doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Colt 1883 info please

Hello gents,

I know next to nothing about Colt shotguns, but one has caught my eye.

Are there any experts who can provide some info?

The engraving (dogs & birds) and the very fine damascus pattern really caught my eye.

No luck with internet search...........

Thanks in advance

Mark

Wallace Labisky had a series of articles on side-by-side shotguns in Shooting Times magazine back in the 1960's. Number ten in the series covered the Colt doubles. It was in the Shooting Times, Volume 7, No. 6, June 1966. I'm sure some of the dealers in books and paper that advertise in the Gun List can probably come up with a copy.

Don Hardin did an article on Colt doubles in The Double Gun Journal, Volume Four, Issue 2, pages 119-122.

Mark,

Are you about through with the stock making book you borrowed from me?

tbuffum@bendbroadband.com

I just had mine lettered as a grade 2, shipped Sept 12, 1892. It has dogs and scroll engraving and is a two barrel set. If you notice when the gun is opened the action rotates around the pin.
Or do a search on http://www.google.com/patents Paul

One odd note to add. Perhaps Researcher will know. The letter also stated under Special Features, concave matte ribs. Didn't all 1883's have concave matte ribs? Paul

Many consider the Colt 1883, the finest American made double.

I too have heard the stuff about Colts being the finest American made double, but having owned at least one of every American double ever made (in significant quantities), including a nice Colt, I just can't get on board with the "finest" rating. I mean, it was a real nice old boxlock (in fact, one of the earliest American boxlocks, wasn't it?), but quite heavy and in no way amazing, that I could ever discover. The fact is, there were an awful lot of nice doubles being made in the late 1800s, so where did this "finest" business start, and can it be in any way justified? Also, isn't there some evidence or suspicion that the '83 was at least partially built in Birmingham? Looking forward to hearing from the experts. TT

[quote=Terry Buffum]Mark,

Are you about through with the stock making book you borrowed from me?



ON THE RETURN OF A BOOK
LEANT TO A FRIEND

I GIVE humble and hearty thanks for the safe return
of this book which having endured the perils of my
friend’s bookcase, and the bookcases of my friend’s
friends, now returns to me in reasonably good con-
dition.

I GIVE humble and hearty thanks that my friend did
not see fit to give this book to his infant as a play-
thing, nor use it as an ash-tray for his burning cigar,
nor as a teething-ring for his mastiff.

WHEN I lent this book I deemed it as lost: I was re-
signed to the bitterness of the long parting: I never
thought to look upon its pages again,

BUT NOW that my book is come back to me, I re-
joice and am exceeding glad! Bring hither the fatted
morocco and let us rebind the volume and set it on
the shelf of honor: for this my book was lent, and
is returned again.

PRESENTLY, therefore, I may return some of the
books that I myself have borrowed.

Christopher Morley

From out of Africa. Its a shame to lose a friend over a book. I didn't he did

I took a look at a few Colt 1883s and of the ones I saw, the Grades 1 1/2 and 2 have swamped file cut ribs, while the Grade 1 has a swamped rib, but smooth Damascus. I am not sure if this held during the entire 1883 production.