Trigger guard ?

[bigindian]

.
Found this at old fort. Pretty sure it's a pistol trigger guard . It has a serial number of 3992, it's heavy brass. Any guess?

 

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[EccentricInTexas]

Looks like a Single Action black powder pistol grip. I am not sure if it is old or not. These are still made today in Italy and have been made for a long time. I had one some people found rusted up in an old barn. They thought they had hit it rich with an original colt till we broke the bad news and showed them the bottom was marked "Italy". We guess it was someones kit gun they shot once and had a chain fire then tossed it in the barn. Not sure on yours it looks like its been in the ground for a while you would have to find an expert on them. Maybe if you could find out how originals were marked that might help. The font of the old stamps are different then the modern ones usually.

 

[d2]

I agree with ET, trigger guard and bottom strap for an old black powder pistol. Is that a 98 number on the front of the trigger guard?d2

 

[jewelerguy]

probably from a colt revolver. it's missing the the back piece which helped form the rest of the handle

 

[BosnMate]

Yep, Colt cap and ball pistol, mid 1800's until present day.

This is an 1860 Colt Army revolver.

 

[jude061]

blackpowder colt was my guess as well.

 

[Retired Sarge]

While I agree with the black powder trigger guard answer....Can someone explain to me why the trigger slot is so off-centered along with the front part of the handle? Look at picture 4 to see what I am asking about.

 

[BosnMate]

There are a lot of moving parts being fit into a small space. Besides the trigger and sear, there is a pawl that turns the cylinder, and a cog that locks the cylinder in place when the trigger is pulled. I'm not a gun smith and have never questioned why, just accepted that it's off center.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Yup, they're off center to accomodate the cylinder stop which sits right next to the trigger inside the frame.

 

[Ant]

It looks like I can make out 3992 d2:

I agree with ET, trigger guard and bottom strap for an old black powder pistol. Is that a 98 number on the front of the trigger guard?d2

 

[NOLA_Ken]

The location of the numbers makes me think it's not an original Colt guard, on a Colt he numbers would be entirely on the flat area in front of the guard. Yours looks to be from an 1861 Army model, or an 1858 Navy model, but my gut tells me it's a more modern reproduction. Having said that I pulled out my Italian made '58 and saw that my trigger guard isn't numbered at all. Also, (and I'm not entirely certain here) I believe that Colt stamped ".36 Cal." or ".44 Cal." on the left side of their guards. I know I've seen that on a lot of early ones, but I don't know if that was common practice on all models or if it was done over the entire production runs.

With all that being said, it's still possible that it's from a period copy of a colt gun, and a good clear pic of the numbers might help to be able to determine if they are in the right period "font". My thought though is that it's a 20th Century part from a reproduction. I'll have to check and see if any of he companies that made them, or are still making them stamped the guard like that.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

You initial image shows it as 3" long with only 2" vertical on the grip leading edge. That would be a fairly tiny revolver - perhaps a Colt 1849 (.31 cal) or similar?

 

[BosnMate]

The picture I posted shows the serial number behind the screw, on the flat. I agree with Charlie, probably off a sheriff's model, to small for the model I posted. I had both an original sheriff model and an 1860 army, but I just sold them, so darn it, I can't check them out.

 

[bigindian]

Ok guys thanks for your replies. I have looked it over with a good loop n the numbers are 3992 positively . I live in fort Gibson okla n it was found on private property near the original fort which was in operation from 1835-1875 give or take. I personally don't think it is a repo as I have found many period things on this property. But thanks , you guys are a wealth of info.

 

[huntsman53]

I believe that the trigger guard assembly is from a Colt 1849 .31 Caliber Pocket Revolver! It is too short from the front screw hole to the ramp of the actual trigger guard and too short from the front of the trigger guard frame to the ramp of the actual trigger guard. The trigger guards for the 1851 Navy, 1860 Army and 1861 Navy is longer and much longer in the areas noted above. Also, the serial numbers on these are stamped on the trigger guard midway between the front screw and the ramp noted above and not partially on the ramp. I am not familiar with the 1862 Pocket Navy, 1862 Pocket Police and the Baby Dragoon Models, so it is possible that the trigger guard assembly was for one of them!


Frank

 

[bigindian]

Thanks Frank. I believe it was the 7th Dragoons that were here on the post. And near where I found this was the Dragoon hospital. I have found 3Dragoon buttons there on the same property. Don't know if that's what they carried or not. Thank again. Johnny

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

It would not be anything issued but might be a personal "insurance" back-up. May or may not have any military affiliation.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

After looking around a bit, Ive seen a couple 1849 Pockets with similarly stamped serial numbers, and it seems that the "Cal." stamp was begun in 1860. Yours, numbered 3992, would date to 1850, which was the first year of production.

 

[bigindian]

Thanks nola-ken n everyone else for their input , I'm gona call it solved.

 

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