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Colt Navy, real or not?
Trexx1
Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
Warning post is text and pic heavy.
Looking for some advice on a Colt Navy that has been in storage for years
My issue is that I live in Canada; if the gun is a repro then it becomes an unregistered restricted weapon under Canadian law and needs to be dealt with as such. In this case even shipping it to an expert for evaluation would be extremely problematic.
If it is genuine it is an antique and can be freely transported, displayed, shipped or sold as such.
I have read pretty much every post on every thread on every forum I could find regarding fakes, reproductions or authenticating the Colt Navy and all I have confirmed is that I am in over my head when it comes to old Colts.
The gun has serious problems that would certainly affect collectability.
It has, at the very least, been polished out, re-blued and then stripped again.
It may or may not be made up of some repro parts.
No markings or trace of a picture of any kind remain on the cylinder.
No markings except 36 cal on side of frame remain and a 7 on the trigger guard.
The top of the barrel reads: address col sam l......and the rest is gone except for some pitting.
Serial number is 151158 and numbers match on barrel, frame and the brass.
No numbers on loading arm, wedge has same SN but missing first digit (1) then a big space before the last digit (8)
No letter or numbers on right side.
No letters or numbers under or on loading lever.
Front of cylinder has an 8
Bottom of shaft that cylinder rotates on has SN less first digit.
What looks like another 8 on the face of the action where the caps slide over the nipples.
Cylinder action is loose, point the gun at the ceiling and the action works, point the gun at the floor and the advancing action on the cylinder does not work. The hand and spring need replacing.
Some silvering remaining on brass under the one piece grips.
I picked up a bunch of small metric and machine thread screws at Home Depot.
None fit.
Under a magnifier the new screws look like a shiny v-groove thread on the other hand the threads on the screws from my gun look like rounded, pitted humps when magnified.
I would probably still write it off as a messed up repro except for one thing, the barrel has progressive gain twist.
Is it authentic or legally antique or not?
See attached pics
Thanks for any advice.
![img]](http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz250/travellingman_ca/8_zps2b008195.jpg/img])
![img]](http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz250/travellingman_ca/7_zps34ad35f7.jpg/img])
![img]](http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz250/travellingman_ca/6_zps0f58a389.jpg/img])
![img]](http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz250/travellingman_ca/4_zps23d7cdbe.jpg/img])
![img]](http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz250/travellingman_ca/3_zpsade09656.jpg/img])
![img]](http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz250/travellingman_ca/2_zpsfd4c0e48.jpg/img])
![img]](http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz250/travellingman_ca/1_zps319ff2a3.jpg/img])
Looking for some advice on a Colt Navy that has been in storage for years
My issue is that I live in Canada; if the gun is a repro then it becomes an unregistered restricted weapon under Canadian law and needs to be dealt with as such. In this case even shipping it to an expert for evaluation would be extremely problematic.
If it is genuine it is an antique and can be freely transported, displayed, shipped or sold as such.
I have read pretty much every post on every thread on every forum I could find regarding fakes, reproductions or authenticating the Colt Navy and all I have confirmed is that I am in over my head when it comes to old Colts.
The gun has serious problems that would certainly affect collectability.
It has, at the very least, been polished out, re-blued and then stripped again.
It may or may not be made up of some repro parts.
No markings or trace of a picture of any kind remain on the cylinder.
No markings except 36 cal on side of frame remain and a 7 on the trigger guard.
The top of the barrel reads: address col sam l......and the rest is gone except for some pitting.
Serial number is 151158 and numbers match on barrel, frame and the brass.
No numbers on loading arm, wedge has same SN but missing first digit (1) then a big space before the last digit (8)
No letter or numbers on right side.
No letters or numbers under or on loading lever.
Front of cylinder has an 8
Bottom of shaft that cylinder rotates on has SN less first digit.
What looks like another 8 on the face of the action where the caps slide over the nipples.
Cylinder action is loose, point the gun at the ceiling and the action works, point the gun at the floor and the advancing action on the cylinder does not work. The hand and spring need replacing.
Some silvering remaining on brass under the one piece grips.
I picked up a bunch of small metric and machine thread screws at Home Depot.
None fit.
Under a magnifier the new screws look like a shiny v-groove thread on the other hand the threads on the screws from my gun look like rounded, pitted humps when magnified.
I would probably still write it off as a messed up repro except for one thing, the barrel has progressive gain twist.
Is it authentic or legally antique or not?
See attached pics
Thanks for any advice.
Comments
But, the SN you gave sounds right for a Colt 1851 Navy made in 1853. I can't imagine anyone repeatedly polishing a reproduction, but then, I can't imagine anyone doing that to a genuine old Colt.
Your post wasn't clear on who owns the gun. If it's yours, I suspect that our advice may be different than if it's something you are considering purchasing.
In any case, value is minimal.
Neal
Warning post is text and pic heavy.
Looking for some advice on a Colt Navy that has been in storage for years
My issue is that I live in Canada; if the gun is a repro then it becomes an unregistered restricted weapon under Canadian law and needs to be dealt with as such. In this case even shipping it to an expert for evaluation would be extremely problematic.
If it is genuine it is an antique and can be freely transported, displayed, shipped or sold as such.
I have read pretty much every post on every thread on every forum I could find regarding fakes, reproductions or authenticating the Colt Navy and all I have confirmed is that I am in over my head when it comes to old Colts.
The gun has serious problems that would certainly affect collectability.
It has, at the very least, been polished out, re-blued and then stripped again.
It may or may not be made up of some repro parts.
No markings or trace of a picture of any kind remain on the cylinder.
No markings except 36 cal on side of frame remain and a 7 on the trigger guard.
The top of the barrel reads: address col sam l......and the rest is gone except for some pitting.
Serial number is 151158 and numbers match on barrel, frame and the brass.
No numbers on loading arm, wedge has same SN but missing first digit (1) then a big space before the last digit (8)
No letter or numbers on right side.
No letters or numbers under or on loading lever.
Front of cylinder has an 8
Bottom of shaft that cylinder rotates on has SN less first digit.
What looks like another 8 on the face of the action where the caps slide over the nipples.
Cylinder action is loose, point the gun at the ceiling and the action works, point the gun at the floor and the advancing action on the cylinder does not work. The hand and spring need replacing.
Some silvering remaining on brass under the one piece grips.
I picked up a bunch of small metric and machine thread screws at Home Depot.
None fit.
Under a magnifier the new screws look like a shiny v-groove thread on the other hand the threads on the screws from my gun look like rounded, pitted humps when magnified.
I would probably still write it off as a messed up repro except for one thing, the barrel has progressive gain twist.
Is it authentic or legally antique or not?
See attached pics
Thanks for any advice.
Fixed it for ya [;)]
Considering the condition the revolvers in, my WAG is, that it's a original Colt. The condition is so poor, to restore it would be prohibitively expensive, IMHO.
The dull gray finish is characteristic.
I'm thinking real 19th century revolver + 20th century rust remover.
The dull gray finish is characteristic.
Yep. A Naval revolver cleaned with Naval Jelly.
It's an original, though, manufactured in 1863, not 1853.
Oh, Cisco.
Oh, Pancho.
Kind of sad. Except for its chemical habits, the gun looks in good condition. The screws and wedge are in decent shape, for example.
I would check around about inducing a patinated effect with one of the browning solutions. A real restoration would be extremely expensive.
As I stated right from the get go my primary question was whether or not it was a real antique.
In Canada getting caught with an uregistered restricted weapon( modern reproduction) is viewed as a serious issue.
I am going to continue to keep this old gun as an old, antique wallhanger.
I realize that its value to a collecter has been done in by "The Jelly" but hey it's a cool old
gun from back in the day.
If anyone has further opinions or ideas on the status of this gun please let me know