Another $200 Colt

[wowilson]

I bought this one at an estate sale. It didn't have any of the guts but I bought it anyway. I figured that I would buy the parts and get it close enough to send to the gunsmith. Well, I found out that it doesn't work like that for this gun! Anyway, I hand fit all of the parts and now after much head scratching I have a working pistol. Probably took 20 to 25 hours to get it all figured out. There isn't much information about the workings on the internet. What is out there is just people repeating what they heard somewhere else about what a dog this gun is and how impossible it is to work on. I think the reputation is a little exaggerated, and made worse by people who don't know what they are talking about. I think I will leave this one alone now, although if I did shoot it and break it, I could certainly fix it. I hope to find another cheap Colt soon!

 

[Marrinan]

Worth your effort. Beasley is a nice handling pistol. good job.

 

[Dale Hatfield]

Ive been into a few of them. A couple had some fingers in where they weren't smart enough to be. They really arent bad. But Im one that will say stay out for 200 bucks each Id buy all I could. .
Fred thats not what you think it is. That should be double action not an 1873 Single Action Army Colt.

 

[Roger Bleile]

Worth your effort. Beasley is a nice handling pistol. good job.

Fred,

Wilson's gun is not a Bisley (or Beasley as the name is sometimes mispronounced). It is an 1877 which is called a "Lightning" if .38 cal. or "Thunderer" if a .41 cal. The gun pictured below is a Bisley model of the SAA. BTW, I don't know who engraved this one but if anyone can positively identify the engraver, I would appreciate knowing.

 

[Marrinan]

Dale and Roger, thanks for the correction. Roger, I looked through all my reference materials for anything like the border on your gun but could find none. I know your library is much better than mine but I have never seen that simple border before. Fred