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Colt’s Second Contract Dragoon was manufactured in 1848 and serial numbered in a range from 2001 through 3000. Approximately 1000 are thought to have been manufactured by Colt to replace defective Colt Walker Dragoon revolvers that were sold to the U.S. government. This is a complicated model and new research makes it very interesting to determine and log all of its characteristics.
The revolver which used up some of the left-over Walker parts is in .44 caliber, weighs 4 pounds and 2 ounces and has a 7˝ inch part round and part octagonal Walker barrels that were re-worked at the Colt factory. The barrel address reads ‘ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW-YORK CITY’ with the ‘COLT’S/PATENT/U.S.’ stamping on the left side of the frame. The brass back-strap is longer and similar to the Walker model along with the brass trigger-guard of square-back configuration. The one-piece walnut grips were oil-stained with ‘JH’ within an oval cartouche on left side and ‘WAT’ within an oval cartouche on the right side of the grip. Most major parts were serial numbered using the tiny Walker type stampings and inspector mark P also appear on various metal parts.
The barrel was blued with casehardened frame, hammer and loading lever. The six shot cylinder with oval cylinder slots was roll engraved with the Texas Ranger and Comanche Indian fight scene and left bright.
For in-depth reference on Colt Dragoon revolvers see ‘The Book of Colt Firearms- 3rd Edition’ by R.L. Wilson and various other studies and articles on this interesting and rare revolver.
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