Custer 1873 Colts

[DCP]

Any of Custer 1873 Colts nickel Plated

Not getting real solid info on this

[Ragnarok]

Well not that were standard army issue...these being blue and case-hardened

[DCP]

I have looked on the net.
Some say nickel ones were issued to the Indian scouts

Then I just saw a movie about Custer and some of the men had nickel ones (like moves are a good source)lol

Also Uberti makes both Nickel and case hardened. Why in the world make a repo US 1873 Custer Colt model that never was.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

There is an infamous pic of Custer sitting outside his tent with Indian scout Bloodyknife and two of his racing dogs. The Colt SAA in the pic looks nickel and for years we were told Colt made nickel SAA's for the Indian scouts. We just grew up with this as common knowledge. Then somebody actually looked at the picture and determined that by the lighting there was no way to determine it was nickel, and Custer got some of the first Colt's, and nickel came later in the 1873 production so that story has not stood the test of time. I doubt Custer ever got a nickel 1973 Colt in his outfit. I have some Colt books I have spent a lot of money on, I'll what some of the Colt notable experts have to say.

[bob208]

from what i have read custer was carring his own webley pistols not colts. his men would have had colts. i also read that the indian police had nickled remington 1875 pistols.

[Larry Gibson]

Custer did not have any "Indian police" with him. That concept was instituted later......

I believe it is correct that the Indian police were issued nickled Remington 1875s....anyone care to guess why?

Larry Gibson

[DCP]

Well
I read on the Internet (so it must be true)

The Indians wouldn't or couldn't clean there guns no oil, etc.



Custer did not have any "Indian police" with him. That concept was instituted later......

I believe it is correct that the Indian police were issued nickled Remington 1875s....anyone care to guess why?

Larry Gibson

[junkbug]

It is not just Native americans (aka indians) that have trouble with firearm mantainance during periods of combat.

I used to have a Russain Tokarev pistol (TT-33) that belonged to a US GI veteran who said he got it during the battle of the Bulge. When I bought it, I thought it was nickled or chromed, not an unusual practice for vets to do to their trophy handguns. Later, I found out it was jus polished bright. Why is only a guess. But if you look at enough pictures of enough firearms in combat conditions, it is not unusual to see a few "in the White" Was this done because the original finish began to rust? Or just that the man carrying it liked the look of a shiney gun?

For whatever reason, many combat firearms have their finish polished off during combat. I have done something similar to a knife, using soft siltstone and shale(I was not in combat, my knife just got rusty). A rag impregnated with oil and silt will do it also, if rubbed over a period of a few weeks. My belief is that this is usually begun because the arm showed signs of rust.

Also remember that during the Civil War, less than 10 years previous to this time, it was standard practice to keep all muskets polished, "in the White" .

[Larry Gibson]

Well
I read on the Internet (so it must be true)

The Indians wouldn't or couldn't clean there guns no oil, etc.

And.....if you hear it on MSNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC and about half the time on FOX then it's also "true"....oh, and let us not forget PPS........

Last part was a very good answer........it's why there was always a good market for "trade guns" with the indians every spring........

Larry Gibson

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Guns in the White... When at basic at Fort Lost in the Woods (1971) a "Crut" in our platoon took the DI at his word and scrubbed all the finish off his Matel Toy. That was the only M16 I ever saw "bright and shinny as a new spoon".
Mike in Arequipa