Original Excellent U.S. Civil War Colt M1849 Pocket Percussion 4″ Barrel Revolver with Cylinder Scene & Iron Grip Frame made in 1859 – Matching Serial 152283 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The Colt “Pocket Percussion” Model 1849 revolvers in .31cal are essentially scaled down versions of the larger Navy Model 1851 in .36cal, and were developed concurrently. This is an absolutely fantastic example, probably the best that we have EVER had! This impressive example features Serial Number 152283 on the barrel, frame, cylinder, trigger guard, and grip frame, while the cylinder arbor pin, barrel wedge and loading are all marked with shortened number 2283. This makes this a very desirable “ALL MATCHING” example of the M1849 Pocket revolver, without any parts swapped out over the years, and it’s a great one! It even features a rare nickel plated iron trigger guard and grip frame with a silver wash, a very decorative rarity!

The serial number indicates indicates the year of manufacture as 1859, only a few short years before the start of the U.S. Civil War, so it almost certainly saw service during the conflict. Five shot percussion, .31 caliber with a 4″ barrel, and is in nice tight condition with a great finish still showing much bluing on the barrel and case hardening on the frame, with the grip frame and trigger guard showing a lovely tarnished patina. Additionally, over 95% of the original “Stagecoach Robbery” cylinder engraving can still be seen, which is usually completely worn away. The COLT’S PATENT marking is fully intact as well. Often we see these with the markings completely removed from the cylinder, so this is a real treat!

The Colt early two line address is marked in two lines across the top of the octagonal barrel, and is still crisp with no wear:-

ADDRESS SAML COLT
NEW YORK CITY

It also has the correct crisp COLTS PATENT on the left frame under the cylinder, though there is no “31CAL” marking on the trigger guard, which is not uncommon. The walnut grips are in excellent condition, with a lovely color and very little damage or wear. They still have about 95% of the original “Piano Varnish” finish that was applied to these at the factory, with just some light wear on the bottom corners where usually seen. The plating on the grip frame shows just a bit of peppering, with a few areas at the corners where it has flaked off.

The revolver functions just about flawlessly, with solid indexing and a firm cylinder lockup. We did not notice any of the usual finicky behavior we often see with revolvers of this age. The barrel to frame connection is solid, with no wobble we can detect. The bore is in EXCELLENT condition, with a bright finish showing crisp lands and grooves, and the machining marks on the rifling are still visible. There are just a few tiny spots of oxidation staining. We almost never see percussion revolvers with a bore this good, with very little evidence of use or neglect. The brass front sight is still present and in very good condition. All five cap nipple cones are clear, showing very little oxidation or fouling. The revolver does appear to have been dry fired quite a bit though, as the nipples all show mushrooming at the end.

This is a fantastic ’49 Pocket dating from just before the Civil War, a great acquisition for any collection. In excellent condition with a lovely lightly used patina and a great cylinder scene, ready to display!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1859
Caliber: .31cal
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Overall Length: 9 inches
Action: Single Action Percussion
Feed System: 5 Shot Revolver

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country’s antique gun laws prior to ordering.