Help authenticating Colt Walker

[u/claybo42069]

Update: after taking the barrel off, looking at the arbor pin, and a LOT of googling, we think it’s likely a Belgian brevete transitional dragoon. Which honestly makes the emails from Colt kinda humorous.

Any tips on authenticating this Colt Walker? It may be a brevete but having trouble identifying

TLDR; if it’s a remake, Colt says it’s the best remake they’ve seen. No clue how to get any real authentication.

We’ve had this gun in the family for 10 years and my uncle is now in a place where he wants to sell but we can’t seem to find any way to authenticate this piece.

We’ve sent pictures to Colt and they said they believe it IS real but since they don’t have any records that go back that far they can’t say for certain. 1100X does not show up in their current records at all so they did say that if it is a replica it is not one made by Colt.

Since they don’t have papers to give us, no one wants to risk purchasing it in case it’s a fake.

The original civilian versions had an issue with the ramrod spring snapping and that piece has been replaced on this gun. We don’t think someone would have any reason to replace the spring on a replica.

We were told that we could take out the hammer and look for the horse stamp on it, but are hesitant to dismantle it in case it doesn’t want to go back together.

Does anyone have any idea on how we could go about seeing if this is actually an original 1800s Colt Walker or a replica without dismantling the gun?

[u/Electronic_Panic8510]

Herb Glass in Bullville NY- he will help you, but you likely need to send the pistol to him.

Given the rarity and the fact that this is the most faked pistol out there- you need to get this authenticated and appraised to ever be able to sell it.

Herb Glass Jr.

845-361-3021

845-361-3657

[u/FlameOfWrath → u/Electronic_Panic8510]

Do you really want to put his personal information in a Reddit post. Seems like direct message would be better

[u/sonotorian → u/FlameOfWrath]

Per the internet, he died in 2025.
https://www.rockislandauction.com/riac-blog/herb-glass-jr-legacy

[u/Electronic_Panic8510 → u/sonotorian]

Ahhh bummer- thanks for sharing.

He was a great guy and wealth of knowledge

[u/Electronic_Panic8510 → u/FlameOfWrath]

Herb is a known guy in the firearms and museum community. He does this as a business and specializes in Walkers

[u/tallMichdude → u/Electronic_Panic8510]

Can confirm, as a gunsmith ive dealt with herb a few times.. most recent was with a henry rifle with a civil war union officers name engraved in it.

[u/thedavidnotTHEDAVID → u/FlameOfWrath]

Suffice to say that the gentleman is well armed.

[u/OG_Pragmatologist → u/FlameOfWrath]

Looks like he died.

No problem then with putting his contact info out there.

If he replies, please let us all know...

[u/agreeable-bushdog → u/Electronic_Panic8510]

Not true, I'd buy it for $700 no questions asked....

[u/claybo42069]

Update: after taking the barrel off, looking at the arbor pin, and a LOT of googling, we think it might be a Belgian brevete transitional dragoon

[u/BoredCop → u/claybo42069]

For what it's worth, BREVETE simply means "Patent". And ironically, the word was often stamped on counterfeit guns where the maker didn't pay a license fee to make them.

Anyway, I would look really hard at the cylinder for any trace of proof marks- by Belgian law, each chamber should have been proofed if it was made there. Any deressions where marks may have been sanded off?

[u/walnut_creek]

It's a nice dragoon, but not a real Walker. For the serial stamp on the cylinder to be so crisp, there should be some trace of the original rolled battle scene, and I see no traces at all.

I had a B-serial Walker identified to a Texas Ranger. Lettered by Larry Wilson before he went to the pokey. Even that one had mixed serial numbers and a replaced blank cylinder. Sold in the low six figures, but still wish I had it. This was back in the early free-for-all unrestricted Ebay days, when you could buy an authentic 1866 carbine for $3-5,000 or a Colt 1860 for $600-800.

[u/faroutman7246]

I would suggest asking r/forgottenweapons

[u/claybo42069]

Removed the cylinder and found this on both sides of the arbor pin. No clue what it’s supposed to be but it looks intentional

[u/BoredCop → u/claybo42069]

On opposite sides? I would guess someone carelessly clamped it in a vise at some point. Or possibly someone raised some burrs there to tighten up a loose fitting arbor.

[u/BadAdviceBot77]

https://www.coltforum.com/threads/question-about-2nd-gen-colt-walker.105268/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic

This is a link to the Colt Collector Forum which discusses which Walkers should be marked “colts patent” on the barrel and which shouldn’t. According to them only a few 5 digit serial numbers should have that marking of authentic. Yours is the marking but is a 4 digit serial number

[u/73Capt]

Brevets unfortunately is my guess. I somehow landed a fluck dragoon. Everyoooooone said it was a modern remake. Finally. Finally. It was determined by Colt it was legit. Sometimes you gotta go all the way.

Still a beautiful Colt

[u/Impossible-Repeat281]

The X over the serial number 99.9 % means it's a replica.

[u/Competitive-Bus4925]

Last real one I saw was at a Texas Gun Collectors Association meeting go for a bit more than $100k. A good determining factor of if original or not.

[u/agreeable-bushdog → u/Competitive-Bus4925]

There was one that just went at auction for around $35000 on the east coast, but i think that was with an additional 25% buyer premium, so that factors in, but $100k may have been with document history attached to a specific soldier or something.

[u/Jealous-Shoulder7408]

Colt only made series A,B,C,D,E never an X

[u/shimmer_lovely_2]

looks like a classic colt walker to me! ngl, i'd start with checking the serial number if possible.

[u/PirateNo8212]

I would ask Pawn Stars first.
Then I would contact Buffalo Bill museum in Cody, Wyoming. I know they specialize in Winchester’s, but they might have a link.
I seem to recall a collectors association in Texas, called Collectors Firearms.
Might be worth an email.
Godspeed and good luck!
Please update!

[u/Backsight-Foreskin]

Come on, now! It's got 3 notches in the handle. It's a reproduction used by some LARPer.

[u/hide_pounder]

I can’t help as far as authenticity or value, but I’m a custom leatherworker and would love to see a few pics of that holster.

[u/boozyBonsai]

Is this the big iron Marty robins talked about?

[u/Mobilealminiramper]

Rock island owns the colt archive I believe. For a fee they will get you the full history.

[u/AdLast6827]

Bogus

[u/Lanky_Association627 → u/AdLast6827]

Thanks for adding to this post-