Very nice 1849 Pocket. Could it also be the tip of the trigger?
As far as the 1st Model Dragoon is there anything specific that makes you suspect a copy? It looks real enough to me.
My issues with the Dragoon:
1. The address and patent stamps are missing - now these revolvers were used and abused and unloved for many years before becoming collectable
- and this has been buffed and rubbed and beaten and dented and whatever, sooooo - the markings could have been lost to time (they have on several of my other Colts), According to last owner, this was at one time Gold plated (brass/nickel/gold) had to be removed, could have removed details - !
The patent has had an "attempt" at recovery - by hand-stamping individual letters! - something Colt wouldn't have done, but again could have been done years later to an original in the misguided effort to restore - I suppose.
2. The Serial numbers are double stamped - and although the "font" used, is historically darn-close to correct, it is not recorded anywhere that I can find that they would double stamped numbers on Dragoon parts - but my research is internet based, so feel free to chime in.
3. Looking directly down on the top of the revolver - The channel in the frame on either side of the hammer - on originals these extend to the cylinder, ending at a right angle - on mine the edges are flared around where the hammer touches the cylinder.
4. Where the frame meets the barrel assembly - on originals there is a small (1-2mm) step - on mine is is a flat join.
5. The brass grip frame - beveling around the rear of trigger guard - on an original it is almost concave allowing the second finger to rest, on mine not is almost straight. The brass grip frame is also inlet and bevelled at the frame, where mine is a "little" more crudely finished.
Everything else looks good, including the slow "rifling" - the hand-drawn screws - the internal-parts fit and finish - I compared it to two originals in hand (
I did not take down the originals to compare the revolvers internally as they did not belong to me and I was at a gunshow) - and the above text and serial number issues are the stand alone differences.
While doing this I have come across several Walker copies and one or two Dragoons that were made in the time before the Italian replicas were available, and were supposedly made by a craftsman and his apprentices out of Texas - this "story" has been so often repeated around the US and on collector forums and by Elmer Keith in his book Six Guns, that I think it must be one of his.
Too nice to be a Mexican or Spanish, Belgian copy, those all had specific "aesthetic issues" that are quite easy to spot.
It is a nice collectable oddity, and that is fine.