Derringers - Clover Leaf -New line -House models

COLT DERRINGERS
MODEL	YEAR PRODUCED	CALIBER	NUMBER PRODUCED	COMMENTS
FIRST MODEL ****	1870-1890	41	6650	These were the first single shot gun manufactured by COLT . This gun is modeled after the NATIONAL Derringer which Colt purchased the production rights to.*
SECOND MODEL	1870-1890	41	9000	These guns were named by Colt as the 2nd MODEL and are marked as such on top of the barrels 2. **
THIRD MODEL	1875-1912	41	45000	This gun is know as the THUERS MODEL and was the most produced single shot that Colt manufactured .***

* These were of all steel construction. Some were made with solid silver frames and silver grips and are considered to be special order. These are considered to be quite rare and worth a large premium. Finishes were blue, nickel or silver plated. Scroll engraving standard. Silver grips could be ordered on any gun as a special order item.
**.These were made with either iron or brass frames and a few silver frames are known and extremely rare. Finishes were: blue, nickel, silver, or gold. Grips were walnut as standard. Ivory and silver were special order and are rare. First 225 Guns had iron frames. There were about 250 guns manufactured in centerfire and most will bear British proof marks, centerfire hammers and iron frames. Engraving was standard on this gun.
*** This gun has frames made of bronze. Finishes were blue barrel and either nickel or silver frames. There were some guns with all nickel or all silver finish. Guns with C or the Rampant Colt markings on the frames were shipped to the British market. Guns may be found with Ivory or Mother of Pearl grips that were special order. Standard guns had walnut grips with varnish finish. There were some guns cased in the rare pipe cases and some cased in leather covered cases.
**** Some first model derringers will be marked with the following marking: ADDRESS COL. COLT instead of Colt's PT F.A. Mfg Co. these are rare and will bring a premium and are found in the first couple of thousand serial numbers .
Engraved guns were manufactured and are very rare.

COLT CLOVERLEAF
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
Cloverleaf	1871	1	Cloverleaf	1872	4000	Cloverleaf	1873	5000
Cloverleaf	1874	6000 *	Cloverleaf	1875	7200	Cloverleaf	1876	9600 -9952

Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	YEAR	Number manufactured	Model	YEAR	NUMBER manufactured
Cloverleaf	1871	3999	Cloverleaf	1872	1000	Cloverleaf	1873	1000
Cloverleaf	1874	1200	Cloverleaf	1875	2400	Cloverleaf	1876	2752

* 5 shot house models show up in serial numbers after 6000.
All cloverleaf are 4 shot except House Model which is 5 shots with unfluted cylinder.
All cloverleaf models and House Model are 41 caliber.
Finishes were silver or nickel and blue barrel or all nickel.
Frames came with or without engraving.
Frames were brass throughout production.
Last serial number produced 9952.
Engraved guns are known to exist.

COLT OPEN TOP POCKET MODEL
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
Open Top	1871	1	Open Top	1872	3000	Open Top	1873	6000
Open Top	1874	7500	Open Top	1875	48000	Open Top	1876	85000
Open Top	1876	95000 114200

Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured
Open Top	1871	2999	Open Top	1872	3000	Open Top	1873	1500
Open Top	1874	40500	Open Top	1875	37000	Open top	1876	10000
Open Top	1876	29200

Finish nickel frame with blue barrel or all nickel.
Silver on some frames.
Guns with ejector rods are scarce and will bring premium.
Engraved guns are known to exist, but are scarce.
Last serial number manufactured 114200.
Engraved guns are known to exist.

COLT NEW LINE 22 Caliber
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
New Line	1873	1	New Line	1874	4500	New Line	1875	9000
New Line	1876	13000	New Line	1877	43000 55343	New Line

Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured
New Line	1873	4449	New Line	1874	4500	New Line	1875	4000
New Line	1876	30500	New Line	1877	11843*	New Line

* Last serial number manufactured is 55343.
Cased New line Models are known to exist to include wood and pipe cases.
Special finishes include gold, silver and blue with case color and combinations of 2 finishes.
Engraved guns are known in all calibers.

COLT NEW LINE 30 Caliber
MODEL	Year	First Serial each Year	MODEL	Year	First Serial Each year	MODEL	Year	First serial each year
New Line	1874	1	New Line	1875	1500	New Line	1876	9200 10946

Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured
New Line	1874	1874	New Line	1875	7700	New Line	1876	1746

This is the lowest production New Line model with a little under 11000 manufactured.
Last serial number manufactured 10946.
Cased New Line are known in wood and pipe type cases.
Colt New Lines are known in silver and gold washed finishes along with silver washed guns with gold cylinder flutes.
Engraved guns are known in all New Line calibers.

COLT NEW LINE 32 Pocket
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
New Line	1873	1	New Line	1874	2100	New Line	1875	8900
New Line	1876	10100	New Line	1877	13000	New Line	1878	14000
New Line	1879	15000	New Line	1880	16000	New Line	1881	17000
New Line	1882	18000	New Line	1883	19100	New Line	1884	20000 22000

Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured
New Line	1873	1873	New Line	1874	6800	New Line	1875	1200
New Line	1876	2900	New Line	1877	1000	New Line	1878	1000
New Line	1879	1000	New Line	1880	1000	New Line	1881	1000
New Line	1882	1100	New Line	1883	900	New Line	1884	2000

It's believed that there are some 38 caliber and 41 caliber guns mixed in with this serial number range of guns along with some New House and New Police model .
Last serial number manufactured is 22000.
New Lines are known to exist in wood cases.
Special finishes are gold, silver, nickel and blue and two tone guns with both silver and gold.
Engraved guns are known in all calibers.

COLT NEW LINE 38 Pocket
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
New Line	1874	1	New Line	1875	500	New Line	1876	5800
New Line	1877	6100	New Line	1878	7000	New Line	1879	9000
New Line	1880	11000 12516

MODEL	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured	Model	Year	Number Manufactured
New Line	1874	500	New Line	1875	5300	New Line	1876	300
New Line	1877	900	New Line	1878	2000	New Line	1879	2000
New Line	1880	1516

There are some 41 caliber serial numbers mixed in this serial number range.
Last serial number manufactured is 12516.
Cased guns are known in both wood and leather covered cases.
Special finished include gold ,silver, blue and case colored receivers and combinations of both silver and gold.
Engraved guns are known in all calibers.

COLT NEW LINE 41 Pocket
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
NEW LINE	1874	1	NEW LINE	1875	1001	NEW LINE	1876	3200
NEW LINE	1877	7000	NEW LINE	1878	9000	NEW LINE	1879	10000 12516

MODEL	Year	Number Manufactured	MODEL	Year	Number Manufactured	MODEL	Year	Number Manufactured
NEW LINE	1874	1000	NEW LINE	1875	2200	NEW LINE	1876	3800
NEW LINE	1877	2000	NEW LINE	1878	1000	NEW LINE	1879	1516


Last serial number manufactured is 12516. There are 38 caliber and 32 caliber serial numbers mixed in with the 41 caliber serial ranges. There are cased guns known in both wood and leather covered cases. Special finishes are known in gold, silver, blue and cased colors and in combinations of gold and silver. Engraved guns are known in all calibers.
COLT NEW HOUSE in 32 - 38 - 41 caliber's
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
NEW HOUSE	1880	10300	NEW HOUSE	1881	11000	NEW HOUSE	1882	13500
NEW HOUSE	1883	15000	NEW HOUSE	1884	17000	NEW HOUSE	1885	20000
New House	1886	23000 25751

There were appromeiately 4000 New house models manufactured in all calibers. This serial number range shared with 32-38-41 caliber New Lines up to serial number 12500, after that serial numbers were shared with Police Model and 32 caliber New Line's up to 21751. Engraved guns known, but extremely rare, and will bring large premium. Cased guns are rare and seldom seen. Special finishes were produced with special grips of Ivory and Mother of Pearl and should be considered rare.
COLT NEW POLICE IN 38
Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year	Model	Year	First Serial each year
NEW POLICE	1882	14450	NEW POLICE	1883	15000	NEW POLICE	1884	17000
NEW POLICE	1885	20000	NEW POLICE	1886	23000 25751

There were 3879 New Police model guns produced in the same serial range as the New House models.. The left side of the barrel is marked New Police. New Police models in 32 and 41 caliber are rare and will bring a premium, with 32 caliber being rarer than 41 caliber. Cop and Thug grips will bring a premium. Long barrels are known to exist. Few guns were engraved or inscribed and are rare. Finishes were nickel, blue and blue and case colors. We recommended the following books for more information on this subject: THE BOOK OF COLT FIREARMS by R.L. Wilson COLT FIREARMS by Serven Copyright© 2004 Gun-Data.com. All rights reserved