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Scarce Colt Model 1855 Full Stock Sporting Rifle with 21 Inch Barrel

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Rifles Start Price:4,250.00 USD Estimated At:8,500.00 - 13,000.00 USD
Scarce Colt Model 1855 Full Stock Sporting Rifle with 21 Inch Barrel
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Scarce Colt Model 1855 Full Stock Sporting Rifle with 21 Inch Barrel

This is an extraordinary example of a Colt Model 1855 .44 Caliber Full-Stock Sporting Rifle with 21 inch barrel that was manufactured circa 1860. The rifle lacks the lug for a sword bayonet or block front sight base for a socket bayonet found on Colt Model 1855 military rifles and carbines. The rifle has a commercial blue finish on the barrel, frame and cylinder with casehardened loading lever, hammer and buttplate. The stock and forearm are American walnut with a varnished piano finish. The rifle has a 21 inch part octagon/part round barrel, six-shot fluted cylinder, rear sight with 100, 200 and 600 yard leaves, dovetail mounted nickel silver front sight, sling swivels on the lower barrel band and lower tang, iron trigger guard and crescent buttplate, butt trap with brass cleaning rod jag, brass forearm tip and steel cleaning rod with knurled head. "COLT'S PATENT/NOV. 24th 1857 is stamped in a curve of the left side of the frame. The top strap is roll stamped with the legend "COL. COLT HARTFORD CT." "PATENTED SEPT.10th 1850" is roll stamped in one cylinder flute. "44 CAL./K" is stamped on the left shoulder of the trigger guard. The face of the 600 yard sight leaf is stamped "21 44", indicating the caliber and barrel length. The serial number "1205" is visible on the bottom of the frame, underside of the barrel beneath the forearm, rear face of the lower barrel band, bottom of the trigger guard and toe of the buttplate. "1205" is penciled on the inside of the forearm. The upper barrel band is numbered "572". Colt manufactured only a small number of Model 1855 full stock rifles of between 1856 and 1864 and examples like this one with a 21 inch barrel and full length forearm are scarce.

Manufacture: Colt
Model: 1855-Carbine
BBL: 21 inch part octagon
Stock: varnished walnut
Gauge: 44 percussion
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 1205

Very fine. The rifle retains at least 75% of the original high polish blue finish. Most of the blue finish is present on the barrel. The frame retains 70% of the blue finish with moderate high point wear. The cylinder has a dark patina with scattered light flash pitting on the flutes, rear face and percussion nipples. The trigger guard has a smooth silver-gray patina with blue finish in protected areas. The upper barrel band retains about 50% of the blue and the lower band has a gray patina with light-moderate pitting. The loading lever and hammer have a gray brown patina with casehardened finish visible in protected areas. The buttplate has a silver-gray patina. The stock and forearm are excellent and retain 95% plus of the original varnished piano finish. Wear is limited to scattered minor handling and storage marks. The Colt markings and serial numbers are sharp. The action is tight and functions well. This is a very good example of a scarce Colt Model 1855 Full Stock Sporting Rifle with 21 inch barrel. Colt Model 1855 rifles are rarely encountered with this much original finish overall. A truly outstanding example!