Original Item: Only One Available. This is an exceptionally interesting and scarce Colt Model 1848 Dragoon .44 caliber percussion Army revolver made in 1851, serial number 11082. The revolver displays the defining physical features associated with the scarce Second Model Dragoon, including its square back trigger guard and rectangular cylinder stops, while its unusually high serial number places it beyond the range normally assigned to Second Model production and into the transitional period when Third Model features were being introduced. Even more appealing, the barrel, frame, cylinder, trigger guard, and grip frame all retain matching serial number 11082, while the loading lever carries the matching shortened number 1082. Only the barrel wedge is mismatched. With its U.S. military markings, inspector cartouches on both sides of the grip, excellent bore, massive 7 1/2" barrel configuration, and wonderfully honest gray service patina, this is a fascinating early Colt Army revolver with considerable collector and research interest.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Colt Model 1848 Dragoon was Samuel Colt's improved successor to the enormous Model 1847 Walker revolver developed for mounted service during the Mexican-American War. The Walker had demonstrated the enormous potential of a powerful repeating sidearm for mounted troops, but it also revealed several weaknesses. The Dragoon retained the formidable .44 caliber chambering and six shot cylinder while shortening the barrel to 7 1/2" and incorporating a more secure loading lever arrangement and other improvements intended to produce a more practical and durable military revolver.

The Dragoon became an important U.S. mounted service sidearm during the antebellum period and was used by the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen and U.S. Dragoon regiments on the expanding western frontier. These massive revolvers also remained in circulation into the Civil War era, although the lighter and more streamlined Colt Model 1860 Army eventually superseded them.

Collectors traditionally divide Colt Dragoon production into First, Second, and Third Models, although these are modern collector classifications rather than official Colt model names. The Second Model is the least numerous of the three principal variations, with approximately 2,700 generally estimated to have been produced during 1850 and 1851. Its most readily recognizable combination of features is the square back trigger guard inherited from the First Model together with the rectangular cylinder locking stops introduced during Second Model production.

This revolver is chambered in .44 caliber and has the standard six shot cylinder and 7 1/2" barrel. It is a truly substantial handgun, reflecting its original conception as a mounted military "horse pistol" rather than a lightweight belt revolver.

The major numbered components are marked:

11082

This full serial number is present on the barrel, frame, cylinder, trigger guard, and grip frame.

The loading lever bears the matching shortened number:

1082

The barrel wedge is marked:

043

and is therefore a replacement from another revolver. With the barrel, frame, cylinder, trigger guard, grip frame, and loading lever all matching, this remains a very desirable mostly matching example despite the replaced wedge.

Serial number 11082 is consistent with manufacture in 1851. It is also unusually high for a revolver retaining the physical configuration traditionally identified as the Second Model. Most modern references place the Second Model at approximately serial numbers 8,000 through 10,700 and the Third Model beginning around 10,700, although transitional overlap is known and Colt did not itself use these later collector model divisions. The matching square back trigger guard and other numbered components make this example particularly interesting as a very late revolver retaining Second Model characteristics.

The barrel address remains fully legible:

ADDRESS SAM'L COLT NEW YORK CITY

The left side of the frame is marked:

COLTS
PATENT
U.S.

The middle portion of the factory marking was lightly struck and is consequently faint, but the marking remains identifiable. The U.S. marking is characteristic of government contract Dragoon revolvers and, together with the surviving military inspection cartouches on the grip, identifies this as a martial inspected example rather than a standard commercial Dragoon. Government contract Second Model Dragoons are documented with this COLT'S / PATENT / U.S. frame marking.

Especially desirable are the surviving inspector cartouches on both sides of the walnut grip.

The left side bears a boxed script:

JCB

This marking is attributed to U.S. arms inspector Joseph C. Bragg, whose initials are documented on Colt Dragoon revolvers. Known U.S. Second Model Dragoons are encountered with Bragg's JCB cartouche, made during the 1850-1851 period..

The right side bears an oval script:

WAT

This is the inspection cartouche of Captain William Anderson Thornton, U.S. Army, a well documented U.S. Ordnance inspector whose work included Colt Paterson, Walker, and Dragoon revolvers. He worked from 1841 to 1861, and is noted for inspecting numerous different small arms.

The survival of both military cartouches is a particularly strong feature, especially given the amount of honest service wear visible elsewhere on the revolver.

The exterior has developed a very attractive mottled gray patina from age, oxidation, handling, and subsequent cleaning. The original cylinder scene and most other cylinder markings have unfortunately been worn completely away, although the matching serial number remains present.

There is evidence that portions of the revolver received a blued finish touchup many years ago. Traces of this later blue remain relatively strong in protected areas, while exposed surfaces have returned to a mottled gray appearance. We do not see evidence of major deep rust damage.

The brass grip frame was originally plated, but virtually all of that finish is now gone. The exposed brass has developed an attractive mellow mustard colored patina.

The one piece walnut grip is in excellent condition overall. There is some expected wear around the bottom, but we do not see major chips, cracks, or evidence of aggressive refinishing. The wood has an attractive red brown color with a satin waxed appearance and fits securely in the grip frame. Most importantly, the two military inspector cartouches remain visible.

The revolver is complete and the action cycles, although there is an important mechanical issue. The cylinder stop does not presently rise far enough to properly engage the cylinder locking notches, so the cylinder does not index and lock correctly during operation. This condition is disclosed exactly as observed.

The loading lever and rammer operate correctly. The revolver can also be disassembled normally after removal of the barrel wedge, and the barrel to frame connection remains extremely solid with no noticeable looseness.

The bore is in excellent condition, retaining a mostly bright finish with crisp lands and grooves. There is remarkably little visible wear, suggesting comparatively limited firing relative to the exterior handling and service wear.

Colt's progressive, or gain twist, rifling is still readily visible. In this system the rifling twist increases as it approaches the muzzle, a characteristic feature of Colt's percussion revolvers of the period.

All six percussion nipples remain present and clear. Their exterior surfaces show erosion associated with powder fouling and oxidation. The safety pins on the rear face of the cylinder are still evident, although they are worn too heavily to remain functional.

With its matching serial number 11082 across nearly all of the major components, scarce square back Second Model configuration, U.S. military frame marking, surviving JCB and WAT inspector cartouches, 1851 production date, excellent bore, solid barrel to frame fit, and deeply appealing service patina, this is an unusually interesting Colt Dragoon. Its serial number places it directly in the poorly defined transition between the collector designated Second and Third Models, while its matching numbered Second Model style components make the revolver especially worthy of further study. It would be an outstanding addition to an advanced Colt collection, a U.S. martial handgun collection, or a display devoted to the massive mounted revolvers that bridged the Mexican-American War, the western frontier, and the Civil War era.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1851
Manufacturer: Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company
Model: M-1848 Second Model Dragoon
Serial No.: 11082
Caliber: .44cal
Ammunition Type: Percussion Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 7 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 14 inches
Action: Single
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

The Colt M-1848 "Dragoon" revolver evolved from it's predecessor - the massive M1847 "Walker" revolver. Originally produced by Eli Whitney, only 280 Walker Colts were produced and delivered for military service to the Texas Rangers. After delivery, a number of manufacturing and design flaws were discovered with the Walker Colt design, leaving only 82 still in serviceable condition after 8 months of use in the field. To address these issues, Colt introduced the M1848 revolver. The new design included the use of imported carbon steel for the cylinder which drastically cut down on the number of guns that exploded when fired. Additionally, Colt reduced the length of the cylinder to reduce the powder charge, and also reduced the length of the barrel by a full inch. Finally, the loading lever was redesigned and more securely attached to the barrel the barrel via a latch lug that was incorporated on the the under side of the near the muzzle. This allowed the loading lever to remain in place when firing the weapon. These improvement not only made the M1848 pistol stronger, it also reduced its weight by a full 7 ounces; making it a bit more manageable to fire from horseback.

Colt moved production of the Dragoon from Whitneyville to his own factory in Hartford CT in late 1847. The first guns to roll off the line are considered "First Model" Dragoons. Colt produced about 7,000 of these guns from 1848 to 1850. After some minor design tweaks in late 1850 (primarily the adoption of a square cylinder stop notch in the cylinder), the "Second Model" guns were then produced between 1850-1851, with about 2,700 manufactured. The pattern was then modified again in 1851 with the adoption of a round trigger guard (earlier versions of the pistol featured a "square back" trigger guard); and with this change the final iteration of the Dragoon, the "Third Model" went into production in 1851 and remained in production through about 1861, with roughly 10,500 being produced. Production totals for the Colt Dragoon series of revolvers are nearly 20,000 in total; with about 10,000 purchased by the US government for military use.

Of the roughly 10,000 Colt Dragoons purchased by the government, a small number of them (946 guns to be exact) were built in a "carbine" configuration. These pistols featured a detachable butt stock which could be added to the pistol when mounted and allow the revolver to be used in the roll of a cavalry carbine. When dismounted, or when fighting in close quarters, the pistol could be used with the stock detached as a traditional revolver. The idea was first tested with the adoption of the M1855 "Pistol Carbine" - a large single shot cavalry pistol that featured a detachable butt stock. Field reports of the M1855 Pistol Carbine were a bit lack luster - the weapon was too large and unwieldy to be used effective as a cavalry pistol, and too short to provide much accuracy when used as a carbine with the stock attached. The Board of Ordnance thought that a weapon that could provide a larger volume of fire could be used to make up for the single shot M1855 pistol-carbines shortcomings and ordered a number of Colt's revolvers to be fitted with detachable butt stocks to test this theory.

Colt produced the first 1848 Dragoon pistols with detachable butt stocks in 1858. The guns are largely identical to the standard production line of M1848 pistols, except for the addition of a "fourth screw" added to the frame and a relief cut made to either side of the recoil shield. These modifications allowed for the addition of a large butt stock to be secured to the stock without interfering with the user's ability to cock and fire the pistol. Additionally, in order to better equip the revolvers for their carbine roles, Colt added a dovetailed leaf sight to barrel for shooting at longer ranges. The finished pistol carbines were shipped in pairs, as they were to be carried in a pair of US cavalry pommel holsters. Because the butt stocks had to be hand fit to the pistols, the serial numbers of each pair of pistols were stamped into the yokes and butt plates of the shoulder stocks. Colt supplied only 946 Dragoon revolvers cut for shoulder stocks over the course of the gun's production run, with the very last carbine configured pistol delivered in 1861. This has made original examples extremely rare and sought after.

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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

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