This is an original Richards-Mason conversion revolver that was produced by the Colt factory in the mid-1870's to shoot .38 rimfire cartridges. In 1871 Colt employee Charles Richards was awarded a patent for converting 1851 and 1861 Colt Navy percussion revolvers to a breech loading cartridge revolver. In 1872 William Mason, another Colt employee, was awarded a patent for an improvement to the Richards model and the Richards-Mason Conversion model revolver was born. Many conversion revolvers were not actually true conversions of percussion revolvers, instead they were new production cartridge revolvers manufactured by the Colt factory to use up existing inventory of percussion parts left over from war time production. Therefore, these revolvers were cheaper to produce than the brand new Colt SAA, and the lower cost made them popular well into the mid-1880's. The bore on this antique revolver is heavily pitted and the exterior has been scrubbed bright. The brass has aged to a dark patina and the grips have a few handling marks. This revolver also comes with an antique holster with a wonderful patina.
The 7-1/2" barrel has been scrubbed bright and has a deep pitted texture on the exterior. The bore also has deep pitting running its entire length. A small nickel silver blade front sight is soldered just behind the muzzle. A notch in the hammer serves as the rear sight. The top of the barrel is marked ~ ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY ~ . This barrel was originally manufactured for use as a percussion revolver. The hole for the loading lever on the bottom of the barrel assembly was filled at the Colt factory, along with the dovetail for the loading lever catch. The right side of the barrel was milled for an ejector rod that allows easy removal of spent cartridges. The small screw that retains the barrel wedge is missing on the left side of the barrel. The bottom of the barrel, frame, cylinder, and trigger guard are all stamped with the serial number 85. The frame and trigger guard have an additional 1 stamped below the number 85 indicating this revolver is serial number 185. Roughly 2,200 Colt 1861 Navy conversion revolvers were manufactured.
This revolver features a brass backstrap and triggerguard. The grips have shrunk due to age and the brass guard and backstrap stand proud of the wood. The cylinder is roll engraved with a naval scene and is also heavily pitted. The timing is good on this revolver and the cylinder locks up tight. The loading gate and internal gate spring are missing from the backing ring. The original percussion hammer was milled and fitted with an offset firing pin for shooting rimfire cartridges. The frame is marked -COLT'S PATENT below the cylinder. The side of the triggerguard is stamped 36 CAL.
An antique leather holster is also included with this conversion revolver. The double loop holster is marked 1408 C / 45 / 7-1/2 in three lines on the backside. Simple border tooling is barely visible. A leather repair can been seen along the top where the holster cracked. The stitching along the bottom of the holster has ripped and the barrel extends 1/2" past the bottom. The top portion along the trigger guard has been torn away. The leather is still soft and pliable, and has many scratches giving it a warm patina.
This antique 1861 Colt Navy conversion revolver with antique holster is sure to be a conversation piece. It will be a nice addition to your Old West collection. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.