My "new" Colt 1860 Army

44caliberkid · November 30, 2012, 10:35:57 AM

The Colt 1860 Army is my favorite gun of all time. I have about 15 repros including 2 Belgian Centaurs. I've always wanted an original but they just cost too much. However, last night I was at an auction that had one. The seller had quite an extensive gun collection and all his pieces were very nice examples. I was just getting ready to quit bidding on this 1860 Colt. It was going, going... and I threw my hand up one more time. I got it.
It is a Colt 1860 Army, manufactured in 1863. Nice even patina finish. All matching serial numbers. Nice clear barrel address and patent markings. The scene on the cylinder is faded , but you can see elements of it. The stocks have cartouches but you can only see the outlines. It is totally mechanically sound. Bore is very good, dull silver but very strong rifling. The only negative is someone varnished the stocks at some point in it's history. I am thrilled to have this wonderful 150 year old piece and it will go well with our original Smith carbine and Maynard Carbine.
Best part is my wife was happy too. As the bidding was coming to an end and I wasn't going to bid again, she said to me, "Are you sure?", encouraging me to go one more time. She loves antiques and the Civil War, so she was all for and thinks it is as cool as I do.

hellgate · November 30, 2012, 11:36:01 AM

What is cool is to look down the barrel and see the progressive rifling! That gun is BETTER than money in the bank. It will be worth more than you paid for it in years to come. I don't see their value going down. What you did was preserve some cash. Also, you gotta great wife. She's a "keeper" too!

Fingers McGee · November 30, 2012, 11:38:29 AM

Congrats on a great score Kid

Deadeye Dick · December 01, 2012, 10:21:31 AM

I'm envious!!!!

RickB · December 01, 2012, 11:01:45 AM

Congratulations. Beautiful gun. You're now an owner of a piece of history.

TwoWalks Baldridge · December 01, 2012, 06:36:15 PM

Now the real fun can begin ... tracking down the history for that beautiful piece of history.

fourfingersofdeath · December 02, 2012, 01:08:45 AM

Well done. Sam Colt not made a great weapon, he made ones that had an unique style of their own. You are right, your wife is a keeper!

brazosdave · December 02, 2012, 08:12:30 PM

Very nice indeed! Congrats on your new aqquisition!

Filthy Lucre · December 03, 2012, 10:47:16 AM

Congratulations. Had a few original Remmies but always wanted the 1860.

Steel Horse Bailey · December 04, 2012, 12:50:32 AM

Howdy, Clint!

Long time, no see or talk.

Congratulations on your newest keepsake! Shucks, I'd be happy with ONE Centaure by itself, let alone TWO and an original Colt!

I have a question about the varnished stocks. Is the backstrap brass? If so, isn't it a civilian model? I'm certainly no expert, but it could be that a civilian version - which MAY have been assembled with an already-stamped military stock chunk of wood, but then varnished. I say that because I THINK that civilian wood was often varnished (with some stain in it, if I understand correctly) but they might have made the switcheroo due to shortage of materials. I suppose a serial number check would tell, but maybe they did fill some civilian model orders during the 1861-1865 period.

OR ...

Maybe someone in the gun's past decided to put varnish on the military cartouched stock off of that Military model 1860, of which I can't see the steel backstrap in the photos.

Whatever ... it's a keeper! Like I said, I'm no expert, nor do I portray one on TV, but it's fun to speculate.

SHB

44caliberkid · December 04, 2012, 05:22:26 PM

Steel Horse! good to hear from you. I was waiting for you to notice this post. The back strap is steel. I had always though the military stamps weren't applied till the military took possession and inspected the piece. A stamp of approval.

Cliff Fendley · December 04, 2012, 10:07:18 PM

Quote from: Deadeye Dick on December 01, 2012, 10:21:31 AM
I'm envious!!!!

Me too!

Steel Horse Bailey · December 05, 2012, 09:17:44 AM

Quote from: 44caliberkid on December 04, 2012, 05:22:26 PM
Steel Horse! good to hear from you. I was waiting for you to notice this post. The back strap is steel. I had always though the military stamps weren't applied till the military took possession and inspected the piece. A stamp of approval.

Good to hear from ya, Pard!

Well, by all I've heard & read, the Military models had steel backstraps, so without checking the serial numbers, I'd say that one was Military issue at one time. Certainly the cartouche on the grips adds to that. I think I can see the breech cutout for the stock attachment, right? Do you have a stock to fit it? They are ~~probably~~ more expensive than the guns, if original, I'll wager! I know both Civ. & Mil. models often had the cutouts.

Well, it sounds like you may have gotten the "Deal of the Year." Check with Raven or Walt Kirst or some other folk who are experts on real Colts, and maybe you could Zip-Strip (or the nicer to use, but slower orange stuff) the varnish off that grip, then re-oil it without hurting any value. Or simply leave it alone.

Whatever you do, you sure got a great one at that auction.

And your new gun is cool, too!

(Say "Hi" for me.

)

Jeff - SHB