Colt Experimental New Model Army Prototype

[Marshal Will]

Hello Guys,

I knew they made a .40 caliber in 1858, but never heard of the .44 caliber.

AntiqueSledMan.

That's a cool one. I like the .40 cal idea. It would have been quite a little pistol. Thanks for the photos.

[ShotgunDave]

I don't know how the hell I missed this. The fluted 1860 Army is my #1 favorite cap gun. I had an Uberti that I sold off to fund my Sharps rifle purchase. Still wish I had it though.

That prototype gun is just beautiful. It wouldn't be too hard to replicate that one. Hardest part would be the cylinder.

[Marshal Will]

I don't think Pietta makes a full length fluted cylinder but Uberti makes one. The Pietta cylinder is about .020 longer so a Uberti one wouldn't work. You might have to have someone cut the flutes in the original cylinder, or at least in a replacement one. I do love those full fluted cylinders, though. Pietta does make a half fluted cylinder but then the flutes would need to be cut all the way and that may not be workable.

[Captainkirk]

From what I have read and heard, the prototype for the Army was a .40 cal, not a .44. Could you point us to some documentation backing up the .44 caliber claim? Just curious, as always!

[Marshal Will]

To quote a paragraph from the article.

It was quickly decided that a new pistol would need to be designed in order to fully take advantage of the new steel. After much research and development, Colt's engineers theorized that if a stepped, or "rebated" cylinder was designed a large caliber could be combined with a small frame to make a new Army .44 caliber revolver that was a similar size and weight to the Navy .36 caliber revolvers. Colt's pattern shop quickly designed a prototype to test this theory. A new cylinder was made with the rear portion the same size as a basic Navy cylinder while the front portion was larger to provide enough chamber thickness to contain the pressures produced by a .44 caliber cartridge. The new cylinder was mounted to a Navy frame that was also rebated to allow the new cylinder to clear it. A Navy barrel was then bored to .44 caliber. Also, because the use of Colt's new steel negated the need for a beefy octagonal barrel, the new barrel was thinned out and turned completely round. As this was merely a prototype, there were no numbers or trademarks applied.

And add this photo, also from that article.

[Marshal Will]

Here's a link to an 1860 prototype that was made after that experimental one. It was auctioned off 5 or 6 years ago. This one is .44 also.

[Hawg]

This is serial number 2. It sold for 22,500.00 in 2010. There were 10 prototypes with subtle differences like sights. It's a .44. I seem to remember the prototypes for the 1851 were .40 caliber.



 

[Captainkirk]

Thanks for that reference, Marshal! 

[Marshal Will]

Thanks for that reference, Marshal! 

My pleasure.

I didn't know the 1851 prototypes were .40. This stuff is so fascinating.

Thanks for that photo, Hawg.

[Hawg]

It looks like I was half right anyway.  https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/revolvers/colt-revolvers---antique-percussion/rare-colt-1851-navy-prototype-enlarged-caliber-revolver.cfm?gun_id=101015905

[Marshal Will]

That's pretty interesting. I didn't know that before now. Thanks for bringing that up, Hawg.

[AR. Hillbilly]

That's pretty interesting. I didn't know that before now. Thanks for bringing that up, Hawg.

Thank you for sharing this.
Very neat information.