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Excellent Volcanic Repeating Arms Company Lever-Action Navy Pistol

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 50,000.00 USD
Excellent Volcanic Repeating Arms Company Lever-Action Navy Pistol
Lever-action Navy pistol with eight inch barrel manufactured by the Volcanic Repeating Arms Co., circa 1856. This pistol was manufactured before Oliver Winchester acquired the majority of the Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. stock and reorganized it as the New Haven Arms Co., in 1857. The pistol has a blued octagon barrel and integral magazine. The frame, side-plates and grip straps are brass. The hammer has a casehardened finish. The finger hole loading lever, bolt and cartridge elevator are niter blue. The barrel is fitted with a nickel-silver front sight with pinched top and a period custom peep rear sight mounted in a dovetail on the receiver. The two-piece, flat bottom, walnut stocks have a varnished 'piano' finish. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the three-line legend: "THE VOLCANIC/REPEATING ARMS CO./ PATENT NEW HAVEN CONN. FEB 14. 1854.". The serial number, "1188" is stamped on the right side of the loading lever, the left side of the butt and on the inside of both stocks. Volcanic lever-action pistols are rare. These pistols are historically significant as one of the first successful lever-action firearms and the first of the Winchester lever-action firearms.
BBL: 8 inch octagon
Stock:
Gauge: 41 Volcanic
Finish: blue
Grips: varnished walnut
Serial Number: 1188
Condition: Excellent. The pistol retains 90% of the original blue finish on the barrel, bolt, cartridge elevator and magazine. The loading lever retains 80% of the original bright niter blue finish. There are scattered and very minor spots of age discoloration on the barrel. The hammer retains 60% or more of the original casehardened finish with strong case colors. About 60% of the niter blue finish is present on the lever and bolt; the cartridge elevator has 97% of the original fiery blue finish. The stocks are in excellent condition and have 97% of the high gloss lacquer finish with minimal handling and storage wear. The brass receiver and grip straps have never been polished and have a deep and very attractive age patina. The side plate joints are tight and receiver has only a few minor storage marks. The Volcanic legend and serial numbers are very sharp. The bore is bright. This is an excellent, completely original example of a rare and historically significant Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. lever action Navy pistol.