So cleaning out my garage and i stumble apon these guys

Can you determine a caliber on the percussion pistol? The other is an 1877 Lightning with an action problem (trigger should be forward), made in 1903. Both are looking a little rough, too bad about the rust but a lot of that would clean off.

KROIL & some light action with fine bronze wool. Don't go "GORILLA" on them.
Just nice and easy rubbing in one direction ....at first.
GOOD FIND: & GOOD LUCK.

I believe the precussion to be a 1849 model Colt.

DuWhat said:

I believe the precussion to be a 1849 model Colt.

Click to expand...

I'm leaning that way as well, although it's an early serial # to be 6 shots, which it appears to be. It would be helpful to have a couple more details such as the caliber, the barrel address and the number of shots (for sure). The butt serial # is also very unusual to be strung out like that. Usually they are close the screw and oriented across the short dimension.

On the percussion revolver, the font of the serial numbers and the location of the number on the back strap does not look like Colt's.

John Gross

Okay lets see there is something on top of the barrel on the percussion revolver but its very hard to make out right now with out further cleaning, the caliber is hard to determined but estimate it to be around .30 and it is 5 shots. Not sure of the term "barrel address" what does that mean?

That percussion is cool. I just love them crusty. They always seem more intersting than a perfect gun as long as they dont get cleaned up.

Hustong123 said:

Okay lets see there is something on top of the barrel on the percussion revolver but its very hard to make out right now with out further cleaning, the caliber is hard to determined but estimate it to be around .30 and it is 5 shots. Not sure of the term "barrel address" what does that mean?

Click to expand...

Likely an 1849 Pocket then, or a repro pending the resolution of the serial font and placement on the butt.

cleaned it up a bit will need to work on it more with some better stuff but i got "something" fire arms co. Newark NJ

I've never seen a colt percussion with a serial number on the butt in that location. I'm going to say it's another brand other than colt or it's a clone that is newer but just has been rusted up with the years. The 1849 model was 31 caliber and the model 1851 was 36 caliber in the colt brand.

Hustong123 said:

cleaned it up a bit will need to work on it more with some better stuff but i got "something" fire arms co. Newark NJ

Click to expand...

Manhattan Firearms......

Specifically the barrel address probably reads "Manhattan Fire Arms Co. Newark N.J."

Ya there is a M in there for sure so thats probably it.

Yeah, it just doesn't look right for an 1849 Pocket, the grip is too large for the rest of the gun.

Wow thank you all for this great info, especially Johngross i reall appreciate all the information i can glean from this great pistols, believe me these are staying in the family as they are something left over from my wife's fathers past and his own history.

I was wondering what your guys opinion on trying to clean them up would if at all or should i just leave them the way they are, the Colt Lighting is not functioning at all as the action is clearly broken the trigger and the hammer dont work right, the other colt actually functions pretty good except the cylinder does not rotate quite right, im not sure if thats normal or if its just rusted up.

I cant believe none of U knotheads hasnt offered to give those awful nasty treasures a new home, U guys are slipping, I am so ashamed

Oh and I usually only stumble upon mouse turds