Colt Firearms

Last year my son Josh and I got a very special invitation to go meet a group of hobbyists dedicated to preserving a bit of history. I truly appreciate people whose passion for collecting intersects with my love of history. That is why we were so excited to attend the Colt Collectors association’s 42nd annual all colt gun show held just outside Indianapolis in Noblesville Indiana.
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This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
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Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #Colt

[@shaider1982]

Nice, a video that will definitely be approved by Forgotten Weapons. Edit: yup, I also watched Ian's video on the Col Machine gun relased the same day as this one.

[@stevegoodzeck241]

I will admit I watched Ian's video before this one today.

[@jimcappa6815]

I did, too. For a brief moment, I thought he had uploaded two videos today.

[@robertdragoff6909]

@@stevegoodzeck241 Me too

[@GunsmithSid]

We like the content -especially seeing the collector guns, but there were too many ‘mistakes’ or overlooked nuances in this presentation for the aficionados.

[@robertdragoff6909]

I thought it was an excellent video

[@alexmg2420]

This was an outstanding video. I love the fact that you presented these firearms and the people that collect them in a politically neutral light. You presented them as they are: interesting pieces of history collected by people with a keen interest in them. Seeing firearms presented as pieces of history to be prized and preserved and appreciated, rather than being villified as tools of violence and war is such a refreshing take. This video just reaffirmed why I love this channel: your commitment to presenting history, positive or negative, without bias, and keeping it interesting the whole way through!

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

This was a pretty interesting episode. And while not a Colt collector; it was refreshing to see firearms presented other than the typical media portrayal of just an instrument of crime . They can be interesting bits of engineering as well as history. And the history of Colt, is truly American history.

[@dirus3142]

Forgotten weapons is all about the engineering and history of fire arms.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@dirus3142 True.... But I am talking about a non gun focused Channel reaching a different audience.

[@videodistro]

Don't forget C&Rsenal for more in-depth engineering and history information!

[@Full_Otto_Bismarck]

As American as apple pie and baseball, regardless of what one thinks about firearms.

[@davidneel8327]

I once worked at a company that was a division of Colt Industries.

[@k_enn]

As a revolver fan, "modern" Colts have two engineering features that shine above most of the competitors. First, the cylinder rotates in a clockwise direction. That means that the hand rotating the cylinder from the bottom up applies pressure to push the cylinder in to the frame, rather than outwards like a S&W does. This eliminates the need for additional "locks" used by S&W and provides a more secure alignment. Second, the cylinder release latch is one that you pull back on, instead of pushing on the S&W. When you push, you have tendency to push the barrel into a downward angle, only to have to then tip it up more to allow gravity to assist the ejection. With the Colt's "pull back" design, you have a natural tendency to pull the butt of the revolver down, naturally improving the angle for gravity to assist on the ejection. This results in an economy of movement and a slightly faster reload.

[@olchevy7983]

Here in Oklahoma, farmers have found old rusted guns tilled up in dirt from the wild west past.

[@candyflair7946]

Old guns are beautiful.

[@grimreaper6557]

Awesome story well done Colt is my personal go-to weapon I own a Colt 1911 45

[@MolonFrikenLabe]

Is that 45AARP?

[@samuelclayton4405]

Excellent program. I am a Colt man. Carried Colts as a Soldier and Lawmen. They are in my opinion the finest weapon to carry.

[@jamesslick4790]

I'm an S&W guy, But this is NOT Coke VS Pepsi, Colt made some of the best (And most iconic) American firearms! Both companies are the "Cadillac" of handguns.

[@josephledux8598]

Me too, the M16 A1 as a soldier, and as a young metro police officer I carried a nickel-plated Colt Cobra .38 as a backup to my issue Smith and Wesson duty revolver. I carried the Cobra because for a snub-nosed hideout pistol it shot like a full-sized revolver, something you could NOT say about the Smith and Wesson snubnoses. Nickel plated because I was in southern Louisiana and being in body armor I always sweated like a hooker in church. A blued-steel revolver would have turned into a rustball after about a month of that.

[@samuelclayton4405]

S&W's are outstanding side arms. I wanted to carry a model 57 S&W. By the time got in to Police work ( 1980 ) the Agencies here had regulated Officers to carry a weapon no larger than .357 mag. So that why I got my Python.

[@abitofapickle6255]

I love this channel. My Dad and I definitely have a soft spot for Colts. Our favorite is a Colt 1911 manufactured in 1919, that still works, and is in remarkable condition.

[@Pantheragem]

Same here. I have one that was made in 1918. At some point it was rearsenaled, given a new Colt barrel and an Ithaca slide. They also did a few of the A1 revisions, though, like the finger scallops are not exactly like an A1. It's kind of oddball, but, it's beautiful and historic, and just plain badass looking.

[@deadhorse1391]

I have two Colt 1911s both made in 1917 One is still in its original holster rig with pistol belt, magazines and lanyard. I shoot it occasionally

[@abitofapickle6255]

@@Pantheragem Now ours wad a civilian model, but it definitely had some A1 features on it.

[@Paladin1873]

I had a 1915 Commercial that eventually cracked its slide, so I replaced the slide and sold it to my brother. As far as I know it's still runnng.

[@lancerevell5979]

My only genuine Colt pistol is the M1991A1, the starter version of the M1911A1, cheaper manufacture. But it's very reliable and reasonably accurate.

[@bjs301]

Great video! The M1911 deserves its own video. Designed by John Browning, the 1911 was first used by the U.S. Army in 1911, and continued in military use until recent years. It is still more accurate than nearly all modern auto-loading pistols.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Well..... there's kind of No Lack of 1911 videos on KZbin.

[@bjs301]

@@WALTERBROADDUS Definitely not. But I bet the History Guy could do a good one from a historical perspective.

[@abitofapickle6255]

Pump your brakes. The 1911 much like the Luger is a excellent design. However it's a old design that most definitely requires someone to take care of it. Even modern firearms are just as if not more accurate than Browning's poster child.

[@bjs301]

@@abitofapickle6255 Pump your own damn brakes. My duty gun was a Glock, and I currently own Glocks, S&W's, Sigs, Springfields and others. The only gun I own that is as accurate as a 1911 is a revolver. Sure their are semiautos that can outshoot it, but they're all expensive target pistols. I know it's an old design, and I know it needs care, so what? It's a great historical firearm, and THC could do an interesting video about it.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@abitofapickle6255 🙋🏽‍♂️aggreed....

[@CrossTimbersSon]

Enjoyed this! I was surprised the big Walker Colt wasn’t discussed. It played a major role on the frontier especially for the Texas rangers.

[@josephledux8598]

I mentioned the Walker in another comment. I have one of the Uberti reproductions of the Walker -- an exquisitely beautiful firearm -- sitting on my desk next to my keyboard. It was in fact the first practical combat revolver, and only the second ever introduced after the underpowered and unreliable Patterson. Like I said in the other comment, I own an identical pair of Uberti Walkers, which is what I get for watching the movie Outlaw Josey Wales too many times.

[@BogeyTheBear]

They made only 1100 Walkers, and most got used up in the Mexican-American War. It's all the more likely that the Dragoon, the improved version of the Walker, that had the bigger impact in Texas and the western frontier as a whole (they ended up making 20,000 of them, after all). However, it may have been the .31 caliber Colt pocket revolvers which made their greatest mark in the west. After all, a Colt Army or Colt Navy is the revolver for the professionals while the Pocket Revolver made their way into the hands of the everyday farmer, prospector, and civilian. The Pocket was Colt's best-seller, especially in the California Gold Rush.

[@MrTruckerf]

I wonder if that is where they got the name for the TV show, "Walker, Texas Ranger'.

[@Brooks_M3]

LOVED this!! You married my two favorite hobbies, history and firearms. I’d love more episodes like this!

[@jamesslick4790]

History and firearms! Yes, and Firearms is the one hobby where you can embrace history AND yet have modern utility. Yes, I'm a 21st Century guy who carries a revolver! I have an S&W 442 on me right now! Don't get me started on my infatuation with any SMLE. LOL.

[@Nawojczyk]

Me too also.

[@kingjames4886]

kzbin.info you're welcome.

[@jamesslick4790]

@@kingjames4886 Been subbed there for years, Lol also "C& RArsenal".

[@gymshoe8862]

Same here!

[@gregraines1599]

I saw ‘Carbine Williams’ as a child and I’ve always remembered it. Would love to see it again.

[@geoffgill5334]

Always look forward to your posts

[@dr.froghopper6711]

I once owned a Colt Trooper Mk III with a 6” barrel. I traded it away and wish I hadn’t. I later owned one with an 8 3/8” barrel that was a true pleasure to shoot. The long barrel took a week to draw but it counteracted the recoil of the 357 magnum round and it was very accurate.

[@HemlockRidge]

I also have a Trooper Mk III w/6". I wanted a Smith, but at the time Smith didn't have the "L" frame, and I thought the "K" frame too light for .357 and "N" was too heavy. I've been deer hunting exclusively with the handgun, and have taken a number with the Colt.

[@darthcat6337]

Many friends say the same about their trades. Some were due to hard times, others for what they thought were a better gun.

[@patrickscalia5088]

I once owned a early 70s manufactured Colt Python with a 6-inch barrel. It was the slickest, most accurate, and most exquisite revolver I have ever owned. It would be worth thousands today. I lost it in a burglary about 40 years ago and it still makes me sick thinking about it.

[@HemlockRidge]

@@patrickscalia5088 Wow. My sympathies.

[@alanpeterson4939]

I have a Colt 1911 that was made in 1919. It is 103 years old, yet it still functions perfectly, and I shoot it a lot. Name a product made today that will still be in use and work perfectly one hundred years from now.

[@ernestpaul2484]

My great great uncle, James Edsall Serven, authored a book of Colt history. Colt Firearms, 1836-1954 is the title. It is in the Library of Congress and is also available on Amazon. This book continues the Colt story for almost a century after Samuel Colt was laid to rest in the Colt burial ground. It provides facts and figures for the arms collector, relevant historical background, biography, and archival records. The book is divided into the following parts: Peterson Pistols, Colt Dragoon Pistols, Colt Percussion Pistols, Colt Cartridge Pistols, and Colt Shoulder Arms. Photographs, illustrations, and drawings of firearms manufactured between the years 1836 and 1954 accompany the descriptive text. I know there are a few copies, some original, floating around in the family. I myself do not have a copy, but I had read thru the book several years ago. Just a tidbit of information that I thought I'd share.

[@DixieHomestead]

Colt is an American icon. Good video 👍🏻

[@BogeyTheBear]

I dare say that Winchester is even more an American icon, simply on the grace that nobody outside of America likes lever-action rifles.

[@DixieHomestead]

@@BogeyTheBear Of course, Winchester is as well.

[@pat0467]

Love your videos, you remind me of Paul Harvey! The biggest difference is that I learn much more from you sir.

[@mrstacyj9496]

good day

[@MrTruckerf]

And now you know the rrrrrrrrrrrrest of the story!

[@tubeu28]

Great story as usual. Please do one on John Browning gun inventor, thx for all that you do!

[@richardchapin6912]

Absolutely love this video I'd like to see more

[@jonsheffield]

For anyone truly interested in Colt firearms, Hartford CT has The Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company Factory Collection that was given to the Museum of Connecticut History in 1957. The collection constitutes one of the finest assemblages of early Colt prototypes, factory models and experimental firearms in the world. They also have the original Horse Statue that was on top of the old factory's blue dome.

[@elizabethpendleton3421]

I see the blue dome all the time, great history!

[@johngregg5735]

Another high caliber video!

[@ypaulbrown]

On December 1, this year, I will have owned a Colt Python 4" Barrel in Blue......for 49 years.....a very fine Revolver......Bravo Colt Patent Firearms

[@jefffoutz4024]

Such a nice slice of history with the link to firearms. Mucho thanks!!

[@edwardloomis887]

I was going to comment about Sam Colt -- a distant cousin -- making men equal, but was happy to hear it at the end. Great video.

[@josephledux8598]

I was practically drooling on my desk watching all this, and remembering with sadness all the Colt firearms that have passed through my hands over the decades that I foolishly let slip away. The closest thing to one I have now is sitting on my desk as I type this, a beautiful Italian Uberti reproduction of of the first practical combat revolver, the ludicrously huge and powerful Walker Colt, all 5 pounds of it. The original design specs on the weapon were that it had to be powerful to kill a man "or a horse" at 100 yards. I actually own an identical pair of them, which is what happens when you watch the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales too many times. Included in that list was a Colt Pocket Model 1903 -- the same gun as you featured which were issued to general officers in WW2 -- that my grandfather carried in the 1940s and 50s everywhere he went when he was a sugar chemist in Cuba. At the time the country had a serious bandit problem and my grandfather literally never left his home without that pistol. I inherited it but it was stolen in a burglary 40 years ago, something which still breaks my heart. It's also worth mentioning that for something over a hundred years Colt was the manufacturer of choice for the US military, manufacturing both Colt original designs and those patented by others but licensed to Colt. These included everything from the Gatling gun to the Browning series of machineguns (including the M2 .50 or "Ma Deuce" still in use by the US Army), the Browning Automatic Rifle of WW1 and WW2 fame, various versions of the Thompson submachinegun (Colt was the original manufacturer for those), up to the M16 which Colt manufactured for the US from around 1960 until relatively recently when the gun finally came off patent. I've owned a number of the Colt semi-auto civilian version AR-15 derived from the M-16. When I was a young police officer I carried a Colt Cobra snubnosed .38 inside my uniform shirt in the waistband of my pants as a backup gun, a gun so slick and comfortable to shoot I could shoot it equally as well as my full-sized Smith and Wesson duty revolver. I've also owned more Colt Government Model .45s (the official sidearm of the US military from around 1912 to I believe 1984 when the Beretta was adopted) than I can count, including an exquisite Gold Cup National Match Government Model, one of the most accurate handguns I've ever owned. In the 70s and 80s Colt licensed the same Italian gun company Uberti to make miniatures of many of their historically famous pistols, including the Single Action Army, the Walker Colt, the 1860 Army, and others. These miniatures were made in an arsenal by hand by some of the most talented machinists in the world and are utterly exquisite. So much so that the miniatures are often worth more than the original full-sized weapons that inspired them (meaning always north of $1K and usually much higher). I would love to own a collection of these but I'd have to mortgage my home to afford them. Thanks so much for this episode History Guy. In an ouvre of excellent and entertaining history videos that you've created, this one was a standout. I wish I'd gone to that gun show with you. Believe me I will attend it one of these years coming.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

I believe that it will be held in Scottsdale, AZ next year.

[@Noah_E]

I don't own any Colt firearms, but some of the early models are works of art as much as they are tools.

[@garywagner2466]

Fascinating. I admire passionate collectors, too. The Canadian military is thinking about upgrading their flintlocks and duelling pistol sidearms. A study has been commissioned, at great expense, so both soldiers, all three sailors (sorry, “occasional floating service members,”) and all six aircrew will soon have “state of the art” weapons with new high-tensile rubber bands plus lightweight balsa wood stocks. We are very proud. Watch out Putin, you scamp!

[@tadroid3858]

I served in the USCG from '83-'87. I was trained with a 1911, and was sad when they replaced our 1911s with the Beretta 9mm.

[@lancerevell5979]

I served on my ship, an ASW Frigate, from late 1981 to early 1985. We had our own security team, as we had no Marines. We carried the Colt M1911A1. For a short time, the Colts were under a recall, do we had to carry the Ruger Servicesix revolver. We soon got our Colts back. It inspired me to later buy my own. I have a Ruger Securitysix too, but prefer the M1911A1.

[@kennethkustren3966]

As another clueless Canadian, I can honestly say ... WOW !! .. WOW !! again, a few times. RESPECT !! ... to 'Murica !!

[@oliveoil2x]

Brilliant. Thank you for such a personal and extensive overview- respect to collectors!

[@rickbarkman9062]

Well said.

[@dirtcop11]

I am glad you did this episode. I have enjoyed target shooting for most of my life. I haven't hunted game for a long time but still enjoy shooting at targets. It isn't some misguided desire to destroy anything, it is a test of skill.

[@radioguy1620]

Elisha K Root was a engineer for Colt and invented many of the processes that made it a success. In my town of Collinsville CT he made the Collins Axe factory prosper and Samuel Colt hired him for the then huge sum of 5000 $ a year.

[@howardjohnson2138]

Just one more SUPER presentation - Thanks

[@jeffstevens156]

This has been my favorite of Your videos. Thank You!

[@lambrokedrc5998]

History Kitty🤗 THNX👍💪🍻🦅🦅🦅🦅

[@deaconblue949]

Great video! Might I suggest an episode on John M Browning who designed some of those handguns in this video as well as long guns for Winchester, Browning, and others. Also for the military. Probably the greatest gun designer of all time.

[@patrickscalia5088]

I second this. John Browning was an absolute prodigy when it came to to designing firearms and the list of famous and popular weapons that were the product of his creativity is extremely long. It's worth noting that one he designed over a hundred years ago, toward the end of WW1 -- the .50 Browning Heavy Machinegun -- is still in use all over the world today. He designed them right the first time and the M2 .50 as it has been known as under US Army designation is still largely identical to the original. Any changes and improvements implemented have all been minor -- like re-working the feed mechanism to use metal rather than cloth belts, and it's still mostly the same gun Browning designed back in 1915. There is literally no other weapon on earth of that old a design that's still common everyday military issue. I've been owning and studying guns for almost 50 years and I still occasionally get startled by finding out Browning designed something I like. For instance one of my favorite rifles of all time is the Winchester 1894 lever action. It is without doubt the most popular and best-selling rifle in history. I love the damn things. It was only about three years ago that I discovered that John Browning designed that one too. I honestly didn't know, even though I got my first 1894 when I was only 14, which is about 45 years ago. I was absolutely floored. I stand in awe of the man. There will never be another like him. He was the Thomas Edison of firearms.

[@jakewonuff3502]

One of the better infomercials on KZbin!

[@ypaulbrown]

what a wonderful Kitty.....best wishes, Paul

[@Trigonometric]

Very fascinating, there's so much history in firearms

[@darrylnelson6264]

I'm not a Colt collector, but a gun collector with a few Colts. Pretty nice video.

[@MrTruckerf]

I think many of us fall into that category.

[@saabreplay7553]

Excellent

[@jamesslick4790]

Firearms are so linked with history, not just due to war, but also daily life. Hunting provided sustenance; guns defended the home...Guns have been around SO LONG that ANY discussion about history that excludes them is incomplete history. Guns are history. History that deserves to be remembered!

[@jaydee5156]

I wouldn't mind a Colt for 40 years of service.

[@WatchingYouTube1234]

You are an interesting character. You are well-spoken and well dressed. Your channel is refreshing. Subscribed.

[@jimbarber9638]

Connecticut was the epicenter of gun manufacturing in the nineteenth century, specifically in Hartford and New Haven.

[@richardkut3976]

Excellent, wonderful episode, thanks.

[@daveb3910]

The history of arms is the history of technology. The history of is the history of the world. Thank you for covering it

[@1joshjosh1]

I've been watching history guys since he had shaved head haircut but now he's sophisticated!!! 🤣. Before I heard his voice I thought he was British.

[@opencarry3860]

I love the Colt SAA. My favorite open carry pistol.

[@thanksfernuthin]

It's pretty cool and wise for Colt to provide that service concerning their products. Not many things in the home are recorded so meticulously so make great history pieces.

[@makerspace533]

Being a Texan, I find the most interesting Colt revolver is a Colt Walker. It has its own story worth telling.

[@patrickscalia5088]

Indeed. I own a reproduction. It's huge and beautiful and I love the damn thing. Note that the original specs on the design called for it to be able to kill a man "or a horse" at 100 yards. I have no doubt that it can. Were it not for Sam Colt's fortuitous association with Col. Walker it's questionable whether he'd have ever made a career as a designer and manufacturer of firearms. He was an inventor in true Industrial Revolution tradition and created a lot of interesting things other than firearms. Remember that his first design -- the Patterson Colt -- was a commercial failure and left Colt bankrupt, and at the time he had given up on firearms and was designing other things besides guns in pursuit of making his fortune. Col. Walker sought him out and discussed many improvements to the Patterson design that be believed would make it a viable and effective military weapon and the first practical combat revolver. You could say that Sam Colt owes his success to Col. Walker. Otherwise he'd have made his name as an inventor of farm implements or a sewing machine or something equally mundane. Alas, Col Walker was killed in combat either the day before or the day of his receiving his first manufactured specimen of the revolver. He reportedly either never actually saw his production model or got to examine it but never got to use it in combat. The historical accounts are a bit vague but it's a crying shame either way. I can tell you that if I ever shot at a burglar with my Walker if I missed him the fireball would probably burn him to death. From his perspective it would be like having a volcano erupt in his face. I like to shoot mine with the maximum load the thing is designed for, 60 grains of gunpowder behind a .45 caliber round ball. The Walker took only ten grains less of gunpowder than was used in the later, massively powerful Springfield .45-70 rifle used by the US Army. It's a beast. All five pounds of it.

[@makerspace533]

@@patrickscalia5088 Yes, I also have one of the Uberti reproductions. Every once in a while I would shoot it in a cowboy action shoot. Paired with the Walker I would shoot a J. H. Dance Colt-like revolver made in Anderson, Texas during the War of Northern Aggression.

[@mjc11a]

Impressive episode! Thanks very much for posting🙏

[@Nawojczyk]

Wow. Just wow.

[@gregoryforde7447]

Wonderful once again Many Thanks

[@6bluestrings]

Thank you.

[@silentseawolf]

there is lots of history around these old companies. love it.

[@ahotdj07]

A lot of people don't know this but Colt was manufactured in Hartford, CT. Their old building still stands. I believe they turned it into apartments.

[@gregreilly7328]

I don't even like guns, but this was just so fascinating. Thank you!

[@DavidHBurkart]

History and Guns = Priceless

[@MrScott1171]

I will always remember going past the famous Colt Firearms Factory Onion Dome in Hartford, CT. One of many Icons of Hartford that made the city. The Colt Firearms history if very interesting.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

It's rather shocking they're still there. As most of the industry has left New England forever.

[@MrScott1171]

@@WALTERBROADDUS They are thinking of leaving. But the history will remain if they do leave.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@MrScott1171 Sadly, the State has become anti gun and anti business.

[@MrScott1171]

@@WALTERBROADDUS Sad but true

[@michaelgautreaux3168]

👍👍 many thanx!

[@ronalddevine9587]

Fascinating, Lance. I would love to see you do a video on the history of armaments manufacturing in the state of Connecticut. It began with Eli Whitney during the revolution, and proceeded to Colt, Winchester, Marlin, Mossberg and others. Not to mention submarines, helicopters, jet engines and more. We are a small state, but mighty.

[@robertdragoff6909]

And don’t forget the gun makers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that were in Worcester and Springfield.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Of course the same state is doing their best to run all those out of business.

[@ronalddevine9587]

Changing economic conditions put most of them out of business almost 40 years ago or more.

[@dongrant5827]

I’m also from Connecticut, and the story THG really needs to tell involving firearms, is the great Windham frog fight of 1764. It’s probably the most bizarre war story ever!

[@ronalddevine9587]

@@dongrant5827 That's one I'm not familiar with. Please elaborate.

[@danielbeck9191]

OUTSTANDING EPISODE!!!

[@theburrowrises8549]

Love a cameo appearance by the History Cat!

[@dougbotimer8005]

Your video is much appreciated by this collector of a very small number of rather ordinary early 20th Century and Prohibition era Colt handguns. Firearms, like few other man made objects, stay with us for generations. Handling some of the older guns just leaves me wondering what stories they could hold. Especially ones like an obviously well cared for gun that sports a classic gun metal gray patina where deep rich blueing or iridescent case hardening covered the steel…

[@eamondillon2182]

Take another “shot” at learning history with the History Guy!

[@candaceaustin4258]

Wonderful history

[@wolf762x51]

History guy, and co star, History Cat, or H.C. for short. Thanks for another great history lesson.

[@nomanmcshmoo8640]

Oh, Man! As a part time Colt Collector (more modern than Old West) I would have loved to have attended this just to see the JOYOUS collections!!!!!

[@ronaldslater4703]

I used that floating chamber in navy bootcamp. They only let us shoot once and that was it! 😂

[@jonathonleggins6680]

I would love to see an episode on John Browning. He was a genius in firearms design.

[@7come11two]

Great presentation, Sir. I love Colt revolvers, and auto-loaders.

[@jamesluke7377]

Something of my Colt through many with only minimal knowledge of the Colt 1911 lines. I happen to have a Colt 1911 Combat Commander. This is not what through most. It was built in 1980. For this, most think it a Model 80. It is infact a Model 70. Trivial it is, but fun to tell the story. BTW... Hello again from the opposite end of the "I-70 Series". 😁

[@donalddodson7365]

Very interesting. I did not know that Colt conversion revolvers were not really finished cap and ball conversions, just re-use of obsolete parts. Thank you THG.

[@dukecraig2402]

That's true but a lot really were converted by gunsmiths which is probably where they got the names conversions.

[@patrickscalia5088]

I've been owning and seriously studying firearms for about 50 years and I didn't know that either. I'd always just assumed they were cap and ball revolvers pulled from inventory and reworked to take cartridge ammunition. The History Guy educates me yet again.

[@jamesslick4790]

I am a Smith and Wesson guy, But I do have a 4" Colt "Official police" in .38 Special. (1950s production) It was my first firearm purchase as an adult in the 1980s. My grandfather was a cop (1930s-1970s) and a HUGE proponent of teaching double action revolver shooting FIRST and FOREMOST, He said (And I agree) that S&Ws had the best Double action. Colts had the best single action. So yeah, I do most of my revolver shooting with my S&W Model 13, But that Colt has a place in my heart as it was my first gun purchase, I will NEVER sell it!

[@patrickscalia5088]

The M13 or its stainless equivalent the M65 is my favorite combat revolver of all time, and much prefer it to the 686 I got issued and carried for a couple of years. I used to do some minor gunsmithing in a gun shop when I was in college and I bought an FBI-retired M13 and slicked up the action. I also was a believer in shooting double action ONLY so I cut the hammer spur off and ground off the single action notch on the bottom of the hammer. I was utterly lethal with that thing. The second time I ever shot a police qualification course I used that thing and, as the way they scored those things back in the 1980s, I scored a 298 out of a possible 300 points. I carried Glocks and SIGs mostly as a police officer, save one stretch of about a year saddled with a department-issue S&W 4046, a dreadful abomination I never mastered shooting well with. But I'd still almost prefer the M13 over all of them if I knew someone was about to kick in the door and try to kill me. An M13 loaded with the right ammo and fired with precision is plenty enough to solve almost any problem you're liable to encounter. And using the right ammo (I kept mine loaded with Federal 125 grain hollowpoints) a .357 is more deadly than anything in a 9mm, .40, or .45 It's a remarkable gem of a pistol with a deceptively simple and bland design. I sold that M13 long ago but you've got me thinking about buying another one. Thanks for sparking the memories.

[@jamesslick4790]

@@patrickscalia5088 I hear you! I'm never selling mine. Go and buy another! They fly so low "under the radar" compared to the Model 19 that you could still get a "deal".👍😊👍

[@samwalker7821]

Very nice video displaying some really beautiful pieces. You touched on the early Colt "conversions" and stated that they were not referred to that in their time. Very true. They were referred to as "Altered" by the Government when they were tested for service and never referred to as conversions in Colt catalogs. Although some were converted at the time directly from percussion revolvers, most were factory assembled from left over parts on hand by Colt. As far as I know they were the last models sold by Colt with Samuel Colt's name and the New York address on the barrel.

[@davefellhoelter1343]

As a Bit of a Historian On this Topic! I LIKE IT! Well Do in the Time Used!!

[@rpbajb]

I'd like to see more videos about firearms from THG. He does a "bang up" job.

[@drshoe8744]

We still used the Colt M1911 in the Navy when I served in the 80s, it's a great weapon and I believe SEALs still use them today.

[@dukecraig2402]

I was in the Army from 83 to 86 and I never even saw one of the new Beretta's, likewise with the M16A2, Kevlar helmets and Humvee's, we still had all the same equipment the guys in Vietnam had when I got out in July of 86 but a friend who reenlisted that I stayed in touch with said in December of that year they traded all of it in for the new stuff.

[@MrTruckerf]

@@dukecraig2402 I believe the US adopted the Beretta in late 1985 so it took years before the changeover was completed.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@MrTruckerf Yea, I stayed in touch with a friend who re-enlisted and he told me in Dec of 86 that they traded in all that stuff for the new gear. But the Kevlar helmets, camo flak vests and M16A2's were all things that were adopted well before I got out, as an example I was in basic training when they invaded Grenada and you'll see plenty of pictures from it that have troops with Kevlar helmets and camo flak vests, and the bombing of those Marine barracks in Lebanon also happened when I was in basic training and if you look at pictures of the Marine's standing guard in the aftermath of it they have M16A2'S. I was in the 1st Infantry Division which is one of the heaviest and biggest division's the Army has so we were always the last to get upgraded equipment, rapid deployment units like the 82nd Airborne, 101st Air Assault and the and light divisions always got new equipment first, our armor units still had M60 tanks and our air arm still had Huey helicopter's as of when I got out.

[@lp-xl9ld]

I read a book not long ago about the history of Colt, Remington, Winchester, and the like...not the guns or the companies but the men. Kicking myself mentally for not remembering the title/author. This video gave the book more depth (as regards Colt anyway).

[@Full_Otto_Bismarck]

There is some fascinating stories surrounding Sam Colt, Oliver Winchester, Horace Smith, and Daniel Wesson. They intertwine many times through the 1850s and 60s. If you can recall the title of that book at some point I would love to know about it so I can pick it up and read it myself.

[@littlebear1520]

Awesome video Lance , it is great to see people sharing our firearms history. I have done so myself for years but to see it from the history guy makes it all the more worthwhile keep up the great work and I love your channel.

[@John-Adams-Can]

A history of Browning would be amazing. Most of the designs modern firearms use were all thanks to them.

[@thatsmrharley2u2]

*him

[@judiannereppucci5659]

Glad to see your kittie back in the scene.

[@diannameade495]

Awe cute tuxedo kitteh.. 😃

[@randelbrooks]

And now you can do one on Smith & Wesson and all the other gun companies that’ll keep you busy for the next few years ha ha what fun thank you for the show

[@lancerevell5979]

Great subject! I have a few Pietta-made repros of the 1851 Navy and 1860 Army. I acquired one cartridge conversion cylinder but it's not reliable. Shooting the old cap&ball revolvers is great fun though. Accuracy can be surprisingly good. For me, the 1851 Navy feels best and shoots best.

[@j.s.wagner2582]

Yep, my Colt Officer's Model 38 revolver was special ordered in 1938 with a 3 lbs trigger and King sights....and yes, I have the Colt Archive letter to prove it. Thanks for another great video.....that deserves to be remembered. PS - My revolver is still a tack-driver. Smooth as silk, even after all these decades.

[@kristensorensen2219]

Great history of your visit to a unique collectors show!

[@harrisonlewis6853]

I collect modern reproductions of Colt blackpowder revolvers, because I like to feel and see what my ancestors might have used when they went west.

[@patrickscalia5088]

I have a pair of Uberti Walkers. They're exquisite.

[@BogeyTheBear]

I picked up a few Colt percussion replicas because I figure if I can get good at operating such fussy and tempermental handguns, then a DA/SA autoloader chambered in 9x19 will feel like a vacation by comparison. Same reason my first gun was the Dragoon: If I use _that_ to set my initial impressions of a handgun, then no other pistol will ever feel 'heavy' to me. Folk go 'round complaining about the weight of a 1911 and I'm -viewing them askance- giving them the side-eye.

[@desperado8605]

Wish I'd have known about the show that's only about 2 hours from me. I've been to the colt museum in Harrisburg, PA

[@jameshuffman835]

Nickel Detective Special! 1873, Pony and .45

[@carlpretorius1584]

I love your program, and especially, your cat!

[@markhonerbaum3920]

He's not heavy he's your cat,great content old reliable Colt,history is so great.

[@Paladin1873]

I have an unusual Colt revolver in my collection that has stumped me and the Colt historian I spoke with. It is a Colt Official Police 38-200 that was factory acquired by the British Purchasing Commission in 1941. As far as I can tell, the markings and dimensions are all original except for the grips and a missing lanyard swivel. What makes it unusual is the barrel and cylinder were made for the 38 Special cartridge, which is dimensionally narrower and longer than the 38-200 cartridge used by the British military at the time. Despite the wrong chambering, the barrel is marked 38-200. I once read an online article that in the rush to satisfy the British, Colt did use standard 38 Special barrels instead of true 38-200 barrels, though I cannot verify this claim to be accurate. I suppose it is theoretically possible, given the rather anemic nature of the 38-200 load, but it does seem like it would cause potential accuracy problems. I would have accepted this explanation as plausible except for the fact that the revolver’s cylinder is also chambered in 38 Special. I know many postwar gunsmiths altered 38-200 cylinders to 38 Special by boring them through to accept the longer case, but the result was always an oversized chamber which caused case splitting. The chambers in this cylinder are a perfect fit for a 38 Special cartridge and include a step inside to prevent a 357 Magnum cartridge from being inserted. Further, since a 38-200 round is too fat to go into any of the chambers, this cannot be an altered 38-200 cylinder. I can only think of two possible explanations for this anomaly. Either this is a factory mismarked 38 Special (there was a war on) or else somebody later replaced the cylinder (but not the numbered crane) with a 38 Special cylinder. The condition of the cylinder matches that of the rest of the pistol, so I’m inclined to think it might be original to the revolver unless Colt marked the Purchasing Commission cylinders in some way. You’d think the British acceptance inspector would have checked cylinders and bores with a gauge before approving them, but who knows, given the exigencies of the time. To date it remains a mystery gun.

[@patrickscalia5088]

That is unusual because if I remember right the British .38 round was an actual .38 and not a .35 like so-called .38 Special revolvers. If I'm right about that it would be impossible to shoot the British cartridge in a .38 Spl barrel without risking bursting it. It's possible that they just rebored standard .38 barrels and cylinders for the British cartridge which would have been simple and easy enough. Right there at the beginning of WW2 when it looked like the Nazis might be invading, the UK begged for anything and everything the USA could send them that would actually shoot. It's conceivable that the revolver you have was a rush-job to convert the standard Colt revolvers to take the British round. The British were desperately underequipped at the time and we sent them pretty much every obsolete firearm we had in storage just to get them into the hands of the Brits in time for the expected Nazi invasion. I remember reading a historical account of a British army veteran who was in 1939 patrolling southern British beaches "with a Pony Colt [a Single Action Army] and only two cartridges." If memory serves there were some British who were doing the same with Winchester 1873s or Springfield .45-70 rifles and a belt full of cartridges. They were that desperate and the US military emptied every single warehouse of every firearm we had and sent them over. It's a shame that in the decade or two preceeding the war the British had been scrapping all the magnificent Webley .455 revolvers they had left over from WW1 and had only a small number of them still warehoused. I've owned a Webley and let me tell you it's one of the finest combat revolvers ever made. They'd decided to ditch them in favor of the junk Enfield clone of the Webley on a smaller scale and chambered for the feeble .38-200 round that barely made 500 FPS out of that 4-inch barrel. I've handled the Enfields before and they're more suitable as boat anchors than combat firearms. Pure junk. And the Webley revolver they scrapped was just about perfect. I'm sure that in late 1939 they wished they'd kept them all. It was in this same era of desperation that they designed the Sten submachinegun, a weapon so simple that it's said it could be created with US Civil War era technology. But the Sten turned out to be a pretty damn good weapon anyway.

[@Paladin1873]

@@patrickscalia5088 Since you specifically asked, I'm going to provide a tediously detailed answer. You have been warned! Yes, the 38 S&W (aka 38-200, 38 Colt New Police) cartridge uses a .361" diameter projectile, while the 38 Special uses a .357" diameter projectile. The 38 S&W projectile is seated in a brass case that is much shorter (.775") than the 38 Special cartridge case (1.155"). The 38 S&W case is larger in diameter and slightly tapers down from .3865" at the base to .3855" at the mouth. The 38 Special case is straight-walled and only .379" in diameter. In 38 S&W revolvers with short cylinders it may be possible to insert the smaller diameter 38 Special cartridge, but it would stick out the front of the cylinder and prevent it from closing. The 38-200 caliber Colt and S&W revolvers the British purchased during WWII were full-sized pistols originally intended for the 38 Special cartridge, thus they had to be built/rebuilt to only allow them to chamber the 38-200 cartridge. This was done by boring the rear of the cylinder to chamber the 38-200 case. The remainder of the cylinder was bored smaller to only allow the passage of .361" projectile. The result was stepped chambers inside each cylinder that prevented the longer 38 Special case from seating flush. This prevented the cylinder from closing. Postwar, may 38-200 revolvers were returned to the USA as surplus and dumped on the public market. Enterprising gunsmiths realized they could bore out the step in the cylinders so the revolvers would chamber and fire 38 Special cartridges, albeit rather sloppily. These converted pistols are easy to spot by their markings and by measuring their bores and chambers. Even if you lack the means to gauge the chambers, you'll find out soon enough when you shoot 38 Specials through them. The empty casings will bulge and/or split inside the oversized chambers. For the occasional shooter this may not be a problem, but for those who like to reload their empty brass, it is a nonstarter. In theory the barrels of these wartime guns should have been bored and rifled for the larger 38-200 projectile, but it is possible to fire the larger diameter projectile through the smaller 38 Special bore. However, accuracy will suffer because the projectile will deform as it squeezes down to fit the tighter bore. This raises several questions. In their early rush to acquire firearms did the British Purchasing Commission allow under-bored barrels? Did Colt goof by putting the wrong cylinder in this gun? Did Colt accidentally mismark the barrel caliber? How many such guns exist?

[@rogerd777]

Colt's Manufacturing Company began to decline in the late 80's and actually lost the contract for a while to manufacture the M-16 for the US military. They were recently bought by CZ Group, a Czech company, while being foreign owned, is well respected in the firearms community and compared to the previous management, most people consider this to be a good thing for the future of the Colt brand.

[@dukecraig2402]

I think when they switched to the M16A2 is when Colt lost the contract to FN, part if the deal was that FN had to build a production facility in the US. We still had the M16A1 when I was in the Army from 83 to 86, every one that I personally had issued to me was a Colt but I saw both H&R's and General Motors Hydromatic Division one's when I was in, matter of fact the issue rifle I had in basic training in Oct of 83 was a Colt that was stamped XM16E1 and had a 6 digit serial number, and that puppy shot a perfect 40 out of 40 for me on the qualification course, it had to have been an arsenal rebuild or at least had a different upper on it because it had a birdcage flash suppressor on it, I wish I'd have known more about the collecting aspect of them at the time to look for the different identification features to know exactly what I had in my hands. What's really funny is every single M1911A1 that I ever held when I was in was stamped Remington Rand, I remember thinking to myself at one point "Where's all the Colt's? I thought they made these things."

[@patrickscalia5088]

@@dukecraig2402 My recollection is that Colt lost the contract primarily due to shoddy quality control. When they still owned the patent the military had to buy them from Colt because they were still under patent and nobody else could legally manufacture them without Colt's permission. In the mid-80s they licensed Daewoo in Korea to manufacture the M16 for the South Korean military. When the contract was finished Daewoo illegally kept manufacturing the M16 and offering it for sale on the international arms market. Bad move. Colt sued the absolute bejesus out of Daewoo and won. It cost Daewoo millions of dollars and they had to destroy the illegally-manufactured M16s they'd made. But when the patent ran out sometime in the late 80s or early 90s, from that point anybody and his brother could make them and there are now dozens if not hundreds of companies all making their own flavor of the AR-15 and M-16. So when Colt fell down on the job the USA could issue the manufacturing contract to anybody it wanted that actually had the facilities to make them. Since FN has been one of the largest and most respected arms manufacturers in the world for most of the past 100 years, giving them the contract was a good choice. If I was going into battle I'd much rather have a weapon made by FN than anything manufactured by Colt. I say that even though I was issued an M-16A1 in 1987 and it was a decent rifle for an old worn out training cadre weapon. If I were an army buying today I'd probably buy the H&K M-16 clone above any of the others. Or one of the SIG new and improved sort of clones. Anything but the Colt. Having said all that, Eugene Stoner's M-16 design has always been probably the most accurate standard-issue military rifle in the world for at least 50 years. Many of them are off-the-shelf more than accurate enough to use as a DMR with no modification other than appropriate optics on it. By comparison each and every AK variant rifle is more like trying to throw bricks and hit a garbage can from a distance. Accuracy wise they're junk. I've owned a bunch of them and every AR-15 and M-16 I've ever shot, no matter how old or poorly maintained, would shoot rings around each and every AK variant ever made, including the Dragunov so-called sniper rifle that isn't even as accurate as an old Winchester .30-30.

[@glencrandall7051]

A great story.

[@brodie61dogg23]

Nice kitty, great markings! He does look heavy 😂

[@OrdinaryDude]

👍👍 For the history cat!