I build scale models for a living but also a huge Civil War fan. Here is a palstic model I built. I converted the Pyro kit to make a Confederate Pistol called a "Griswold & Gunneson Colt 36" - often used by Officers and Cavalry Troopers of the Confederate Army and Navy. This six-shot .36 caliber revolver was made under contract to the Confederate government. It is a brass framed copy of the Colt 1851 Navy revolver. The G&G factory, near Macon Georgia, produced revolvers for the Confederacy by enslaved labourers over the course of the war, from 1862 until 1864 producing approximately 3,700 revolvers - more than any other Confederate firearm factory. The factory was burned down by Sherman's troops on his march to the sea.
Based on the Colt Model 1851 revolver, the design of the Griswold and Gunnison revolver differed from the Federal Colt pistol, most noticeably the grip's rearward tilt (which I cut and re-angled it on the frame), and well as a brass frame with iron components instead of steel (using metallic paints). Other mods included re-doing the cylinder so it had no "step", and replacing the hexagonal barrel of the original kit with a round acrylic tube to simulate the G&G style barrel. The rear of the barrel was modified in shape with a new scratch-built Rammer as well to change it to a G&G Confederate pistol. I also had to add more screws to the frame and Rammer as the kit was missing them. I added serial numbers via a metal number stamp, lightly hammered into the plastic. Metallic paints by Testors and Alclad were used throughout (about 15 colours in total to give depth), with finishing done using blue and red shoe polish paste.
It is the best I can do in my interpretation of a real Griswold/Gunnison, but hey, I am not a Civil War firearms expert by any means, and just had fun doing this to practice my metallic model painting techniques! I hope you like it as much I did building and painting this old kit that has been in my stash for some time. Sorry but I will not take this model to a plastic model show. It will only be seen on FB and in my collection.
Based on the Colt Model 1851 revolver, the design of the Griswold and Gunnison revolver differed from the Federal Colt pistol, most noticeably the grip's rearward tilt (which I cut and re-angled it on the frame), and well as a brass frame with iron components instead of steel (using metallic paints). Other mods included re-doing the cylinder so it had no "step", and replacing the hexagonal barrel of the original kit with a round acrylic tube to simulate the G&G style barrel. The rear of the barrel was modified in shape with a new scratch-built Rammer as well to change it to a G&G Confederate pistol. I also had to add more screws to the frame and Rammer as the kit was missing them. I added serial numbers via a metal number stamp, lightly hammered into the plastic. Metallic paints by Testors and Alclad were used throughout (about 15 colours in total to give depth), with finishing done using blue and red shoe polish paste.
It is the best I can do in my interpretation of a real Griswold/Gunnison, but hey, I am not a Civil War firearms expert by any means, and just had fun doing this to practice my metallic model painting techniques! I hope you like it as much I did building and painting this old kit that has been in my stash for some time. Sorry but I will not take this model to a plastic model show. It will only be seen on FB and in my collection.
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