Colt 1860 Army (1861)

[hrt4me]

Another original Colt (1861 manufacture) I picked up from the estate two months ago; it was in horrible condition and would not even function...

 

[hrt4me]

I detail stripped the entire revolver, and it cleaned up well enough... pistolsmith Gary Barnes (hoof hearted) examined it with me yesterday at his shop and gave his approval it was safe to fire now... everything functions properly, and it indexes and times correctly...
(I left a few of my other original Colts with Gary for timing and tuning work and cannot recommend him enough!)

 

[Jaegermeister]

That is super nice! Time for a range report.

 

[hrt4me]

That is super nice! Time for a range report.

I had planned to fire it today, but I did not make the drive out to my east Texas ranch after all, so it will have to wait till next weekend... maybe I'll try to kill one of the many feral hogs tearing up my place!

 

[Phil Coffins]

Fine job again. Since this 1860 appears to be so solid it would be of interest me if you would check how the wedge fits in terms of tightness and if the arbor bottoms out in the barrel. I’ve only had the opportunity to inspect a few and this has become a common question here.

 

[hrt4me]

Fine job again. Since this 1860 appears to be so solid it would be of interest me if you would check how the wedge fits in terms of tightness and if the arbor bottoms out in the barrel. I’ve only had the opportunity to inspect a few and this has become a common question here.

the wedge is extremely tight, such that I can neither seat nor remove it with mere thumb pressure

 

[mushka]

Now that revolver has personality. Instead of a rust bucket it's now a gentleman.

 

[JCKelly]

I used to plink at 100yds with my somewhat beat original 1860.
Unlike Unmentionable handguns which seem to be good all the way to 7 feet, I kinda hit SmallerThanManSize stuff at 100Yds, with that terrible old antique.
I imagine a good shot could have done much better than I.

 

[hrt4me]

I used to plink at 100yds with my somewhat beat original 1860.
Unlike Unmentionable handguns which seem to be good all the way to 7 feet, I kinda hit SmallerThanManSize stuff at 100Yds, with that terrible old antique.
I imagine a good shot could have done much better than I.

my local outdoor Dallas Pistol Club has a 100-yard range at which I regularly hit steel silhouette targets with my modern unmentionable handguns, but I cannot fire black powder there, so I do that on weekends at my east Texas ranch where I have my own pistol bay as well as steel out to 900+ yards... I will try this weekend with my original Colt 1860 Army .44 caliber to see how it shoots out to 100 yards!

 

[CaptainKirk]

That's a real piece of history! Congrats on a great find and resto!

 

[springfield art]

Another original Colt (1861 manufacture) I picked up from the estate two months ago; it was in horrible condition and would not even function...
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I would love a project like that! Great! Thanks for sharing!

 

[hrt4me]

I would love a project like that! Great! Thanks for sharing!

it has been a neat and fun project...
'unfortunately' I have two dozen more of these 'projects' to keep me busy all Summer and probably Fall...

 

[toot]

you did a Steller job on it!!!

 

[hrt4me]

this afternoon, the temperatures in northeast Texas only got up to ~93° F, so I drove out to my ranch and finally fired my original Colt 1860 Army .44 caliber cap-and-ball percussion revolver. I used Hornady .454 lead round balls over a lubed WonderWad and 15 grains of FFFg, with CCI #11 percussion caps. I had one cap jam after the 4th shot, and the hot expended cap slightly burned my hand after the 5th shot causing me to juggle the revolver slightly. Other than that, no hiccups through several cylinders. I will get more video tomorrow, especially close-up of the pistol firing!

 

[toot]

I like the fact that you only used 15 GRS, of 3 FG. instead of the usual load of 30, GRS. all you need is enough powder to get the ball to hit the paper, or steel plate! witch you apparently did? I heard the report! thank you for sharing it with us!

 

[toot]

it is truly a PHOENIX RISING FROM THE ASHES!!!

 

[hrt4me]

I like the fact that you only used 15 GRS, of 3 FG. instead of the usual load of 30, GRS. all you need is enough powder to get the ball to hit the paper, or steel plate! witch you apparently did? I heard the report! thank you for sharing it with us!

I may try adding cornmeal filler when I fire it today

I should also try firing at my 100 yard steel targets...

 

[Notchy Bob]

That six-gun looks happy! I think they like getting outdoors now and then for a little exercise and fresh air.

It's too bad that those revolvers were allowed to become so rusty in their prior home, but you did a good job cleaning it up. I don't think it hurts old guns to shoot them with appropriate loads, anyway, but since the "collector value" of those old Colts has been reduced by the surface damage, I see no reason not to shoot them now.

That one looks like it shoots pretty well, too...

Notchy Bob

 

[hrt4me]

close-up of Colt 1860 Army revolver this hot afternoon (same mild loads described above)

 

[Bad Karma]

Great job resurrecting the old boy!

If you have time perhaps you can check the fit of the arbor to the barrel? Specifically is the arbor short like some replicas or is it fitted to bottom out when assembled? I know of one original which is short by .040” but as @Phil Coffins says, this is a common question. Colt shop drawings and patent drawings show the arbor bottomed in the barrel assembly but I’m also aware of a patent drawing which indicated the end of the arbor and the corresponding recess in the barrel lug was conical (like the end of a drill) that was a drawing for an 1851 navy I believe.