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MODEL 1851 COLT NAVY REVOLVER- “US” MARKED MARTIAL
VERSION MANUFACTURED IN 1857: This Model 1851
Colt Navy Revolver was manufactured in 1857 under
contract to the US Army and features all of the
characteristics one expects to see on these “US Martial"
Colt Navy's.
This gun features matching serial numbers - 69812 -on
the grip, frame, cylinder spindle, barrel and loading
lever. The cylinder serial number is no longer legible,
however the outline of the Colt Patent block is still
partially visible and the face of the cylinder is
stamped with asterisk mark described on page 83 of
’51 COLT NAVIES by Swayze, indicating a cylinder
inspected under the Army’s contract. The cylinder
matches the balance of the pistol in color and condition
and from all appearances is original to the pistol. The
barrel wedge is an original, but is serial numbered to a
different Navy – a commonly encountered situation due to
the soldiers or ordnance personal mixing parts while
cleaning or servicing the pistols. The grips are
original with the outline of the cartouche visible on
the left side, an inspector’s initial on the left side
of the grip butt, and a partially legible serial number
written in the backstrap mortise, beginning with “9” and
the second digit appears to be an “8”. The numbers
written in the backstrap mortise were characteristically
the last four digits of the serial number, in this case
“9812”, and the visible numbers indicate the grips are
original to this pistol.
The left side of the frame is stamped “US”, indicating
this pistol was originally manufactured in the series of
Colt Navy’s produced for the U.S. Army. Inspector’s
initials are present on the trigger guard on the left
side and immediately above the ear arc of the bow, on
the back strap immediately behind the hammer, and on the
top flat of the barrel between the end of the address
and the forcing cone – all consistent with known
inspector stamp locations on US Army Model 1851 Colt
Navy’s. The barrel address is partially legible as
shown in the photographs below.
All of the serial numbers, inspector marks and Colt
stampings as noted above are present and legible. The
overall surfaces of the brass furniture are smooth with
no obvious signs of heavy wear or abuse. The surface of
the iron has an even aged gray finish, with some traces
of the color remaining on the frame. The bore is quite
bright with distinct rifling, with one small spot of
pitting just inside the muzzle. The exterior iron
surfaces have some light pitting, but there is no heavy,
deep pitting or significant wear. The pistol is
mechanically “tight” with no wiggle between the barrel
and frame, the
cylinder indexes properly and locks up tight at full
cock, and the
trigger-hammer function is very crisp. The cylinder
chambers are clear and while all six cones are present
the tips of two of them have been worn down by dry
firing through the years – have lost count of the number
of stories I’ve heard that so many of these old Colts
were handed off to the kids to play "Cowboys and
Indians" in the yard...just makes you shudder.
The grips fit very well with minimal wear on the corners
and no shrinkage. The wood has a nice color, a smooth
surface and the cartouche as noted above and visible in
the photos below, is present and partially legible – a
real added value to these martial Navy’s.
This is a very respectable US Martial Colt Navy with all
of the features one looks for in one of these fairly
scarce pistols. Given their early issue to the Cavalry
on the antebellum frontier and their continued use
through the Civil War and in the years that followed, it
is a wonder that many survive at all, in any condition –
much less in the complete unmodified condition of this
example. SOLD
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