Rare & Attractive Serial Number 58 Colt Full Stock Sporting .56 Caliber Revolving Percussion Rifle,1855-1864 Our Assessment: Thousands of these guns would ultimately see service, both sides used the gun but more were supplied to the Union. After all, Samuel Colt's company was situated well above the Mason-Dixon Line, in Connecticut, and Colt was a commissioned officer in the Connecticut State Militia. The gun was used from the opening months of the conflict until the war ended in 1865, it was considered an effective arm by most of its users but the advent of breech-loaded firearms made it largely obsolete by the end of the conflict. There are a number of different Colt Model 1855 Revolving Rifles that were made. This particular specimen is a .56 caliber Full Stock Sporting Rifle with a 31 1/4" barrel, a 5-round fluted cylinder and a full-length forend. In all, only 1,000 .56 caliber Sporting Rifles were produced, 200 with a 31 1/4" barrel and the Full Stock was less common than the Half Stock, making this a pretty Rare configuration. The gun has a matching serial numbers with the exception of the included clearing rod, and there is a marking in the toe which may be a rack number.Also of interest is the "FAVRE BRANDT" marking found on the barrel and receiver. This marking is associated with James Favre Brandt, a Swiss citizen who went with a mission to Japan in 1863 to establish trade relations. While Favre Brandt is perhaps best known today for his role in watchmaking and watch sales in Japan, he also sold a wide variety of goods including firearms. While this rifle doesn't have any Japanese markings, the Favre Brandt markings are still an intriguing feature which would be well worth some more in-depth investigation.The rifle itself is in impressive condition, especially compared to other specimens we have seen. The action still functions correctly and the bore is really quite outstanding.
Make: Colt
Model: Full Stock Sporting Rifle
Serial#: 58
Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1857
Caliber: .56 Cal
Markings: The top-strap is marked "COL. COLT HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.". The top tang is marked "COLT'S / PATENT NOV 24TH 1857". The bottom of the frame, bottom tang, butt-plate, rear of the cylinder and bottom of the barrel are all serial matched "58". The cylinder is marked "PATENTED. SEPT. 10th 1850". The left of the trigger guard is marked "K". The toe is marked "212". The top of the barrel in front of the rear sight and the front of the topstrap are each marked "FAVRE BRANDT".
Barrel Length: 31 1/4"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a German silver blade in a slotted base dovetailed to the front of the receiver. The rear sight has one fixed and two folding "V"-notches in a base dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The fixed notch is marked "100" while the taller folding notches are marked "300" and "500" respectively. The rear sight is sitting slightly off-center to the right in its dovetail.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is two-piece smooth wood featuring a brass nose-cap, a slot in the forend for the included clearing rod, two barrel bands, a straight wrist, a straight comb, a sling swivel on the belly and a semi-crescent butt-plate with a storage compartment (nothing in the compartment). There are sling swivels mounted to the rear barrel band the rear of the guard. The stocks have scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There are two thin cracks at the rear of the top tang. There are paper shims in the forend at each barrel band. The plate has scattered light surface oxidation, but retains some blue finish. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition as refinished ANTIQUE.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is some erosion in the bore, mostly in the grooves about mid-way down the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7 or 8 out of 10.
Overall Condition: The gun retains about 30% of its metal finish. The strongest remaining finish is on the receiver and cylinder. The tangs and barrel are mostly worn to white. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation. There are several nicks and scratches, mostly minor. There are tool marks around screw and pin heads. The action shows light operational wear. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. The screwheads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. Overall, the gun is in Very Good-Fine condition as ANTIQUE.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with the clearing rod stored under the barrel. Please note that the clearing rod is not original to the gun and will fall out the front of the stock if the rifle is pointed down.
CA LEGAL: ANTIQUE
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