1st Generation Colt's

[bigted]

I anxiously await your conclusion. The dinky nipple holes should have a bunch of relevance. Wonder where a person could find small hole nipples.

[Prowbar]

Yep, that's the 'secret'. You'll also notice a lot less fouling in the hammer channel and action.

[KYJames]

Very nice!

[LonesomePigeon]

Great looking Colt's. I am very much looking forward to a range report.

[bigted]

Nother item I would like to compare with the Italian guns would be the relief cut in the right side where you load. Like to see the cutout relief to compare with my grinding jobs to be able to load paper carts with both round balls as well as the "Era's Gone" spire point bullets.

I often wonder as to the relief I grind into mine for this clearance for the original paper cartridges.

[Captainkirk]

The smaller nipple holes may also play a role in reducing chainfires.

[Fingers McGee]

I've attached a couple pictures showing the flash hole size of a variety cones:

1.  Treso 6x.75 fo Pietta
2.  Uncle Mikes 6x.75 for Pietta
3.  Pietta .300 length 6x.75 (also early Uberti?)
4.  Pietta .320 length 6x.75
5.  Pietta Leech and Rigdon
6.  Uberti SS 1860 Army 5.5x9
7.  Uberti .290 length 5.5x9
8.  SlixShot for Uberti 12-28
9.  Treso for Uberti 5.5x9
10.  12-28
11.  1852 mfg '51 Navy (.225-32 ?)

The Treso cone flash holes are close to the size of the mystery cone; but still is pretty large.  Small flash holes are the key.  Before SlixShots, Treso's and #10 Remington's were the formula for eliminating cap sucking.

I won't be able to test the pistol till this coming Saturday.  Hopefully I'll have a report then.

[ShotgunDave]

Amazing how small the flash hole is on the original Colt cone. And the shape is very different too.

Too bad someone couldn't faithfully reproduce them, with the different thread patterns for modern guns. They'd probably make a small fortune.

[Miguel Loco]

Great info Fingers! I don't think I've ever seen them all compared like that. I stole your picture, hope you don't mind.

[Fingers McGee]

Use em in good health Miguel

[Len]

Thanks Fingers. Will experiment, using your info.

[Fingers McGee]

Finally got around to getting more pictures of the Navy. Also had a chance to put a few rounds through it this past weekend and give it a good cleaning.

While I only shot one cylinder full (due to my poor planning - wrong caps, wrong flask spout, lack of powder, made for a high frustration factor) it performed almost perfectly. I had a cap problem that kept me from shooting more. The nipples on the pistol are not tapered so capper pressure alone was not enough to seat the #10 Remington caps and I forgot my push stick or any other variety of caps. Next outing I'll be better prepared. The Uberti mainspring worked just fine, only had one cap that got stuck. Hopefully caps other than the #10 Remingtons will work better. I'll make sure I have a variety next time out as well as sufficient powder and my push stick. 

[Captainkirk]

That is a thing of beauty, Fingers!

[ShotgunDave]

So cool Fingers! Thank you for the report. I for one am excited to see a REAL Colt and know it's been fired recently. Very cool indeed.

I notice something in your photos. The end of the loading lever, that attaches to the barrel lug, appears to have a bit of a "kick up" for lack of a better word. The ones on our clones are straight I believe.

[ssb73q]

Hi, very nice, I'm envious. Will Uberti nipples fit that Colt?

Regards,
Richard