Must be a couple decades back I put a container of old antique pistols into long term storage. Filled the pail with 10w 30 and dropped them in...havnt seen them since, and to be honest, now cant even remember what they all were. I do remember one mostly because it was so freqing large! If I remember right the markings were Colt, Pall Mall England .476 It had a barrel maybe 8 inches or so and a large trigger gaurd. I remember shooting .455 in it.In looking on this board I see prices have really gone up, can someone give me a idea as to what a piece like that would be worth? Thanks.
Colt (Pall Mall England).476
- Thread starter eddycurrents
- Start date
If your revolver is a double action and has a large frame and oversize trigger guardit might be a Colt model 1878, which Colt did chamber in .476 Enfield among others. They have a reputation as a reasonably strong design and good shooters.
Pictures here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1878
Value depends on condition.
Pictures here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1878
Value depends on condition.
Yes, double action, and 1878 does ring a bell. It was in great condition when stored, I would say mechanicaly perfect, normal holster wear and someone at somepoint in time very neatly put two small notches on the backstrap. Maybe come spring I will dig the pail up and see what else I have forgotten.
Just checked out that wiki link and thats her, but no mention of this model being made in england and I am certain it said Pall Mall England on it, anyone know about this, How many were made in England? ......shoot just remembered some new line colts in .41 cal in that pail
Who puts guns in a pail of oil and can't remember where he put it! Check your back yard for X's on the ground and dig...that's where you buried all that lay about heavy gold bar stock!?
Plinker777, I never said I forgot where, only what all I put in the pail, It was 20 + years ago...
Like I said I remember shooting 455 in it but I think they rattled down the bore, If I retreve it next spring I might want to load up some rounds, who has some experience loading these up? any suggestions? I havent reloaded in years so I am a little rusty..
Like I said I remember shooting 455 in it but I think they rattled down the bore, If I retreve it next spring I might want to load up some rounds, who has some experience loading these up? any suggestions? I havent reloaded in years so I am a little rusty..
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My bad. You have my apologies.
Yes but if its got the Big Trigger gard and its a 1878 DA Colt which it has to be going by the OP discription its not Pre 1898.
So its not antique not in Canada maby not even in the USA they call them the alaskan model big gard is for gloves.
All of em ive seen were post 1898.
Still be worth good money if its in good shape tho.
So its not antique not in Canada maby not even in the USA they call them the alaskan model big gard is for gloves.
All of em ive seen were post 1898.
Still be worth good money if its in good shape tho.
Dingus, no it was for sure antique, bought it from Bob at Trail Firearms (Edmonton) sometime back in 1989-1992. He new his stuff, and I was only buying antique stuff back then.....maybe I am wrong about the large trigger gaurd then....stupid memory might be dissapearing like my hair....
If its got the smaller trigger gard then it could very easy be antique i think the cut off serial number in close to 40000 thats a guess but its somewhere around there.
Come to think of it i never seen and alaskan model in 476 caliber with a pall mall barrel address so im sure your right that its a pre 1898 gun but it must have a normal trigger gard then.
The 1878 had a "large" trigger guard even on the early models, compared to SAA and other pistols of the time and I think this might be what the OP is referring to.
The 1878 you are thinking of was known as the Alaska or Philipines model depending on which reference you look at. It had an even larger trigger guard than the already large guard on the regular M1878. It was made about +/- 1900, but there wasn't a lot of them made and likely very few or none were originally chambered for .476 Enfield.
Pictures of both M1878 variations here and a description of the "Alaskan" model. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1878
there called Alaskan by most people i know if you google it (Alaskan 1878 colt)you will see theres lots of pics of the DA 1878 Colts with extra big trigger gards they might have been called Philipine model to of course.
some models end up with diffrent names over time maby they shiped a bunch there as surplus but it makes more sence that Alaska would need bigger trigger gards than the tropics.
not alot of guys running around the Philipines with heavy gloves on
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some models end up with diffrent names over time maby they shiped a bunch there as surplus but it makes more sence that Alaska would need bigger trigger gards than the tropics.
not alot of guys running around the Philipines with heavy gloves on
.You could well be right Dingus. It could have been the "Alaskan" model, and maybe some got sent to the Philipines; or maybe it was the "Phillipines" model that was also popular in Alaska.
I guess it doesn't matter much, but from a more practical viewpoint pretty much nobody in Alaska was wearing gloves at that time either. Anyone who would have been spending time in the arctic winter was wearing mitts, not gloves. Gloves are more of a southern affectation and would have been a good way to lose your fingers when it's 50 below.
The only M1878 .476 that I have actually handled was also marked with the "Pall Mall" address and had a 7-1/2" barrel. It shot very well with cartridges made from shortened 45 colt brass. I had a chance to buy it at the time for a very good price but I wasn't so interested in the old stuff back then. If I got the same chance today i'd jump on it.
I guess it doesn't matter much, but from a more practical viewpoint pretty much nobody in Alaska was wearing gloves at that time either. Anyone who would have been spending time in the arctic winter was wearing mitts, not gloves. Gloves are more of a southern affectation and would have been a good way to lose your fingers when it's 50 below.
The only M1878 .476 that I have actually handled was also marked with the "Pall Mall" address and had a 7-1/2" barrel. It shot very well with cartridges made from shortened 45 colt brass. I had a chance to buy it at the time for a very good price but I wasn't so interested in the old stuff back then. If I got the same chance today i'd jump on it.
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Thanks for the info on the pistol. In my reading of posts on this board I have gathered that its all legal to shoot these antiques now, not that it stopped me before but I gather its all ok now? correct me if I am misstaken, and then what about old black powder pieces? I have a Alan and Thurber pepper box (1860?), I think .32 (maybe 28) can I now load it up? Back when I was collecting I never would have shot the piece do to its excellent condition but saddly it was in a flood 10 years back, and the water damage pretty much destroyed its value, so it would be a fun piece to play with if I can now do so legally?
