Original Item: Only One Available. The Colt "Pocket Percussion" Model 1849 revolvers in .31cal are essentially scaled down versions of the larger Navy Model 1851 in .36cal, and were developed concurrently. This is very interesting example, which looks to have seen fairly long service, but no major damage. At some point after that, all of the components were engraved with lovely foliate designs, even the loading rammer and the hammer! There is also the name B. L. Greco engraved onto the back of the grip strap, however we do not know if this is from before the rest of the engraving added, or whether it was done at the same time. The engraved foliate designs are VERY crisp, much more so than the original markings on the revolver, as well as the name.

This impressive example features Matching Serial Number 39937 on the barrel, frame, cylinder, trigger guard, and grip frame, with shortened number 9937 on the loading rammer. The arbor pin marking is worn away, and the barrel wedge is an unmarked arsenal replacement. This "Mostly Matching" example of the M1849 Pocket revolver still retains most of the original parts it was made with.

The serial number indicates indicates the year of manufacture as 1852, only a few short years before the start of the U.S. Civil War, so it almost certainly saw service during the conflict. Five shot percussion, .31 caliber with a 6" barrel, and is in nice tight condition with a nice gray finish on the metalwork. There is also a good amount of the original nickel plating on the trigger guard, a bit of a rarity. The COLT'S PATENT marking on the cylinder is still faintly visible over the serial number.

The Colt early two line address is marked in two lines across the top of the octagonal barrel, and does show wear but is still mostly legible:-

Due to the engraving, the "COLTS PATENT" marking on the frame and other markings that may have been present were removed. The walnut grip is in very good condition, with a lovely color and very little damage or wear. It is possible that it was replaced at some point in the past, as the condition is quite a bit better than one would expect considering the rest of the revolver.

The revolver functions just about flawlessly, with solid indexing and a firm cylinder lockup. We did not notice any of the usual finicky behavior we often see with revolvers of this age, though there is bit of looseness in the mechanics. The barrel to frame connection is solid, with no wobble we can detect. The bore is in good condition, still showing rifling but also a good amount of fouling and oxidation. This is definitely a revolver that saw a lot of use while in service. The brass front sight is still present and in good condition, with just some wear on the top. All five cap nipple cones are clear, showing oxidation and fouling on the exterior from use, and they definitely look to be original.

This is a lovely named '49 Pocket dating from just before the Civil War, which was later expertly engraved, possibly sometime during the 20th Century. A great showpiece with some nice research potential! Ready to display!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1852
Caliber: .31cal
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 6 inches
Overall Length: 10 3/4 inches
Action: Single Action Percussion
Feed System: 5 Shot Revolver

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