Guns International #: 101988999

Category - Colt Revolvers - Conversion 1867-1878

Category
Colt Revolvers - Conversion 1867-1878

Colt Factory Conversion of 1851 Navy-Navy, US Accepted Stamped, 38 Centerfire, All Matching Serial-#59021

Description:
     Offered for sale is one (1) Colt Factory conversion of an original 1851 Navy-Navy percussion, and later converted by Colt for the Navy to 38 Centerfire.  With a serial number of 59021, its production date would fall in1856. Serial #59021 was also part of the early Navy-Navy purchase group between serial #'s 55500-62500.  Colt 1851 Navy-Navies have an Iron Trigger Guard and Iron Backstrap, both of English make.(1*)  The trigger guard has a flat base, and the backstrap has an apron cut behind the hammer (see picture).  This revolver was inspected by James L. Henderson, Cdr. U.S.N. who was the inspector for the Norfolk Navy Yard.  His inspection stamp is on the bottom of the grip and reads U.S.N./J.L.H.   A historical note here, Cdr Henderson resigned from U.S. Navy on April 18, 1861.  He then became a Commander of the C.S. Navy on June 10, 1861.  The known inspected range for Henderson is SN 55782-SN 59713.(2*)
     The US Navy returned to Colt percussion revolvers for conversion to centerfire in 1873,1875, and 1876.  Most were the 1851 pattern, remainder were 1861 Navies.  Estimates for the number of 1851 Navies converted were approximately 2035.(3*)   This conversion process altered existing parts and/or required replacement of a new parts, such a barrel, cylinder, wedges, or others.  No care was given to matching the original cylinder back to the original gun after the alteration.  This gun serial # 59021 has a cylinder # 59282 on the cylinder side, but was renumbered by Colt to serial #9021 on the back cylinder face after fitting.  Note the picture of the back of the cylinder, #90 is over one chamber and #21 is over the chamber to the right.  All 1851 Navy-Navy conversions have external gate springs, and most have a small "c" stamped in the hammer channel which #59021 has.(4*)  Found on the underside of the barrel is another inspection stamping, that being "R.W.M. & anchor.  R.W.M. is for Commander Richard Worsam Meade Jr. who was an inspector at Brooklyn New Your Navy Yard from 1860-1867, but his initials were not stamped until the 1870's.(5*)
     Bore is good with strong rifling, action works perfectly, cylinder scene is 90% clear.  Grips show some wear and a small old repair to the right grip at the heal.  Right grip also has two stamps toward the base, most likely a property or rack number.  This is a nice example of a hard to find 1851 Navy-Navy Conversion.  (As a side note, 1851 Navy-Navy Conversion #59020 is pictured on page 128 in the book by Robert Jordan & Don Geri.  It is the preceding gun to this revolver!)
     You will notice that at the end of some sentences a (number*).  I used this to denote a reference to authors Robert Jordan and Don Geri of their reference book "Colt 1851 and 1861 Navies & Conversions". #1 pages 120/121, #2 page 122,  #3 page 128 &129, #4 page 135, and #5 page 126, & 132.
For sale in lower 48 state USA and Alaska.  Shipping and insurance cost based on location.
    

 

SOLD

Antique: Yes