What is This pistol?

[Blaster229]

Friends of mine own this thing and really have zero info.
Thanks. Cell photos of a stock photo. Sorry best can do for pics.

 

[Boom Boom]

Looks to me like a Colt 1849 Pocket revolver. London version manufactured in 1854.

 

[somd_mustangs]

Looks like a Colt London Model 1849 Pocket Revolver. from the S/N, c. 1854 and probably 4th variation. I wish I could claim I was smart but I just looked it up in the Colt book
They only made 11,000 of them but don't seem to have alot of intrinsic value. But it's very cool historically as it was from the short run of London guns.

R.L. Wilson, The Book Of Colt Firearms, 3rd edition p 117

DOH! Boom-Boom you were too fast while I was going for the book of knowledge

 

[Boom Boom]

Judging by the photos, I'll guess it's worth $500 to $750 if it's functional. It originally came in a wooden box with an accessory kit. If all of that is missing, it greatly hurts the value.

 

[Blaster229]

Thanks guys. My friend inherited it and it is sitting in some museum in southern, md.

 

[Hello Kitty]

As ashamed as I am to admit it, I am Blaster's friend

Thanks for the help. The info online was hard to decipher, I didn't even know there was a Colt book. Probably wasn't using the best search words either. We're not sure if we'll try to sell it or just let it stay in the museum. Having this kind of information is very helpful.

The 'story' we have from the family is that it was a civil war gun - though no details that I remember hearing. I do recall hearing that the accessory kit was there, but possibly only a bullet mold? Clearly, I need more information all around, but I needed to start somewhere and this was a big help.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Indiana Jones]

Great karma im in thanks!

 

[Applehd]

Great karma im in thanks!

Damn... you beat me to it...

 

[Indiana Jones]

Damn... you beat me to it...

I would do some preeetttyyyyt horrible things to own that pistol.

 

[Applehd]

I would do some preeetttyyyyt horrible things to own that pistol.

As would I... meh... prison... shmison...

j/k of course.

 

[Melnic]

Well, I recall on a Civil war show that the south did not have lots of gun making capability so firearms for the CSA came from Europe and that there were alot of different revolvers used.

 

[lee2]

As ashamed as I am to admit it, I am Blaster's friend

Thanks for the help. The info online was hard to decipher, I didn't even know there was a Colt book. Probably wasn't using the best search words either. We're not sure if we'll try to sell it or just let it stay in the museum. Having this kind of information is very helpful.

The 'story' we have from the family is that it was a civil war gun - though no details that I remember hearing. I do recall hearing that the accessory kit was there, but possibly only a bullet mold? Clearly, I need more information all around, but I needed to start somewhere and this was a big help.

Merry Christmas!

Blaster's got a girlfriend!
Blaster's got a girlfriend!
Blaster's got a girlfriend!


that colt is a fine collectable. dont try to clean it in any way.

 

[44man]

shes a beaut. what museum, if i may ask?

 

[Threeband]

Well, I recall on a Civil war show that the south did not have lots of gun making capability so firearms for the CSA came from Europe and that there were alot of different revolvers used.

Of course.

Both sides used a huge, huge variety of guns, from actual flintlocks to repeaters like the Henry and Spencer. Buying agents from both North and South scoured Europe for usable armaments, allowing the Europeans to unload their obsolescent muskets for top dollar prices.

Those little Colt .31s (actually .32) were the biggest selling Colts for many years. Those are the guns that kept Colt in business. No doubt many were privately purchased and carried in the Civil War.

In his great book, Roughing It, Mark Twain describes his 1861 journey to Nevada on the Overland Stagecoach along with his brother, who packed "a small size Colt's revolver, and to guard against accidents, he carried it uncapped."

I would do some preeetttyyyyt horrible things to own that pistol.

Here's one you can shoot!

http://www.taylorsfirearms.com/blac...brass-backstrap-trigger-guard-model-472a.html

 

[Hello Kitty]

Blaster's got a girlfriend!
Blaster's got a girlfriend!
Blaster's got a girlfriend!


that colt is a fine collectable. dont try to clean it in any way.

Not sure what Blaster's wife would think of his girl friend.... :-)

Thanks for the tip to not clean it!

 

[Hello Kitty]

shes a beaut. what museum, if i may ask?

It's at the museum at Point Lookout. We went down there earlier this year and boy were we disappointed!!!! I guess it was nice enough, but, ummm..... Sparse?

The young lady working was super nice and wanted to tell us all about the natural environment, but knew zero about the gun or the civil war.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Next question as it relates to this gun. We still don't know what we are goin tondo with it. Leave it there, ask to take it home or sell it.

Assuming we were to sell it, any suggestions on who to contact for that?

Thank you and Merry Christmas!!!!

 

[pbharvey]

Merry Christmas Blaster's friend

 

[Hello Kitty]

Ha! I know you! Merry Christmas!

 

[Johnthetoolguy]

If it were me, I would keep the gun in the family.