Antique Colt pocket percussion model 1849 Civil War era all original matching serial numbers

1849 Colt Pocket Revolver in .31 caliber percussion black powder antique, serial number 75078 matching numbers throughout all the components, and was made in 1853, making it a 173-year-old masterpiece by one of America’s first and premier makers of the revolver.

Serial numbers all match on the cylinder, bottom of barrel where it meets the receiver, on the receiver itself, in the brass trigger guard, and on the brass handle strap beneath the grips. I have not removed the grips but they are walnut in excellent condition and look to be original as well.

Maker’s name “COLTS” with what looks like a faint number is on the left-hand side of the receiver, and the address “{ ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY }” is on the top of the barrel.

Handsome grey patina throughout the metalwork. Single action, the mechanism cocks and fires fine, locks at half-cock and full-cock, but does not consistently rotate the cylinder. A simple repair to fix the cocking/rotating mechanism, but I’m not a qualified gunsmith so I will leave that to the next owner.

Only 325K of these were ever made; it is increasingly rare to find these pre-Civil War antiques in such good condition with no repairs or replacements and all matching numbers. I do not see any martial markings, but it’s entirely possible that this piece saw action between 1861-1865. The faint number on the left-hand side of the receiver beneath the “COLTS” name could possibly be a military designation.

Crisp rifling in the barrel, all the screws look to be original, all the percussion nipples are intact, and zero pitting inside or outside on any of the metal work. Action is tight with no play or wiggling, has the more desirable 6” barrel rather than the short barreled model, 5 chambers in this cylinder, and the hammer grooves are sharp.

Condition is very good; comps for these pieces range from $800-$2000. The least expensive comp on gunsinternational.com for an Antebellum-era Colt Pocket is $1600. This model is extremely competitively priced at $1250 for a fully matching numbered antique. Collection in Port St Joe, thank you for your interest in this piece of history.