Firearms Specialties 1860 Army - sort of

[kh54]

Forum member Sourdough started a thread about this unusual revolver a couple of years ago. (R. G. Wilson Revolver. Read this thread for more details.) The oddities such as the grip screw and reversed wedge appear to have been deliberate to allow “reproductions” to be distinguishable from originals. I was told by Jim that as far as he knew Mr. Wilson only made ten of these; mine is serial number 7.

I thought I would repost in the hopes that more information might have surfaced in the past couple of years. I would like to know more about this gun, if anyone has ever seen one of the other nine, and maybe a possible value? I know the last question might be difficult but I’m thinking insurance and eventually selling or trading.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[desi23]

Interesting piece, looks nice. I know that in the early days of reproduction guns there was a lot of concern about repro's being passed off as original guns. Some articles in old gun magazines from the period address this. Most of the authors felt there were enough subtle differences (rifling types, metric screws, etx.) to reduce the risk, at least where the factory produced gun were concerned. I can't recall any articles on this particular maker and gun though. There have always been a few talented individuals who made small numbers of reproductions of originals. Some have been virtually identical to original guns (and some few made deliberate fakes, one of the reasons for concern over production replicas). The changes from original on this makers guns would certainly be a distinctive way to differentiate his guns from original ones.