Summary

Colt 1851 Navy percussion revolver, second model, cal. .36 inch, rifled octagonal barrel 190 mm (7 1/2 inch) long with loading lever attached.

Made by Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Co, London and Hartford.

Serial number 3302 on all parts with the exception of the barrel lug and loading lever which is stamped 15147 and carries London proof marks, suggesting that these have been replaced at some point. The serial number suggests a production year of 1852 with the barrel being made in London during 1856. At what point it replaced the revolver's original barrel is unknown, though it is likely to have been one of the components shipped back to Hartford after the close of the London Armouries in early 1857 and later reused in subsequent models known as Hartford-Londons. Their barrel address, while almost the same as the late London models, is marked by the use of dashes - instead of arrows - at either end of the text.

Physical Description

Six chambered cylinder engraved with naval battle scene, square back Hartford style brass trigger guard with remnants of silver plating, steel frame, brass Hartford style back strap with small groove and no remnants of silver plating, 'Slim Jim' style wooden grips, thin loading lever catch, loading lever rammer screw enters from left hand side, pin style front sight, loading notch is the 'v' non-bevelled type. Knurling on hammer is Hartford style. Barrel address is London-London address, as opposed to the Hartford-London address. Inspector's intial 'G' stamped onto triggerguard below serial number and 'R' stamped onto triangle of triggerguard right hand side. Typically on a second model the loading lever rammer screw should enter from the right hand side, being one of the features that differentiates this model against the first model square back. That it enters from the left hand side is due to the barrel having been replaced at some point, and is not an original feature of this revolver.

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