Recent Find 1860 Colt

[qdup1]

This picture isn't very good, but I wanted to show the brownish metal color as best I could, its under fairly bright light. In the normal light it looks a bluish plum color. The one picture above of the cylinder shows it best I guess. I don't know why the color changes like it does. Lighting I suppose.

 

[UCVRelics]

Similar to the confidential information kept from the public in crime investigation, eh? The info is there is case it is needed for verification, but not public!

I prefer to call it dealer to customer confidential info. I guess not getting that far in the weeds with these things comes from my 6 years as a Senior Instructor at the US Army Ordnance School in APG MD. where I taught 45 bravo small arms repair and 45K artillery repair. We only went so far with trainees and taught them when it need to go GS or Depot level maintenance.

 

[bankerpapaw]

I appreciate your reply's and thoughts on it. I find that it is well built and seems very functional. I was surprised just how well its held up all these years. Maybe someday I can afford a real nice unmolested example. I have an older Navy Arms 1858 Remington which I like and the 1860 is every bit as tight. The cartouche is faint.

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Very nice!! Looks brand new!!

 

[qdup1]

Here is the brownish looking color of the metal as best as I could show it. not very good picture but I guess it is not a big deal anyway. Just thought it was sort of interesting, at least to me.

 

[qdup1]

From 3 feet away it definitely looks very nice. I shouldn't knock it, I am still mighty happy with it, refinished or not. I bet it will be a good shooter.

 

[qdup1]

Moving on a bit. What diameter size lead ball should I try in this pistol?

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

The diameter of the holes in the cylinder sort of determine that. A soft lead ball that is a tight fit is needed. The ball gets sized by pushing it into the cylinder, and you want it to either shave a little ring of lead off or squeeze it to be a tight fit so that it seals. Probably around .452 - .457

 

[UCVRelics]

Moving on a bit. What diameter size lead ball should I try in this pistol?

You can get what you need if your going to shoot it at Dixie GW

Balls, Bullets and Blanks

 

[qdup1]

Thanks for all the info. I have 100 .454 and maybe some .457 that I used with the Pietta revolver I used to own. I thought perhaps an original Colt might be a lot different. I am going to take it out tomorrow and shoot it.

 

[qdup1]

Well Sir's I have another question for you. I notice right away that my original 1860 is much harder to cock then my Remington clones. I have no idea about how hard the reproduction 1860's cock. It would be nice on my arthritis thumb joint if it were a bit lighter. Is there a lighter main spring that will work in it? Thanks.