Make: Colt London Armory

Model: London Dragoon

Serial Number: 180

Year of Manufacture: Shipped September 2, 1861

Caliber: .44 Caliber

Action Type: Single Action Percussion Revolver

Barrel Length: 7 1/2”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a german silver blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a "V"-notch in the nose of the hammer, visible when cocked.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is one-piece smooth walnut. The grip has evenly scattered nicks and scratches with a few more notable dings. The finish shows handling wear. There is a tiny loss at the bottom-rear corner on the right. There are no cracks. Overall, the grip is in Very Good-plus condition as antique.

Type of Finish: Blue, Case Color & Silver-Plated Brass

Finish Originality: Original, numbered parts match. The wedge is not marked and is likely a replacement.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with deep, sharp rifling. There is scattered light erosion and infrequent pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 6 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 5% of its metal finish, all silver plate in the grip frame. Most of the silver is around the top of the trigger guard and the top of the backstrap. The steel parts have worn to white or gone to a light patina. There are some scattered nicks and scratches. There are some spots of light surface erosion. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The cylinder does not have any roll-scene visible, though the British proofs and serial marking are clear. Other markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes with a copy of a Colt Archives letter indicating that this revolver was factory engraved and shipped September 2, 1861 to J.C. Grubb & Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as one of 67 guns of the same type in the shipment. Also included is a letter from noted Antique Firearms Consultant Herb Glass as well as a copy of a July 2001 advertisement for the revolver when it was in the possession of Herb Glass.

Our Assessment: The Colt Walker was revolutionary in many ways, and not just the obvious pun about the cylinder rotating. Colt’s earlier design, the Paterson, had issues with reliability and did not find success in large military contracts. The Walker, a larger and much more powerful pistol, found favor with the Texan volunteers under Samuel Hamilton Walker and placed an order for 1,000 pistols. This would be the catalyst for what would become the Colt firm we know to this very day.

Despite the popularity of the Walker with the Texan volunteers, it did have its problems, and the developments of the Dragoon model would address these in turn. First and foremost, a latch assembly was devised for the loading latch. The Second Model Dragoon saw an improvement in the cylinder-stop notches as well as a roller-bearing installed on the hammer. The Third Model Dragoon introduced a rounded trigger guard rather than the square-back guard of the earlier models.

Around 700 Dragoons were also assembled in Colt's London factory using parts made in Hartford. Earlier examples, such as this one, were still marked with Colt's New York address while later barrels were marked with the London address. While this production took place after the introduction of the rounded trigger guard on the Third Model, several left-over square-back trigger guards were used in the assembly of earlier London Dragoons. Around 150 of the London Dragoons were engraved in England, a desirable find for collectors. Perhaps more desirable are the 200-odd revolvers that were in London and were actually shipped back to the United States following the outbreak of the Civil War. This rare London Dragoon will take a prized place in any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!