Make: Colt
Model: 1849 Pocket
Serial Number: 200197
Year of Manufacture: 1862
Caliber: .31
Action Type: Single Action, Percussion Revolver, Black Powder, with 6 Shot Cylinder
Barrel Length: 6"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass bead drilled and tapped into the barrel. The rear sight is a V notch on the nose of the hammer.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is one piece smooth walnut. The backstrap inlet has "0197" hand-written. There are light scratches and compression dents throughout. There are some minor spots of worn finish. There is a very small chip on the lower left. There are no cracks. Overall this grip is in Very Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blued, Silver Plated Brass, Case Hardening
Finish Originality: Original, all numbered parts match.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright. The rifling is well defined. There is some minor erosion and pitting. In this writer's opinion this bore rates 8/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 50% of its original finish. The bluing has worn in a patchy manner leaving areas of brown patina and minor corrosion staining. The color case shows strong color with some minor corrosion staining. The silver plating retains about 75% of its total with some wear and flaking in heavily handled areas. The screw heads are lightly tooled but serviceable. The markings are clear. Overall this revolver is in Very Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: This action functions correctly. We did not fire this revolver. As with any used guns a full cleaning may be necessary to meet your standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1849 Pocket Revolver is one of Samuel Colt’s most successful percussion handgun designs, combining compact dimensions with a practical six-shot .31 caliber cylinder and dependable single-action operation. This 1862 example features the desirable two-line Hartford barrel address, a 6" barrel, brass bead front sight, hammer-notch rear sight, and a one-piece walnut grip bearing the handwritten assembly number “0197” beneath the backstrap. All numbered parts match, making this a strong representative example of Colt’s Civil War-era pocket revolver.
Introduced in 1850, the Model 1849 Pocket became the best-selling percussion revolver of the 19th century, with more than 325,000 produced before manufacture ended in 1873. Its light weight, compact proportions, and reliable operation made it popular with civilians, merchants, travelers, military officers, and soldiers throughout the Gold Rush, Civil War, and Reconstruction periods. Hartford-address examples from the early 1860s are especially appealing to collectors, representing the mature production period of Colt’s most commercially successful cap-and-ball revolver.
This revolver retains about 50% of its original finish, including strong case colors and approximately 75% of its silver plating, with patchy blue loss, brown patina, and minor corrosion staining. The walnut grip remains in Very Good antique condition, while the mostly bright bore has well-defined rifling with minor erosion and pitting, rating 8/10. The action functions correctly, making this a matching Colt 1849 Pocket Revolver in Very Good antique condition with strong collector appeal. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids!
