This revolver has a fluted cylinder, four screw frame with stock lugs and recoil shield cuts and small, Navy size grip with steel, slotted back strap. The revolver has an experimental loading lever which lacks the cogs found on the creeping style lever introduced on the Model 1860 Army revolver. The front grip strap is uniquely lengthened from Model 1851 short grip to the long, soon to be accepted, 1860 Army length. The 8 inch barrel has a nickel/silver front sight blade and unique, dovetail mounted rear sight just ahead of the breech. The recoil shield cut-out has a capping channel. The rear face of the cylinder is drilled for safety pins but the safety pins have not been fitted. The only markings on this revolver are the serial number "7" stamped on the loading lever, barrel lug, frame, trigger guard, rear face of cylinder, wedge, and back strap. The barrel, cylinder, and back strap have the Colt high polish commercial blue finish. The loading lever, hammer and frame are color casehardened ,and the trigger guard is un-finished brass. The frame screws, stock lugs, wedge screw and trigger have a fire blue finish. The one-piece walnut grip is oil finished.

Excellent. This prototype revolver retains 95% of the bright original blue and beautiful vivid original color casehardened finish. Wear on the barrel is limited to a few very minor handling and storage marks. There are a few disassembly bruises on the end of the wedge. The brass trigger guard is slightly bent rearward. The cylinder has some slight high-point wear, turn marks on the stops, and nearly all the high polish blue finish. There is no flash pitting on the rear face of the cylinder or the percussion nipples. The lever, frame and hammer exhibit brilliant original fiery case colors. Nearly all of the fire blue finish is present on the frame and wedge screws. All of the screw heads remain in excellent condition. The oil-finished walnut stock is in excellent condition with a few very minor handling and storage marks. This is an excellent example of a very rare prototype Colt Model 1860 Army revolver.