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Civil War Colt Model 1855 Military Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Rifles Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 9,000.00 USD
Civil War Colt Model 1855 Military Rifle
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Civil War Colt Model 1855 Military Rifle

Colt Model 1855 Military Rifle manufactured circa 1863. This military style revolving rifle is finished "National Armory Bright" with case colored loading lever, hammer, cylinder pin and buttplate and blue barrel bands and rear sight. The trigger guard is brass. The barrel has a block style front sight that serves as a lug for a socket bayonet and three leaf folding rear sight graduated for 100, 200 and 600 yards. A steel cleaning rod with knurled head is mounted below the forearm. The carbine style buttplate has a sliding trap door and the stock has a butt trap for a cleaning rod jag. Factory sling swivels are located on the middle barrel band and trigger guard tang. The stock and forearm are oil finished straight grain American walnut. The forearm has a brass tip. "COL. COLT HARTFORD CT. U.S.A." is roll-stamped in the top-strap sight groove. The five shot fluted cylinder is roll-stamped "PATENTED SEPT. 10th 1850" in one flute. "COLT"S PATENT/NOV. 24th 1857" is roll-stamped on the left side of the frame. "56 CAL" is stamped in small letters on the left side of the trigger guard bow. The serial number, "6598" is stamped on the bottom of the frame, bottom of the barrel and on the buttplate heel. The trigger guard is serial numbered "8409". The Ordnance Department purchased 5.477 Colt Model 1855 revolving rifles between 1857 and 1866. The majority of these rifles, some 4,712 were purchased during the Civil War and were not stamped with Ordnance final inspection and sub-inspection marks. Many of these rifles, like this example were finished with the same National Armory Bright finish found on regulation rifle muskets.

Manufacture: Colt
Model: 1855
BBL: 31 inch round
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 56 percussion
Finish: bright
Grips:
Serial Number: 6598

Fine as assembled (see above). The rifle shows minimal firing wear and has no flash pitting on the percussion nipples, cylinder, frame or hammer. The bright finished components are semi-bright. The loading lever, hammer and cylinder pin retain nearly all of the casehardened finish. The nitre blue finish has faded on the rear sight and the buttplate and barrel bands have a rough blue gray finish. The markings on the barrel, frame and cylinder are sharp. The stock and forearm have been refinished and are good overall with moderate handling wear. The action functions perfectly. This is a solid representative example of a Civil War Colt Model 1855 Military Rifle.