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found colt 1860

lig66lig66 Member Posts: 130 ✭✭
edited October 2018 in Ask the Experts
Back in the year 1904 my granddad found an old rusted army 1860 cap & ball revolver on his land in Wells county No. Dakota. It hung in his bunk house for many years. The butt was scared from use as a hammer to pound nails. I now have possession of this relic and will pass it onto my son.
I'd love to get a trace of history on it but cannot afford the high price of $300 to get it from Colt Co.
Who knows what an interesting background it has. Your comments?

Comments

  • lig66lig66 Member Posts: 130 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My grandfather found an old rusty colt 1860 army revolver while plowing his No. Dakota field. It's now mine and I'd like some history on it. The ser. # is 10973. Since Colt company is belly up, I may need a new source for information. What say you?
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,365 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Can you read the serial number? If so, we can at least look up when it was made.

    A factory letter will describe the original configuration of the gun in caliber, barrel length, finish, and grips.
    It will say when and where it was shipped. Nearly all guns go from factory to distributor or dealer, really neat stuff like direct sales to historical characters is extremely rare. And of course there is no way to tell how it got from the dealer to ND.
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    People say buy the gun not the story. In your case you have a hundred years of the story, you just need to create the beginning.

    I think it was of the hole in the wall gangs pistols lost during a posse chase.

    added My book says 1862
  • lig66lig66 Member Posts: 130 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Serial no. is 10973quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
    Can you read the serial number? If so, we can at least look up when it was made.

    A factory letter will describe the original configuration of the gun in caliber, barrel length, finish, and grips.
    It will say when and where it was shipped. Nearly all guns go from factory to distributor or dealer, really neat stuff like direct sales to historical characters is extremely rare. And of course there is no way to tell how it got from the dealer to ND.
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,365 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Highly likely to have been the War of Northern Aggression USGI, then.

    Military surplus has been cheap for a long long time and a cap and ball would let you go armed for a lot less than a newfangled britchloading Colt or Smith and Western.
    Sears & Rareback would sell you a Spencer or Sharps for a lot less than a Winchester in 1901, and ALFA in Germany still had Colt Navy revolvers in 1911.
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,714 ******
    edited November -1
    If it was made in 1862, a factory letter would most likely say shipped to the US Government inspector and not much else. I wouldn't spend the money for a letter unless it was factory engraved but it's up to you. They may not even have a record of it as a fire at the Colt factory in 1873 destroyed a lot of records.

    All 1860 Army models are standard configuration.
  • spiritsspirits Member Posts: 363 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A friend's father found a Colt 1873 Single Action with holster and ammo belt sticking out of the bank of a muddy river a long time ago while he was crossing the river in a horse and wagon somewhere in south Texas. The father passed the Colt 1873 to my friend and it looked like his father never shoot it so my friend cleans it - looks at it and wonders what stories it could tell - only if it could. He does shoot the Italy made Colt 1873s.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    Hello just a heads up colt letters do not have a fixed cost on all letters
    you can call and ask if it will letter and ask how much your serial #will cost now the big thing is the higher their quote for letter the higher this item would be of interest to collectors in other words one of a shipment of 500 to big hardware company = lower cost letter. however one that colt wants more money from you like pistol shipped as shipment of one of one to A famous person they will ask for more for the letter
    and that will be much more value to a collector of old Colts
  • kannoneerkannoneer Member Posts: 3,350 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hate to disagree with Spider, but I always thought the great Colt fire was during the Sivil War.
    They initially thought it was the work of Southern saboteurs, but I believe that theory was disproven. The year was 1864.
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,714 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by kannoneer
    Hate to disagree with Spider, but I always thought the great Colt fire was during the War of Northern Aggression .
    They initially thought it was the work of Southern saboteurs, but I believe that theory was disproven. The year was 1864.

    You're correct. I was replying to the thread about an 1873 Marlin at the same time and accidentally made the typo in this thread. Thanks.
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