if they are original.  They are fairly rusted and there is a fair amount of rust in and around the cone recesses, so some soaking will clearly be necessary before any attempt to remove them.

There is quite a bit of forward/back play of the cylinder on the cylinder pin, which at its maximum leaves a gap of about 1/6th of an inch between the rear of the barrel and the cylinder face .... so I'm not terribly keen on trying to actually fire it in its current state.  Must determine if there is any sort of "approved fix" for such a problem which does not involve irreversible alteration to the revolver ..... but It actually appears to me that a washer-like shim of suitable thickness, and clearing the "ratchet projections", could be placed at the rear of the cylinder to ride between its rear bearing surface  and the corresponding raised bearing surface on the recoil shield to keep the cylinder ahead but still permit complete functioning.

Here are a few of my initial photographs:







Couldn't resist a shot of my new acquisition together with its Uberti reproduction "great-great-grandnephew"  (my mid-1970's Albion Arms "limited edition/commemorative") -

[Dr. Bob]

Kewel!!

[Texas Lawdog]

It is in remarkably good condition. Congrats. on your aquisition.