Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Original Colt 45 from the 19th Century

WOW!! An early Christmas!! My Dad (84 years young) just gave me a single action Colt 45 made just before the turn of the LSAT centruy!! 1899!! I shot it a lot with him when I wuz a little brat. Now that I'm a much older brat he said it would complement my original Sharps!! I am actually dumbfounded!! What a gift!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Man, that IS something. Congrats on a fine addition to your collection. That is a durn nice father!

That's wonderful!! I'm going to suggest that you have some pictures taken of your Dad, the Colt and yourself (all together) for the life's album you can pass down with the Colt later on.

I'd greatly enjoy seeing a picture of the Colt. Nothing feels quite like it my opinion and I enjoyed mine immensely. I had a 5.5" .45 Colt that was just right in about every way possible, but the others were terrific as well.

.41, I will do that. The gun is all apart now and my Dad, a long time tool and die maker is going over it piece by piece befor re-assembling it. I already ordered a belt and holster from El Paso Saddlery for it. May as well give it a first class ride.

Hey, there ya go! Just remember, I wanna see those pictures. Don't forget that part! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Added: By the way, the Colt is one year older than my Dad would be, were he alive today. He lived to be 90.

Me no forget pics. I'll put it with the Sharps so it has good company.

My gramps was born in 1887. Lived to be just about 90. When I was a kid he always told me he'd take me coon hunting (or was it possum hunting), but he didn't even own a gun, LOL.

That was a really nice gift your father gave you. Can't wait to see the picture.

I got it wrong!! I have the Colt all apart in a box in front of me and the serial is 158xxx which means it is a BLACKPOWDER gun. Probably made in 1895 as the steel frame smokeless powder guns had a serial beginning at 162000 in 1896. The bbl and backstrap are polished and in the "white"Front sight is gone. Be a while before I have suitable pics for ya. I'll also have to use BP or BP substitute for my ammo. I guess my Sharps has a real brother now.

That SN makes it a 1894 production, 1 of 5,000 made that year starting at 154,001.
The new steel and heat treat was indeed started at 162,000 but those early guns were still BP guns, after 182,000 they are suited to light smokeless loads only.

Thanks T. I also saw that about the powder type elsewhere. I didn't have the date of mfg but I was close enuff for gov't work. Got you post at the campfire regarding powder charge. I have to agree. Regular BP would tie up the cylinder with fouling so fast I'd need a spanner to index a chamber. The cylinder was replaced by my Dad years ago and it IS a smokeless cylinder. The frame is the Achilles heel so Pyrodex is getting the nod. Thanx again for the input.

Glad to help, you lucky So and So! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My Colt has Serial number 164xxx. It is has a 4 3/4in. barrel in 38-40. My information is that it is from 1896. As I live in Canada, I imagine that it could have been used in the klondike.
I have only used black & Pyrodex, but wonder if it could use light smokeless loads?

Truth be told T, my Dad is the real treasure. ANYTHING he gives me is worth more than its weight in gold to me and termination with extreme prejudice will befall any who try to take same. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Know what ya mean ET, I would give most anything for one more day with mine.