{"product_id":"original-u-s-civil-war-colt-model-1860-army-44cal-percussion-revolver-made-in-1862-with-period-added-sights-serial-69134","title":"Original U.S. Civil War Colt Model 1860 Army .44cal Percussion Revolver Made in 1862 with Period Added Sights - Serial 69134","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This very nice percussion cap and ball sidearm is a relatively early, original Civil War Model 1860 Army revolver in very good condition. This is one of some 200,000 M1860 Army revolvers made from 1860 through 1873, and was the successor type to the larger Colt Third Model Dragoon horse pistol. The government-issued Colt Army 44 was the major sidearm in use by US troops during the Civil War. This particular handgun is a nice .44 caliber, early production four-screw frame model with a 6-shot rebated cylinder and an 8” round barrel. It has a lovely service worn patina, with no signs of refinishing. It has however been cleaned a lot, which has removed some of the markings, and at some point a new sights were fitted to the barrel. This included a higher front sight blade, as well as adding a dovetail to the breech end of the barrel where a notch sight has been fitted. We have seen other examples with this alteration, which is definitely period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe barrel, frame, grip frame, and trigger guard all bear matching serial number \u003cstrong\u003e69134\u003c\/strong\u003e. This means that it was produced during Colt’s \u003cstrong\u003e1862\u003c\/strong\u003e production, which ran from approximately #25,000 to #85,000. Produced during the height of the Civil War, it almost certainly saw long service in the conflict, and possibly afterwards. The cylinder is marked with shortened number 9134, while the arbor pin marking is worn away, and the barrel wedge is an unmarked arsenal spare. That makes this a very nice \"Mostly matching\" example, with none of the major parts swapped out over the years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Colt address marking on the top of the barrel has been almost completely worn away from cleaning over the years, and the rear sight installation probably removed some as well. Originally it would have read as follows:-\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e— ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA. —\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eCOLTS PATENT\u003c\/strong\u003e marking is still mostly visible on the left side of the frame, like many we see, the original \"Naval Engagement Scene\" on the cylinder is completely worn away, as is almost all of the \u003cem\u003e[COLT'S PATENT]\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e №\u003c\/strong\u003e next to the serial number. However, the \u003cstrong\u003ePAT. SEPT 10th 1850\u003c\/strong\u003e marking is still mostly visible on the next line down. These early Colt revolvers did not have the additional patent dates listed on the frame. There are single letter proof marks stamped on various components as well, though there is no \"44CAL\" stamping on the trigger guard, which is not uncommon. The walnut grip is in very nice shape, with a lovely color, showing overall wear from service, including small chips, dents, and dings, particularly around the bottom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pistol is complete, and actually functions great with accurate indexing and a solid cylinder lockup. We did not notice any of the usual finicky behavior we see on revolvers of this vintage, and there is very little slop of any kind. Really a nice tight crisp action! The revolver still breaks down properly with removal of the barrel wedge, and the barrel frame connection is rock solid. The bore is in very good condition, showing strong lands and grooves with a mostly bright finish. The \"progressive rifling\" is still easily visible, which increases the rate of twist closer to the muzzle. We can see some past oxidation and fouling near the forcing cone, now cleaned away, but overall this is a great condition bore for a black powder percussion revolver. All six of the cap nipple cones are still clear and in very good shape, showing light wear and oxidation to the exterior.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a very good example of the classic side arm used during the U.S. Civil War with a nice crisp action and great bore, with a lovely patina of age.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Ready to display!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear of Manufacture: 1862\u003cbr\u003eCaliber: .44cal\u003cbr\u003eAmmunition Type: Percussion Cap and Ball\u003cbr\u003eBarrel Length: 8 inches\u003cbr\u003eOverall Length: 14 inches\u003cbr\u003eAction: Single\u003cbr\u003eFeed System: 6 Shot Revolver\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eColt Army Model 1860\u003c\/strong\u003e is a muzzle-loaded cap \u0026amp; ball .44-caliber revolver used during the American Civil War made by Colt's Manufacturing Company. It was used as a side arm by cavalry, infantry, artillery troops, and naval forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Colt 1860 Army uses the same size frame as the .36 caliber 1851 Navy revolver. The frame is relieved to allow the use of a rebated cylinder that enables the Army to be chambered in .44 caliber. the barrel on the 1860 Army has a forcing cone that is visibly shorter than that of the 1851 Navy, allowing the Army revolver to have a longer cylinder. Another distinguishing feature of the Colt 1860 Army, first introduced on the Colt 1855 Sidehammer Revolver, is the \"creeping\" loading lever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore than 200,000 were manufactured from 1860 through 1873. Colt's biggest customer was the US Government with no less than 129,730 units being purchased and issued to the troops. The weapon was a single-action, six-shot weapon accurate up to 75 to 100 yards, where the fixed sights were typically set when manufactured. The rear sight was a notch in the hammer, only usable when the revolver was fully cocked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Colt .44-caliber \"Army\" Model was the most widely used revolver of the Civil War. It had a six-shot, rotating cylinder, and fired a 0.454-inch-diameter (11.5 mm) round spherical lead ball, or a conical-tipped bullet, typically propelled by a 30-grain charge of black powder, which was ignited by a small copper percussion cap that contained a volatile charge of fulminate of mercury (a substance that explodes upon being subjected to a sharp impact). The percussion cap, when struck by the hammer, ignited the powder charge. When fired, balls had a muzzle velocity of about 900 feet per second (274 meters\/second), although this depended on how much powder one loaded it with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe unfluted cylinder was 'rebated,' meaning that the rear of the cylinder was turned to a smaller diameter than the front. The barrel was rounded and smoothed into the frame, as was the Navy Model. The frame, hammer, and rammer lever were case-hardened, the remainder blued; grips were of one-piece walnut; and the trigger guard and front grip strap were of brass while the backstrap was blued.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA distinguishing feature of the Model 1860 was that its frame had no top strap, or no component running above the cylinder. Instead, its strength came from the lower frame and the massive fixed cylinder pin. This made the gun slimmer and lighter than its main competitor, the Remington Model 1858, but with a possible loss of strength. The fixed cylinder pin also meant that the barrel had to be removed in order to remove the cylinder, unlike the Model 1858, which only required you to remove the cylinder retaining pin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistory\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy April 1861, 2,230 of Colt's earliest production went to dealers south of the Mason-Dixon line. The United States Navy ordered 900 fluted cylinder revolvers in May 1861 later issued to ships enforcing the Atlantic and Gulf blockade. United States Army orders also began in May, and 127,157 had been delivered before a 5 October 1864 fire put Colt's factory out of operation for the duration of hostilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOperation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoading is a somewhat lengthy process, with each of the six chambers drilled into the revolving cylinder being loaded from the front, or \"muzzle\" end. A measured amount of black powder is poured into a chamber. Next a lead ball is placed at the opening of the chamber and seated by firmly pressing it in with the pivoting loading lever which is attached beneath the barrel of the revolver. For sealing each chamber, an over-size 0.454-inch-diameter (11.5 mm) lead ball is trimmed slightly by the rim of the chamber as the rammer forces it inside. Cap and ball shooters also often place a lubricated wad between balls and powder, or, alternatively, pack lard or a commercially-sold bore lubricant at the mouth of each chamber in an attempt to prevent powder in an adjacent chamber from being ignited by when the gun is fired, which is known as a chainfire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the Colt Model 1860 was used by 19th century soldiers, they most often loaded the gun using paper cartridges. These cartridges consisted of a pre-measured load of black powder and a ball, wrapped in nitrated paper (paper that had been soaked in potassium nitrate and then dried, to make it more flammable). To load each chamber, one only had to slip the cartridge into the front of the chamber and seat the ball with the loading lever ram. Then a percussion cap was placed onto the raised aperture, called a nipple, at the back end of the chamber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Colt 1860 cost approximately $20 per revolver. This was rather expensive during the 1860s, both for the United States Army and private citizens. Colt had been criticized by this high price, and by 1865 the revolver was reduced to $14.50.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Colt \"Army\" revolver is to be distinguished from the Colt \"Navy\" revolver of which there were two models, the octagonal barrel Model 1851 Navy, and the round-barreled Model 1861 Navy, both Navy models being in the smaller .36-caliber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45018556989509,"sku":"ONJR26APNS009","price":2295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/D606C86E-7C20-4593-A700-8AABF7A3A87D.jpg?v=1778872033","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-civil-war-colt-model-1860-army-44cal-percussion-revolver-made-in-1862-with-period-added-sights-serial-69134","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}