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Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver.

There is probably no more iconic revolver from the American Civil War era than the US Model 1860 Army Percussion Revolver produced by the famous Colt Patent Firearms Company. More Colt .44 Army revolvers were purchased by the US military during the war than any other model. Many of the thousands of Models 1860 Armies sold commercially during and immediately before the war likely saw service in the field as well, in the hands of both northern and southern soldiers. The revolver was developed by Colt to provide a smaller, lighter, and more streamlined replacement for the .44 caliber Dragoon series of revolvers. The revolver essentially utilized the smaller Model 1851 Navy revolver frame, coupled with a slightly larger, iron backstrap, an 8” .44 caliber barrel and a rebated, 6-shot cylinder that allowed the .44 cylinder to fit on the .36 caliber frame. While some early production Model 1860 Army revolvers had non-standard features like 7 ½” barrels and fluted cylinders, these guns were produced in very limited quantities and are typically only encountered under serial number 5500 or so. 

Colt produced some 200,500 Army revolvers between 1860 and 1872, making it one of their most successful handgun designs of the 19^th century. During the American Civil War, the US Ordnance Department acquired some 127,157 Colt Model 1860 Army revolvers by direct contract with Colt. These guns were delivered between 1861 and 1863, with no deliveries in 1864 or 1865. Delivery totals for 1861 were 14,500, with 53,702 and 58,955 delivered in 1862 and 1863, respectively.  An additional 2,027 Model 1860 revolvers were acquired on the open market by the Ordnance Department from Joseph C Grubb & Co (963) and B. Kittredge & Co (1,064). The initial Ordnance Department contract listed the Colt Army revolvers at a per unit price of $25 each. Subsequent orders were at the much more reasonable prices of $14.50 and $14.00 each, respectively. The fire at the Colt plant in 1863, and the fact that Remington offered to deliver their Army revolvers at a price of just under $12.00 each, were the determining factors for the Ordnance Department deciding not to issue any further contracts to Colt for their 1860 Army revolver at the end of 1863. Even so, the Ordnance Department acquired nearly 65% of the total Colt Model 1860 Army production. More Colt .44 caliber revolvers were acquired by the US military than any other revolver during the war, although the 115,557 .44 caliber revolvers delivered by Remington places that company’s revolver a very close second.

Martially Marked Early 1863 Production Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver.

The Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver offered here is in about very good plus condition. The gun is a mid-war production “martial” revolver, manufactured early in 1863. The revolver is well marked throughout and has all matching serial numbers, including the wedge. The revolver is serial number 94038, which indicates that it was produced early in Colt’s 1863 production, which ran from approximately serial number 85,000 to 150,000.  It is also one of the 58,995 revolvers delivered by Colt to the US military during 1863. The serial number appears in full on the bottom of the barrel, frame, triggerguard and backstrap butt, with the last four digits “4038” on the cylinder, the wedge, the cylinder arbor pin, and inside the backstrap channel of the grip, written in period ink. The gun has a nice, “real world use” look it, the barrel has a mix of original blue and a natural plum patina on it. The cylinder has the same natural patina throughout it. The frame and loading lever show original factory case colors with the frame showing more. The revolver also shows the marks that are typical of a military carried revolver. The cylinder retains all the original nipples, and they remain in fine, serviceable condition. The rear of the cylinder retains none of the safety pins, as they have all been worn away or battered into submission, but traces of their existence are still visible. The barrel address is clearly legible and reads in a single line: 

— ADDRESS COL. SAM^L COLT  NEW – YORK  U. S. AMERICA —

The cylinder is marked COLT’S PATENT No 4038 over PAT. SEPT. 10^th 1850. The cylinder retains the full original roll engraved “Mexican War Naval Engagement” cylinder scene. The lower left-hand portion of the frame is marked COLT’S / PATENT in two lines. The revolver shows the usual assortment of military sub-inspector marks throughout, with a “C” on the left side of the barrel lug near the wedge screw, an “R” barrel lug between the frame pin holes, and a “L” on the right side of the barrel lug. The backstrap apron and behind the trigger guard are stamped with a “W”. An “H” and “F” are stamped on the cylinder. The arbor pin as a “D” stamped on it. The recoil shield face is stamped with an “R” and “F”. The original grips are fine with perfect U.S. Inspectors cartouches on both sides:
Left grip: “C.S.L.” Chester S. Leonard.
Right grip: “J.T.”  John Taylor.
The gun is in excellent mechanical condition, and times, indexes and locks up exactly as it should, with action remaining crisp. The creeping style loading lever functions smoothly as well. The bore of the pistol is in about fine condition and retains crisp rifling with some minor pitting. All the screws appear to be original and are inn fine condition. The triggerguard has a lovely, medium golden patina. As previously mentioned, the grip is numbered to the gun in ink, in the backstrap recess, and both cartouches remain fully visible. The grip is solid and shows no breaks, cracks, or repairs.

According to the Colt Factory Shipping Record this pistol was sold to the U.S. Government, Frankford Arsenal, Bridesburg Pennsylvania on February 9, 1863, in a shipment of 1000 guns. From this shipment 11 guns were stolen from the Camden-Amboy RR (Railroad and Transportation Company). A shipment of 11 pistols was done on February 12, 1863 to replace the 11 stolen from Camden-Amboy RR.

Overall, this nice, attractive, complete, and original example of a Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver. The gun is well marked and very good mechanically with a nicer set of grips than are normally found on guns that saw this level of use with nice cartouches. It is all matching and has the very pleasing, untouched and appearance of a real combat handgun that served over 160+ years ago. Every Civil War arms collection needs at least one Colt Army, especially a martially marked one, and this is a very decent, no excuses example that is all original and correct. This is a solid Colt Army that will display very nicely and will fill that gap in any collection.

Martially Marked Mid 1863 Production Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver

The Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver offered here is in about very good condition. The gun is a mid-war production “martial” revolver, manufactured early in 1863. The revolver is well marked throughout and has all matching serial numbers, the wedge is a correct period replacement with an unreadable number on it. The revolver is serial number 129634, which indicates that it was produced in the middle of Colt’s 1863 production, which ran from approximately serial number 85,000 to 150,000.  It is also one of the 58,995 revolvers delivered by Colt to the US military during 1863. The serial number appears in full on the bottom of the barrel, frame, triggerguard and backstrap butt, with the last four digits “9634” on the cylinder, the wedge, the cylinder arbor pin, and inside the backstrap channel of the grip, written in period ink. The gun has a nice, “real world use” look it, the barrel has a natural plum patina on it. The cylinder has the same natural patina throughout it. The frame and loading lever have no case colors left. The revolver also shows the marks that are typical of a military carried revolver. The cylinder retains all the original nipples, and they remain in fine, serviceable condition. The rear of the cylinder retains none of the safety pins, as they have all been worn away or battered into submission, but traces of their existence are still visible. The barrel address is clearly legible and reads in a single line: 

— ADDRESS COL. SAM^L COLT  NEW – YORK  U. S. AMERICA —

The cylinder is marked COLT’S PATENT No 9634 over PAT. SEPT. 10^th 1850. The cylinder retains the full original roll engraved “Mexican War Naval Engagement” cylinder scene. The lower left-hand portion of the frame is marked COLT’S / PATENT in two lines. The revolver shows the usual assortment of military sub-inspector marks throughout, with a “B” on the left side of the barrel lug near the wedge screw, and a “D” on the right side of the barrel lug and twice on the cylinder, with a “2” stamped on the cylinder face. The backstrap apron and behind the trigger guard are stamped with a “H”. The recoil shield face is stamped with an “B” and “P”. The original grips are fine with perfect U.S. Inspectors cartouches on both sides:
Left grip: “E.M.C.” Edward McCue.
Right grip: “J.T.”  John Taylor.
The gun is in excellent mechanical condition, and times, indexes and locks up exactly as it should, with action remaining crisp. The creeping style loading lever functions smoothly as well. The bore of the pistol is in about very good condition and retains crisp rifling with some minor pitting. All the screws appear to be original and are in very good condition. The triggerguard has a lovely, medium golden patina. As previously mentioned, the grip is numbered to the gun in ink, in the backstrap recess, and both cartouches remain fully visible. The grip is solid and shows no breaks, cracks, or repairs.

According to the Colt Factory Shipping Record this pistol was sold to the U.S. Government, New York Arsenal, Governor’s Island, New York on September 9, 1863, in a shipment of 1000 guns.

Overall, this nice, attractive, complete, and original example of a Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver. The gun is well marked and very good mechanically with a nicer set of grips than are normally found on guns that saw this level of use with nice cartouches. It is all matching and has the very pleasing, untouched and appearance of a real combat handgun that served over 160+ years ago. Every Civil War arms collection needs at least one Colt Army, especially a martially marked one, and this is a very decent, no excuses example that is all original and correct. This is a solid Colt Army that will display very nicely and will fill that gap in any collection.