According to my books, all '62s had round barrels. The 5 shot "pocket Navy" had an octagonal barrel and was introduced in 1865 (3 yrs after Sam's death).
Mike
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Mike, you know very much more than I about these pistols.
I would like to propose a hypothetical.
If the .36 Pocket Police was produced in 1862 (with the newer Army type round barrel and the creeping load lever), why would Colt's widow (and her company) produce the .36 Pocket Navy (with the "old" style octagon barrel and the "old" type load lever) three years later in 1865?
I'm sure Sam thought an octagonal barrel would have been seen as a "step back" after the '60 barrel made the scene.
Both were based upon the smaller 1849 Pocket Pistol frame, so she could not have tried to use up excess 1851 Navy barrels from the parts stock.
The Pocket Police and the Pocket Navy had serial numbers that sort-of "leapfrogged" during production, which is curious (P. L. Shumaker, 1957).
In 1862, Colt started stamping the left rear of the trigger guards ".36 CAL" on both models so as not to confuse troops in the field with the 1849 Pocket Pistol (stamped .31 CAL in the same place) from about the same time period. (Shumaker).
Not looking for an argument, just opinions.
Jim