Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID SOLVED!

[Baggins]

This is from my New Year hunt out at my friends ranch here in North Texas....There is a cabin site that I have been hunting for a couple of years, and it never fails to disappoint. Last year I found the barrel to a Colt Navy revolver, 36Cal. and this year I dug this up....It is part of the handle to a gun, but on the side it has 44Cal stamped on it....To me it looks as if it is for maybe a 3rd version of a Colt Dragoon...any help on this? I will post some of my other finds from New Years tomorrow...gotta head out to work....
As always, thanks for stopping by and taking a look!
Baggins

 

[N.J.THer]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Did they ever have strongman competitions on the ranch?

Cool find

NJ

 

[Baggins]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Ha! Good one NJH...I imagine at some point it was hit by a plow...
Baggins

 

[DigginThePast]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Cool find. 8) Can't help, myself, any further on the grip but I'll ask another group if they can identify it.

 

[crazyjarhead]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Don't have any idea.

 

[chef50]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Its part of a pistol frame...just slightly bent in half...trigger guard....long piece to the right is the grip...minus some parts...Good Find just the same!!!!!

 

[beetle662]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Its part of a pistol frame...just slightly bent in half...trigger guard....long piece to the right is the grip...minus some parts...Good Find just the same!!!!!

I have to agree with you on that.


Nice find!

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Great find, and I wish I could help, didn't even know they had guns in Texas!

 

[GL]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Very old. Looks like a cap and ball grip, mid 1800s Really hard to tell much because of the deformation, grip angles and trigger guard shape is helpful in identification and in this case both are bent. The 44 stamp "font" and it's placement on the left side might help. Looks brass too from the green. 3rd Mod Colt had a screwhole in front of the squared trigger guard which is presumed lost/broken in your part.

 

[Baggins]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

I'll take some more photos of it tomorrow....of the screw holes and such....
Baggins

 

[woody_g]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

NEAT FIND.I found one awhile back smaller caliber.buddy of mine identified and dated by the serial number on it.see if i can get him to take a look at it

 

[Monty]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Find and identify where the screw holes are and we can probably ID it. Without knowing more, it looks like a Colt 1851 Navy revolver ? Monty

 

[Baggins]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID Pics added!

Here are some more pics of the handle for hopeful identification!

 

[Monty]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

The Walker dragoon should have a notch in the curved portion of the backstrap. I don't see it in the pic. I still think it's an 1851 Navy Colt. Monty

 

[Baggins]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Hey Monty, the Colt Navy was a .36 cal correct? Why would this be marked .44 Cal?
Baggins

 

[Baggins]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

I also notice the dragoon type 1 has the squared trigger guard, but the type 3 is more rounded like this one...
Baggins

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

Hey Monty, the Colt Navy was a .36 cal correct? Why would this be marked .44 Cal?
Baggins

I believe the Navy Colt also came in .44 caliber. I have a replica 1851 Navy Colt in .44 that I hunt with and it has a brass frame and triggerguard. Nice find. You could move this to "What is it" section if you need more.

 

[Baggins]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

That would be great if it was a Colt Navy, that would mean that it would be the part to go with the barrel I found last year!
Baggins

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

I found this online. Good link describing diffrent backstraps and triggerguards. http://www.texasranger.org/dispatch/4/ColtNavy.htm

When the Civil War began in 1861, approximately 98,000 ’51Navies had been produced. The demand for Colt’s excellent revolver increased during that bitter conflict. Union officers were required to purchase their uniforms and weapons, and many of the soldiers selected the ’51 Navy as their firearm. Because the weapons were privately purchased, there are no government markings on them.
The Navy proved even more popular among Confederate officers and enlisted men. One explanation is availability. In 1860, Colt introduced his Army revolver in .44-caliber, but these weapons were fobbed for Confederate purchase. Therefore, Southern soldiers were better able to acquire the Navies, and many of them did so as they armed themselves for service. By the war’s end in April 1865, another 87,000 Navies had been produced and a number of them became the property of Confederate soldiers by battlefield supply

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Texas ranch yields yet another gun part--help ID

That would be great if it was a Colt Navy, that would mean that it would be the part to go with the barrel I found last year!
Baggins

your barrel is .36 caliber?