Hi all,
This was listed as a Colt Navy. It's obviously not. What does it look like though? Does it seem legit? Thanks!
Hi all,
This was listed as a Colt Navy. It's obviously not. What does it look like though? Does it seem legit? Thanks!
Last edited by kotkinjs1; 04-06-2019 at 11:01 PM.
It looks like an 1851 Colt Navy, but all the ones I have seen have an octagon barrel, not a round barrel...
Francis J. Miller Jr. (Herb)
Lancaster Fencibles / 79th PVI
Middle Atlantic Region
153-MA - 2601V
Middle Atlantic Region Provost Marshal
N-SSA National Provost Guard
And this has a brass frame.
It looks to be a steel frame with a brass trigger guard and brass back strap... Both frame & barrel have matching serial number. Like I mentioned before,all the ones I have seen have an octagon barrel, not a round barrel. Other than that, it may be a Confederate Griswold and Gunnison revolver...
Last edited by Francis J. Miller Jr, 02601; 04-07-2019 at 12:51 AM.
Francis J. Miller Jr. (Herb)
Lancaster Fencibles / 79th PVI
Middle Atlantic Region
153-MA - 2601V
Middle Atlantic Region Provost Marshal
N-SSA National Provost Guard
Found this Information:Nearly identical to the more famous Colt revolvers in looks and design, the Griswold & Gunnison .36 caliber percussion revolver had some brass parts, since steel was more difficult to procure, owing to the supply problems caused by the war, and had an octagonal barrel that tapered to a round shape at the end of the muzzle. They were also known to have used twisted iron for the barrel. The Navy Colt had an octagonal barrel . In some of the Confederate revolvers, what appears to be brass may be actually be steel, with a high copper content, giving it a brassy look. Griswold & Gunnison had to make do with whatever materials they could lay their hands on..
Francis J. Miller Jr. (Herb)
Lancaster Fencibles / 79th PVI
Middle Atlantic Region
153-MA - 2601V
Middle Atlantic Region Provost Marshal
N-SSA National Provost Guard
Herb is correct about the pattern of a Confederate Griswold & Gunnison. I have no idea if it is real, or a fake.
Last edited by John Holland; 04-07-2019 at 09:01 AM.
You can check the frame with a small magnet.
Gil Davis Tercenio
# 3020V
34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry
Great, great grandson of Cpl Elijah S Davis, Co I, 6th Alabama Inf CSA
If you can take out a screw, check for metric threads. The other sure sign of a fake is machining marks on the screw heads. A "Griswold" in similar condition came in to a local shop not long ago. The owner was quite upset when the threads turned out to be metric.
I am not a metallurgist but I was reading about those giant machines that turn cars in to flakes of metal.
If I remember correctly the reason the US used to have so many old cars all over the place was because they were not that easy to process and that it was very important not to get copper in the steel because it weakened it, I assume it really depend on application.
The invention of these Car-Shredders fix that because they are able to use magnets to separate the iron base metal from the rest.
Just a fun fact... or not...
David P. Baldwin
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