Colt Pistol Bat Masterson?

[Southern_Boy]

Hi Everyone:

After sharing the information about this pistol with another friend at this site, he suggested that I post this information. Hope you enjoy the story and I look forward to your questions.

A few years ago I was given an old Colt Revolver, cap and ball. I was given this pistol due to being a semi active Civil War re-en actor. This pistol came from the estate of an uncle who live in the Virginia area. While checking the pistol out I noticed a piece of paper rolled up inside the barrel. The piece of paper was an article on a Colt pistol sold at Southey's auction house (probably in the 1970's, my estimate). The article talks about a gun that Bat Masterson ordered asking Mr. Colt to make it easy on the trigger. The article went onto say that the gun sold for 35,000 dollars to a wealthy real estate individual from Texas.

The barrel is just over six inches long, the cylinder has faint etchings of ships of all types, really too many for me to describe. As you can see there is some damage that is repairable to the packing mechanism, I keep this gun in a very secure place away from my children. The barrel is interesting where the sight is at, it has a crescent sight..might not be the right word. Imagine that someone cut a dime in half and used part of it for the sight and that is what it looks like. I was told by an acquaintance that professional gun fighters did this, so the gun would not snag on their clothes as they pulled the pistol out. I can only assume that this gun would have been used as a backup if needed.

One day I will right off to the Colt company and find out if I have the real McCoy or not. Once I find out I will keep you all posted.

Can hardly wait till Spring to go out and join you all in this new Hobby for me.

For some reason I cannot post the picture...it is driving me nuts. If you want me to send you some, I can always send them to you as attachments...sorry

Sincerely,
Southern_Boy

 

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[Dimeman]

It would be great if you did have the real "McCoy". A super post indeed !!!!!

 

[Johnny X]

Very nice. Let us know the outcome.

xstevenx

 

[Southern_Boy]

HI Dimeman,

The process of get the proof a few years ago was a fee of $500, pictures of the pistol and then as much detailed information as possible. Now years ago, not sure when I am not that old! Colt had a fire and alot of their records were damaged or destroyed. Once I get out detecting and find all that hidden loot...I can dream...then i will find out once and for all.

Sincerely,
Southern_Boy

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

The Navy scene indicates it is .36 caliber (which was the Navy's standard of the time).

The flat front sight is used on the 1860 Army (which id .44 Cal) and the 1861 Navy (second hit).

The 1851 Navy had an octagonal barrel, the 1861 very smooth and streamlined (IMHO Colt's best looking percussion revolver.

So, does it look like . . . http://www.civilwar.si.edu/weapons_1861navycolt.html

But, Bat Masterson was born in 1823 and died in 1921 and, according to the 1958 TV Series, used a .45 1873 Model Colt cartridge revolver (but that's TV for you). Inconclusive, but unlikely he had a gun custom made when he was eight years old.

 

[warsawdaddy]

I hope you have the real thing.I do believe however,that the weapon(s) Mr Masterson used were not cap/ball.His era was later.However,he may have come into possesion of this gun and wanted it in better working order.He became a sports writer in NY in the early 1900's.

 

[Southern_Boy]

Hi:

I can send you some pictures of the gun. Would definitely like to communicate more about this with you. It burns me but I lost the article that mentions that the gun was sold at Southey's Auction house. I did contact them via email and they did verify that a gun was sold at their auction house that was verified to have been ordered by Bat Masterson. I really like a lot of your points and I will consider them deeply.

Ultimately I will have to pay the fee and contact them to get some authentication on the gun. I know it is an original colt...which makes me happy.....would make me even more happy to prove that bit of information too.

Sincerely,
Southern_Boy

 

[ghostrider1775]

Here is a link for Bat History!! HH-http://www.trivia-library.com/b/gunslinger-biography-william-barclay-bat-masterson-part-2.htm

 

[Southern_Boy]

Hi Everyone:

I recieved some help and I think that the picture will post now.

 

[OldBillinUT]

Sorry SB there is no image there. I saw one Masterson gun at: http://www.schwendguns.us/ but it's not like the one that you have described.

 

[l.cutler]

The .44 1860 Army Colt also has a naval scene engraved on the cylinder. I hope you get the photo thing worked out, I would love to see it!

 

[jimyates1959]

The letter you are referring to was written by Bat Masterson on "Opera house" stationery where he wrote colt ordering a pistol to be made that was easy on the trigger and also have a little thicker and high front sight than what was the standard of the time. At the time of his request the gun in question was a colt single action revolver that should have been dated in the mid 1880's. I believe colt shipped 5 or 6 single actions to Mr. Masterson through the years.