Old Colt, SN 26750

[Tucson]

Hi everybody,

Please tell me what I have. Thanks.

[Bullshop Junior]

well it looks old and rusty...........
It says 1871 on the frame..........
looks like it could be 44/40.........
And by the looks I would not evan try to fire it.
Thats all the help I can be.
BIC/Danile/BS Jr.

[MT Gianni]

Evidence of a crime of neglect. Colt pistol 1871, 44-40 cal. The frame may have some collector value but I would not trust it to rebbl with out a good gunsmith's opinion. All parts should be available for restoration but it won't be cheap.

[oldhickory]

At first glance it appears to be a black powder frame Colt SAA with mixed serial numbers, (like the "Artillery" model) but certainly not the over stamped numbers. The markings on the frame look genuine enough from the pictures, but there were makers in Mexico and Europe who made copys of the SAA right down to the patent dates on the left side of the frame.

If I had to guess, I would say it was a Mexican copy of the Colt SAA made sometime between the 1880s and 1920s, (yeah, that's kind of broad). Colt stamped their caliber designation on the upper left side of the trigger guard near the frame with a small "44", "45", etc. Colt never put "44 CAL" in with the patent dates, the frame is different with the grip frame being one peice with the frame, (like a Remington). I for one certainly would not restore and shoot this thing as it's probably made of very soft iron. It would however make a dandy wall hanger and genuine relic of the old west though.

[MtGun44]

DEFINITELY NOT a Colt. Grip frame is one piece with frame, only trigger
guard separate piece - wrong, wrong, wrong.

Spanish or Mexican copy would be my guess. Love the rotated/backwards
looking strike of the 4 on left side of frame. . . . . :-D

Clearly a great wall hanger. Looks cool, you might scare up some really
beat grips to make it look better,

put it in a glass case marked

"Jesse James' personal Colt." [smilie=1:

Bill

[Tucson]

Thanks for the replies so far. This piece has been in the family for years and I finally decided to learn what it is. Please keep the information coming. Two people so far have mentioned a Colt copy. Interesting.

[WARD O]

Compare your gun to a real Colt single action and notice the difference in the trigger guard and grip frame and their attachment to the cylinder frame. It is not of the Colt design! Perhaps mostly handmade by an individual home shop or some such thing --

Ward

[Ron B.]

Interesting read!

No matter who made it, please do us GunLubbers all a favor, and oil the Colt Wantabee!

Got to love that firing pin! :)

GRB