Rare Colt

[Davyboy]

A friend has asked me to help get information about this weapon. Thought being a colt you guys may have more luck than me researching it.

This is a Colt Experimental breech loading 58cal C/F (obsolete) Carbine of Martini type action with breech marked ????S PAT JUNE 11. 1867. Good strong action lock with safety catch and marked US COLTS Pt F.A. MFG CO HARTFORD CT 1863. 21 1/2"round barrel with worn but clear rifling, marked under barrel 4146 53. U on barrel band. Stock is sound with some small repairs and a lot of bench fire grip marks from test firing. A very rare and unusual gun, I can’t find any information on this Carbine. Any help would be appreciated

[smkummer]

I have the book "Colts Rifles & Muskets 1847-1870" by Herbert Houze. They show pics. of the Root, Thuer, Berdan and Snider conversions but not this.

[R H Dunn]

Very interesting.What does the little lever on the left side do? It's probably one of a kind. Bob

[williamd]

Very interesting.What does the little lever on the left side do? It's probably one of a kind. Bob

Safety is my guess. Cock hammer, push safety down, shoot bad guy.

[dfariswheel]

I'd contact Colt about this one.
It's possibly a one of a kind experimental so you won't find much information out there.
More than any other gun company, Colt did a lot of experimental work with guns that are virtually unknown.

If they have any information, you'll probably have to buy an Archive letter so they can do a search through company records to find out what they have on it.

Another possible source of information would be if you're an NRA member or know someone who is.
As an NRA member you can send a S.A.S.E. and one question per letter to the NRA Dope Bag at the American Rifleman magazine.
They will give you any information they might have in their extensive knowledge base.
Likely, the NRA will at least be able to give you some basic info on it.

[johngross]

I don't believe it's a Colt product. If the Colt marking you mentioned is on the lockplate it just means that a lockplate was utilized off of a Civil War era Colt rifle-musket. This was common on these post-Civil War conversions to use the old Civil War lock.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that you have a Roberts breech-loading conversion of a Civil War muzzle-loader, as Roberts patent was granted on June 11, 1867, and the rifles are marked ROBERT'S PAT. JUNE 11, 1867, which fits with your description of the patent marking.

See Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms, F# 9A-351. Might also find info in Claude Fuller's The Breech-Loader in the Service.

John Gross