Presentation Colt 1851 w/ Canteen Stock

/ forgottenweapons
One of the less common accessories for Colt percussion pistols is the original factory shoulder stock. And far less common still is the factory stock made with a canteen inside it! The stocks were made of two pieces of wood pressed together over a pewter drinking water canteen in the center of the stock. Very few were originally made, and this particular one also happens to be on a pistol presented by Colt himself.
/ forgottenweapons

[@subeyguy66]

"it holds my beer, now watch this"

[@hughgrection7246]

How is this not top comment ?

[@VelikiHejter]

In Serbian military we were actually train that when we are using Zastava m84 Skorpion in full auto or for the ranges beyond 30m we should always used with that wire shoulder stock. Surprisingly it worked even if it looked like something made in a garden shed.

[@ThePete1891]

I have a Zastava chambered in 357 Magnum. They were selling at Cabela's for around $200, if I remember right. It is well made, and shoots well as well. I found this video searching if I could fashion a "support" for it. The barrel is 6". I also have a Tokerev that I think would benefit from a stock as well. Hope you have a wonderful day. From Poulsbo, Wa. Near Seattle.

[@robertscott2210]

@@ThePete1891 If you don't wanna run afoul of the alphabet soup agencies, make sure you get an SBR tax stamp before putting a shoulder stock on a pistol.

[@wyldeman100]

@@robertscott2210 ok boomer

[@OnlyKaerius]

@@robertscott2210 It's also a machine pistol, so there's a machinegun tax stamp on it anyway, .357 magnum is not a standard chambering for it though(only goes up to .380 ACP).

[@FeldwebelWolfenstool]

The gun was fundamentally defective by design. Its accuracy declined markedly as the flask was drained.

[@MrJavidac]

@@CountArtha Or because the content was whiskey and the targets started spinning after a while.

[@junichiroyamashita]

Don't drink and gun boys

[@burnemwywy5535]

Feldwebel Wolfenstool I was thinking about the accuracy compared to have a full to empty flask, because it’s acting like a counterbalance

[@xXbrokenvoidXx]

@@junichiroyamashita Yeah, cocaine and guns are a much better combination, tbh.

[@clubtcb]

Depended on what liquids you poured into it. For the best accuracy, Samuel Colt recommended the flask should be filled with nothing other than pure H²O

[@DarkFiber23]

Very interesting pistol. If It weren't for the NFA, I'd imagine we'd see MUCH more of these stocks in modern cartridge pistol use today. I imagine this will fetch quite the price at auction...

[@AFollowerOfJesusChrist]

28k as a matter of fact

[@102819921]

the wood work on this gun is fantastic and has held up so wonderfully for its age! talk about a gun as an art piece!

[@ROGUE-Two-Actual]

Something like this makes me think of the coffee grinder sharps. Same era and in a similar vein of purpose.

[@gregsummers7350]

Great review Ian. I had a detachable stock on my replica Colt 1851 5 inch Sheriff model. I added an ebay sourced 7.5 inch barrel, a fun shooter indeed. I guess thew small brass bead front sight was for about 100 yards rough zero. That pewter flask is a great innovation. Thank you again, Greg

[@Traderjoe]

That's really cool and innovative. It's amazing how this was made at a time when most people did not have electricity in their homes and even photography was at its infancy.

[@pyry1948]

People are more creative when there isn't an abundance of tech & resources around.

[@Spitsz01]

Here pall, take a swig from my Colt... Lead or high octane sir?

[@MasterBlobby]

Colonel Colt, that is one badass title.

[@1990HondaEFHatch]

he went over so much info and i look down at the time that went by and it was below 2mins. crazy. just found this channel while researching black powder revolvers. you just earned a new sub.

[@pricklydingus8604]

Ye old time SBR.

[@giorgigarsevanidze6334]

Ol' *

[@jacobstaten2366]

Fun fact, in old English, there was am old letter called "thorn" that looked like a y and a t mixed together. It made the "th" sound. The German alphabet didn't have this symbol, so when they parented things for English speaking customers, they used a y. Idk why, just always thought it was funny when people see it and say "yee."

[@benzracer]

@@jacobstaten2366 nice, thanks!

[@limyohwan]

@@jacobstaten2366 thorn is a p and b combined

[@unherolike]

With the ATF we wont have any legal fire arms by the end of the decade.

[@GreyDevil]

Beautiful revolver & stock, would be a lot of fun to shoot something like it. Thanks for showcasing it Ian :D

[@Spitsz01]

What a beautiful combination! Thx Ian!

[@MegaMindfreak666]

I'm a bit surprised that these canteen stocks didn't sell well. If you're an outlaw or gunslinger in the old west, that would be very handy. I think this is a very good idea.

[@diktatoralexander88]

I'm placing Skooma in my Shoulder stock. I don't even care that it's illegal.

[@sakelaine2953]

Skooma is fictional!

[@zacharyrollick6169]

Skooma isn't illegal on earth.

[@diktatoralexander88]

@@zacharyrollick6169 The Civil War wasn't fought over Argonian slavery, it was fought over N'wah rights

[@wyldeman100]

@@diktatoralexander88 Actually that is a spot on parallel.

[@TimperialBroadcastingAgency]

@@wyldeman100 N'wah rights to do what?

[@57WillysCJ]

Dubuque was more important than you think. At the time it was one of the 100 largest urban areas in the USA. Like Galena it had lead deposits. When they tapered out, it's close proximity to Wisconsin and Minnesota forests allowed it to become the center of the timber industry. You could see why a banker would move there at the time.

[@vassal11]

I already know this vid is the best thing that will happen to me today. Not sure we need to analyse that but I'm callin' it a good thing

[@possiblycrazy442]

That looks very tempting.

[@shotforshot5983]

Lovely piece!

[@GIJeaux1]

Thanks again for another well made video Ian. Since I can't afford a pistol like this I would like to get a stock for, at least, one of my replica revolvers but, I can't get past the price tag. The price is in the $275 range which is more than I have paid for any of my revolvers. Anyway, thanks again.

[@dsbiddle]

The stock connection system is quite beautiful.

[@alanfaulkner6329]

Lovely piece of history.

[@radio53snakes53]

Lee Van Cleef had a similar gun in a Spaghetti western. Great video, thank you.

[@CatalinaThePirate]

IMHO, the grain in the wood on the stock seems too well-matched to have started off as two separate pieces of wood. ? Neat piece. +Forgotten Weapons Ian, the more I watch this channel, the more I enjoy it. I am part "frustrated engineer," I think, because I love it when you break the pieces down and show how they work. Thanks for an interesting and absorbing channel! d8^)

[@964cuplove]

Well you can split a piece of wood, saw it in half within thin saw and the hollow it out and rejoin it around the flask

[@nerblebun]

Making a rifle stock with TWO smaller canteens would have been wiser. Not for water, but one for cleaning solvent & one for gun oil.... leaving room between them to fit a cleaning rod & brush accessed through the butt plate.

[@daetslovactmandcarry6999]

I seen this years ago under my personal account, but found it again and had to like and comment for algorithms.

[@shanebairstow5926]

goofy ideas, ohh Ian the idea of having some Scotch with you always just in case of emergencies is BRILLIANT :-)

[@EvelynDayless]

Real men have capri sun in their stock flask

[@FordPrefect23]

Where do you keep the little red straw on the gun?

[@grahamlopez6202]

I personally prefer gogurt as I often get thirsty AND hungry

[@kiba3x]

What you know about real men, woman?

[@grahamlopez6202]

I put whiskey in mine that way when I fire the 6th shot and get my chest perforated I can drink one last time

[@dscrappygolani7981]

Respectfully, real men don't care about someone's opinion/definition of what constitutes a real man, ma'am.

[@DanielSvensson666]

Great video as usual.:D

[@usergonemad]

A replica of this needs to make an appearance in a Western.

[@allennance949]

Doug Mare. Watch "For a few dollars more", ( I think it was ). Lee Van Cleef has one.

@@allennance949 indeed it was.

[@akaMyThought]

awesome video

[@MJuegaES]

Now I can't stop thinking of re-watching "For A Few Dollars More".

[@WORRO]

Very good video, Thumbs-up!

[@Guy_GuyGuy]

Much like you and Karl said you'd rather have a pistol-caliber carbine with you in WWI than a full-length rifle in that Q&A, would you also rather have an 1851 or 1860 Colt with one of these than a muzzleloading rifle in the 1860s? I think I would.

[@Ghostselkie]

This Pullover is really nice.

[@KincadeCeltoSlav]

That is SO Neat! I Love it!

[@wackyguy1984]

Very nice gun!

[@sotijas]

whiskey and guns surely this cannot end badly i'm quessing it didnt sell because none of the customers were alive to recommend them

[@dosmundos3830]

i'm guessing it didn't sell because most guys just bought a revolver AND a rifle rather than a combo that needs assembly and dissambly lol

[@nmarbletoe8210]

@@dosmundos3830 revolver, rifle AND whiskey. don't forget the whiskey.

[@therugburnz]

the, " Most Elegant Ever Made ". I could not agree more .

[@RunCMD97]

Lee Can Cleef left his piece lying around

[@nmarbletoe8210]

lol that's why I searched this, after watching LvC take down his stocked pistol

[@joeyverliesharen]

I'm wondering: do ypu record many video's in one go at an auction house, or do you return to the auction house every few weeks?

[@Poleson]

Yes.

[@drmaudio]

It is well out of my price range, but man, that is a cool piece!

[@vengeens]

Whiskey shoulder stock is a genius idea!

[@marcovaladez5714]

I wish for the modern reproduction stocks would also have canteens. Imagine reenactors and outdoor enthusiasts only increasing weight and not volume of one's overall equipment.

[@nickferries2777]

That’s awesome. If the NFA short barreled rifle clause didn’t exist I’d buy a handgun with a canteen stock in a heartbeat

[@derpityderp-derp4007]

Ok, I want one!!

[@francez123456789]

When you said "whisky" I immediately thought "pass the whisky" from the game fist full of frags xD

[@iloverock6556]

+Kinzuko I love that game as well. Hard to not laugh or have fun even when im doing terrible in it.

[@yahyaschannel8334]

Hey Ian, how or where did your love for firearms come from? Ps: Keep up the great work man, cheers!

[@marciomessiasfernandes1799]

I think I saw that gun in a film with Lee van Clif shootting far distance .Very very wonderfull.

[@TheSensor123]

well - it is only a smiliar revolver - but the film would be "For a few dollars more".

[@marciomessiasfernandes1799]

yes.it´s very good to see Lee van Cleef in scene shooting . I enjoy old guns in action making to much smoke and black powder.Sorry my english.I'm brazilian.

[@thatsmrharley2u2]

I realize this is an old video, but did anyone else notice the front sight? It even looks like it might be adjustable for windage.

[@richardelliott9511]

Yes it is a far nicer sight than the Colt standard fare!

[@darryllofton7327]

Where are the serial numbers located on the stock ? I saw one set on the end plate but was wondering if there's another location for the serial number .

[@dswish1730]

I have a colt brevette with that stock.It has a 12 inch barrel.#53 stamped on all pieces.But mine does not have a canteen.Mine has a small oval with E L G stamped in it??Any idea on value?

[@kenhelmers2603]

Very cool... I'd buy one!

[@tisFrancesfault]

I personally find it odd such pistol stocks never became mainstream.

[@Bladsmith]

They did become mainstream, then they fell out.

[@HughesEnterprises]

They were pretty common and available until the NFA of '34 was put in place.

[@58jharris]

It seems like it kind of defeats the purpose of a pistol being a small firearm that's easy to carry on your person. At that point you may as well just use a rifle or carbine.

[@1stminnsharpshooters341]

Enjoyed the content LIKED and SUBSCRIBED - see you on the filed or around the camp fire pard. Lt 1st Minn Sharpshooters.

[@shanebairstow5926]

this is in really excellent condition , i assume it has a presentation case to protect it.

[@MadameRouzgar]

Ayyy so this is what they modeled Uppercut Precision from in Hunt: Showdown

[@jak1259]

I knew you lived out here !!

[@UponDemise666]

For a Few Dollars More....

[@unherolike]

"A canteen for water" Ian cowboys and frontier men were basically Pirate's and the last thing they were drinking was water.

[@daniellewis1789]

Booze costs money, cowboys were broke, water is free, and the desert is hot. I'm pretty sure they drank both.

[@williamjones2027]

A gun that Wild Bill would love.

[@heikkiremes5661]

Damn cool gun.

[@jolllyroger1]

Love it

[@od1452]

Nice. I'd like to see you shoot an1851 and one with a stock. Thanks .

[@pepperspray7386]

Looks like it would aid in accuracy while on horseback. The water is a bonus.

[@tiffanythelioness5067]

One day I will buy this

[@LegionWarrior]

I love those ever since i saw lee van cleef use one in for a few dollars more 😊

[@Taraalcar]

Oh man, I could really use one of these. I don't suppose they make them to fit any 1851 navy?

[@jeremy67A]

Drinking your water out of a Lead canteen. Nice.

[@robertkubrick3738]

+jeremy67A People drank from pewter tankards for hundreds of years. Some still do.

[@alynicholls3230]

pewter not lead, pewter is non toxic.

[@LOUDcarBOMB]

@@alynicholls3230 By itself, it isn't, but with a strong acid reacting with the pewter, it can be. Tomatoes were considered poisonous to eat for a long time since those that deemed it toxic were also eating tomatoes with pewter bowls/plates, leaking the lead into the food/liquid (also doesn't help that they were already considered a part of the nightshade group [can't remember the official scientific group] ).

[@pommel47]

Pistols with attached buttstocks definitely increase accuracy. My repro 1860 with buttstock is accurate at 50 yds.

[@knechtor5648]

+J.L. Roberts if only yards were accurate t. metric pro

[@OldDanTucker]

@@knechtor5648 damn you didnt have to ratio him like that 💀

[@PatrickCavanaugh0420]

what a beautiful piece of history. and in amazing shape 2 boot, I'd love to know what it sold for.

[@CatalinaThePirate]

+Patrick Cavanaugh Look in the descriptions, Ian usually posts the prices if he can. This one sold for $28,750.

[@PatrickCavanaugh0420]

+CatalinaThePirate guess I should check more carefully from now on thanks for pointing that out for me. this one was in incredible shape I can see why it brought that kind of money.

[@johnnschroeder7424]

Alcohol and firearms(!), I'm in love!

[@Suckmyjagon]

another unique firearm thumb up

[@chrismckay9923]

What an amazing piece of history. Is the pistol a London colt Ian?

[@gator36]

I wonder what the liquid in the stock would do to recoil?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

+gator36b Not really much recoil from a .36 caliber black powder revolver in the first place...

[@gator36]

+Forgotten Weapons sure. I was just wondering what liquid in a stock would do in general, maybe even a rifle?

[@mysss29]

yeah, that might provide some interesting dynamics, I guess? Sloshing under recoil o__O

[@duncanjewell9241]

Is there a potential balance problem with the canteen? Say the canteen is only half full, could the liquid sloshing around affect the shooter's aim?

[@neilhillis9858]

Only if the shooter is moving very quickly and sloshing it around. Since it's single-action, sloshing from recoil would settle down well before it could interfere with an aimed follow-up shot.

[@squireob]

I wonder if the canteen was partly to increase the mass of the combination, reducing recoil.

[@samiam619]

What recoil?

[@Locomah]

mildly off topic - I was browsing gun smithing videos and ran across a gem of yours re-barreling an old m48. I guess you don't make those sort of videos any more, know of any similar channels? besides that lovable old coot at midway of course.

[@jeffsmith2022]

Curious as to what the retail price of this hand gun was at time of production...

[@DarkestVampire92]

How the hell did this idea not take off for dragoons in mexico or somewhere equally hot? Also, they could´ve done more with stocks- like adding a flap of sorts to the side where you can store spare cylinders for a faster reload.

[@extrastuff9463]

+DarkestVampire92 I could see potential issues with durability from a military perspective, it might be easy to damage/crack the wood and cause the canteen to leak under too much abuse. And perhaps manufacturing cost as well, I don't know what it'd cost back then to first make the canteen into a non-standard shape and then fit it with wood versus just a plain boring standard canteen + standard wooden stock. It would definitely be a valuable addition from a functionality perspective though!

[@ehud5990]

En bra presentation informativ och saklig.

[@verfugbarkite]

Very first recoil dampener

[@AndyREDDSON]

How practical would it have been (or not) to convert this to metallic cartridge?

[@Langsvardet]

It was not that uncommon to see conversions, with larger number of cap and ball revolvers flooding the market efter the civil war, and before catridge guns were widespread. Both gunsmith altered versions and later factory produced open toppen Colt that was built for catridges from the beginning, but still retaining the older look. (1872?)

[@burlatsdemontaigne6147]

Didn't Wyatt Earp or Doc Holiday have one of these too?

[@reddevilparatrooper]

Nice!!!

[@TheJelway723]

what caliber is the pistol? I have a pietta 1851 navy and im curious to know how "accurate" or a re-make it is.....

[@ForgottenWeapons]

+Robert Lanagan It's .36 caliber.

[@TheJelway723]

so no, my pietta replica wouldnt be accurate?

[@kurtstergar1042]

Ian, do a video on the weapon from Beverly Hills cop 3.

[@riccardosartori3822]

how can i contact you? i have some questions about militaria that belonged to my great grandfather (they appear to be from 1930 and 2nd world war)

[@ForgottenWeapons]

+Riccardo Sartori [e-mail]

[@SIMONP1965]

Lee Van Cleef's weapon of choice

[@Pprokop87]

there was one similar in a movie but i dont remember wich one.

[@crowsbridge]

Where did you get that sweater?

[@silversniper22]

Reminds me of lee van kleef's gun in the movie a fist full of dollers

[@TheRadPlayer]

Now, this is something I would bring to the russian metro... damn nosalises.

[@LinuxGalore]

yeah riiiiiight they put water in them, I think the reason they failed is because your average drunk gunslinger either preferred to spend his money on booze of he didn't live long enough to buy one of these guns.

[@PerkinsVR]

thats a cool gun, but his sweatshirt is even cooler, i want one

[@faenrir11]

what is the purpose of the recoil shield in a percussion gun?

[@mnotaku]

+ilzen ver'khaan Probably to protect the caps of the other cylinders.

[@faenrir11]

ah, I thought about that, but "recoil shield" sounded like something more complicated, hah. Thanks!

[@chapiit08]

In my opinion the Colt 1861 Navy is even more elegant.

[@diktatoralexander88]

I personally prefer the Octagon barrel on the 1851. Everyone has their own attractions.

[@E-BikingAdventures]

Pewter in those days contained lead.

[@dylanmccallister1888]

Oh this officer? This is just my water bottle