CampSite Artifacts  ·

Here is a Tiny Little Pocket Pistol called the, “Defiance!” The only markings on this little revolver are the name Defiance on top of the barrel, and the serial number 588, on the bottom of the barrel and face of the cylinder. I have seen people say these were made by the Norwich Falls Pistol Co., and also by Hopkins & Allen. I suspect the latter is correct as Hopkins and Allen were located in Norwich Falls, Connecticut. The little 7-shot .22 short revolver was manufactured between 1870 & the late 1880’s. The little gun still retains about 80% of its original nickel plating, and displays well. The single action mechanical function is mostly good, always indexing correctly and dropping the hammer when the trigger is pulled, but occasionally if you try to let the hammer down easy it won’t cock next try. Drop the hammer with the trigger though, and it will cock and index every time. Total length of the tiny little gun is just 5.25 inches with a 1.875 inch barrel. A Neat Example of the Tiny Little Pocket Pistols that were Popular at the time !

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Here is a Nice Model 1849 Colt Pocket Pistol Manufactured in 1857 ! All the metal has a nice gun metal gray patina with a few small areas of pitting. The mechanics function perfectly indexing every time, and hammer holding in both positions. Grips are still in good shape and fit well. It has all matching serial numbers except for the unnumbered wedge and trigger guard. The wedge and wedge screw and the trigger guard and trigger guard screw appear to be modern replacements. The wedge and screw are a bright blue but the trigger guard is nicely toned down. The frame, 5 inch barrel, cylinder, arbor, and back strap all bear the number 135,056 indicating production in 1857, so this could definitely have been carried during the war, likely by someone as a backup. A Fully Functional and Nice Displaying M1849 Colt Pocket Pistol, that Won’t Break the Bank !

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Here is a Nice M1860 .44 Caliber Colt Army Revolver & Colt Factory Letter ! The revolver has matching serial numbers on the frame, barrel, trigger guard, and cylinder, with an unmarked and likely period replacement back strap. The cylinder serial is hard to make out, but I can see the 02 and the 1 at the end. The 9 is almost worn away. The wedge is Not numbered to this gun. All the metal has a fairly smooth gray/brown patina, with very little pitting. The wood grips are still in good condition showing a decent amount of original varnish. The right grip shows two tiny little brass pins, and below them two corresponding tiny little holes, where likely, there was once some type of decoration. All the screws except the wedge screw are in excellent condition. The wedge screw shows a lot of use, and is currently frozen in place. However, the wedge still fits in tight enough, to make the entire revolver tight as Dick’s Hat band, and can easily be removed, to take the gun down. The mechanics function just as they should, hammer holding in both positions, and cylinder indexing correctly. Although there are no inspector’s cartouches evident in the grips, the Colt Factory Letter indicates this particular serial numbered revolver, was sold to the U.S. Government as part of a thousand gun sale, and shipped to the New York Arsenal, at Governor’s Island, on April 15^th, 1863. All in all, this revolver has a few minor issues, but matching serials on the barrel, frame, and cylinder, good mechanics, and a Colt Factory Letter indicating purchase by the U.S. Government, and I doubt you can find one this good, at this price. A Decent M1860 Colt Army Revolver with Colt Factory Letter !

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Here is a Nice Whitney Navy Revolver with Serial Numbers that likely link it to the 19^th Pennsylvania Cavalry ! I originally sold this revolver in 2008, but recently the man who purchased it wanted to sell it, and I bought it back. In the intervening years, the customer who purchased it, had the serial number researched by Civil War Weapons Search, in Harrington, Illinois, and they determined that the serial was a “Range Match” with the 19^th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

The revolver has all matching serial numbers, including on the bottom of the barrel, the cylinder, the loading lever, underside of the trigger guard, and inside of the wood grips. There are U.S. sub inspector’s marks in multiple places. These include a -P on the right rear of the barrel, a -B just behind that on the frame, a -B on the left back of the barrel, and a -P on the trigger guard. Only a tiny bit of cylinder engraving left, all I can see is the shield. Revolver functions smoothly and indexes fine. Grips have had a hard life, with a small chip out of the lower corner of the right side, and some shrinkage on both of them, but they are the originals with the matching serial numbers stamped on the inside of them. With all the inspector’s marks, I’m just about sure there used to be at least one cartouche on the grips, but it is long gone. It now wears either a Silver or Nickel finish, likely done post war, though it is still percussion, and not cartridge converted. That finish is still about 80% or more, much more shiny than my pictures show, and indicative of the value that the original owner, likely the soldier or officer it was issued to, placed on it. Comes with the paperwork & photos by Civil War Weapons Search. Just a Nice Displaying Whitney Navy Revolver, likely carried during the Civil War by a Trooper in the 19^th Pennsylvania Cavalry !

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If you like Untouched Guns, or as they say, “Attic” condition, you will like this Burnside Carbine ! This one came out of a collection of Civil War Guns that probably hasn’t seen the light of day in 40 or 50 years. It has an overall dark brown patina with a bit of pitting here and there, but not deep or bad. There are a few flaws, the sling bar has been cut, but the holes were filled, and the hammer has been repaired, being just a bit longer than original. But, there is still a visible cartouche on the stock, indicating this one likely saw service, and the serial numbers on the frame and breech block match. The bore still shows rifling, but some pitting and maybe not shoot able, but the action works just as it should, though a bit sticky. Best of all, I don’t think you could find one priced this nice anywhere. A Good Representative Example of the 5^th Model Burnside Carbine, used in the Civil War !

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Here is a Fine 2^nd Pattern .50 Caliber Maynard Carbine ! Also known as the “Model 1863,” over 20,000 of these were produced. The 9^th Indiana Cavalry, 11^th Indiana Cavalry, & the 11^th Tennessee Cavalry were among the Union Cavalry units they were issued to. This example was manufactured in 1865, and is complete with all original parts and a good amount of its original finish intact. The barrel retains a good 75-80% of its original thinning blue, with a few small areas of pitting. There are hints of the case color on the receiver though most of what remains has turned a gray/brown patina. The stock is in fine condition, retaining a generous portion of its original finish, and showing two sharp Government Inspector cartouches, a horizontal “G.W.P.”, and a vertical “J.M.” There is a tiny little chip on the toe of the stock but it is barely noticeable. The butt plate has turned a smooth brown patina. The original nipple is still intact in good condition, and the action works just as it should, the hammer holding firm in both half and full cock. The bore shows several areas of moderate pitting, but still retains sharp rifling. All markings are sharp and completely legible. The left side of the receiver is marked, “Edward Maynard, Patentee, May 27, 1851, Dec. 6. 1859,” and above that on the left flat of the barrel is what is likely a sub-inspector’s mark of S. The right side of the receiver is marked, “Manufactured by Mass. Arms Co. Chicopee Falls.” The bottom tang of the receiver is marked with the date, “1865”, and the serial number. A Fine Example of the 2^nd Model Maynard Carbine that Displays Great !

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