This Colt Army .44 Cal. Revolver is serial number 29776, was made in early 1862, and rates very good for condition, complete and all original, with no finish, but generally smooth metal and  very crisp markings: numbering and lettering, along with much of the cylinder scene. The barrel shows as a muted silver-gray with some semi-bright areas mixed with scattered gray stains, mostly around the muzzle and rear of the barrel assembly, but showing on the loading lever, etc. The wedge screw shows a touch of blue. The frame shows as a faintly bluish-gray from faded case color. The barrel shows some very shallow pin-prick corrosion from firing on the left just forward of the cylinder and midway along the barrel. The right shows much less but does have a few light dings a the rear from tapping out the wedge.

The nipples on the cylinder are very good- not battered down. The cylinder naval-battle scene is quite good, with some rubbing around the middle on the upper masts of the ships, but otherwise good detail with even the small date of the engagement around the front edge of the cylinder legible. The Colt patent stamp with serial number and the smaller patent dates beneath it are crisp. This holds true for the Colts / Patent stamp on the left frame, and for various small factory subinspection initials on various parts including the rear of the barrel assembly, rear of the cylinder and even the softer brass of the triggerguard, which shows a medium tone.

The grips are tight, have good edges on the butt, have nice color and surface with good varnish. There are just two small dings on the rear of the lower right grip and one on the bottom of the butt. There is a very visible ink inspector’s cartouche on the left- the pistol never had one on the right. The inspector’s initials are in script and a little tough to read, but have a number of loops and the last letter seems to be a “B,” making us think it is likely the script cartouche of Pomeroy Booth, who used a number of loops in his first and last initial and is known to have inspected Colt Armies in the 10713 to 59120 range.  Mechanics function well.

The pistol is a standard configuration for the M1860 Army, sometimes now called the New Model Army by collectors: six shot, rebated cylinder, four-screw frame with cut-outs in the recoil shield and notch on the bottom of the buttstrap for a detachable stock. The serial number dates it to early 1862, meaning this one was around for most of the great battles and cavalry raids of the war. A miss is as good as a mile in serial numbers, but for what it’s worth we find 29684 and 29794, with numbers below and above those in the hands of a Co. I 1^st Maine Cavalry in 1862, so there is a possibility it was in that regiment if not that company.

This is a very good looking, regulation issue pistol that shows service but not careless handling or neglect. These revolvers were standard side arms for U.S. cavalrymen in the Civil War, were popular among soldiers on both sides, and sought after by collectors. If you had an ancestor in the Civil War cavalry, he very likely carried one of these. It would look great in a display of cavalry weapons and accouterments, a collection of Civil War revolvers, or even just Colts.  [sr] [ph:m/L]

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