THIS IS NOT A FOR SALE POST.  THIS IS A “I WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING” POST.

This belonged to my wife’s mother-in-law.  Not my mom, but rather the mother of her late husband.  It was wired into a frame along with a Butte Co. (CA) Sheriff’s badge that looks like new.  I doubt it is more than 20-30 years old.

Are relics such as this simply left alone or are there master craftsmen who restore such firearms?

I HAVE NEITHER CLEANED IT NOR TRIED TO CLEAN IT.  OTHER THAN REMOVE IT FROM A FRAME, I HAVEN’T DONE A DAMN THING OTHER THAN PHOTOGRAPH IT.

It doesn’t lock up.  The bore is crap.  It is missing the unloading dog.  The finish is well-worn and 100% patina except where is was scratched.

The SN places it as 1894 manufacturer based on several sites.

IT ISN’T FOR SALE.

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Not sure about the answer OP but that's an amazing pony from hard times, I held one close to that vintage at my lgs once and it was awesome just holding it. Good luck!

Do you want to sell it?  

Haha just kidding but super cool old gun there.  I would be interested to see it after it was refinished, but sorry I don't know the answers to your questions. Hopefully someone can give you some sound advice.

Contact Thor though the site.  He can give you a realistic answer to cost vs outcome.

@Thor

Please see original post.

would @Thor do the trick?

Until you get a good estimate of the value, the finish should be left alone IMHO.

Value often drops when the history is erased from certain guns. Or if a refinish is poorly done.

Sort of like refinishing Chippendale furniture.

Collectors are picky like that.

Doing as little as possible is what collectors want. They are only original once. I would deal with the rust and clean it up. Then enjoy it. It's a neat pistol.

May want to contact peacemaker specialists in California to get it back in functional order. Even with a rough bore they sometime shoot well. It is a “black powder” frame, and should only be shot with black powder loads. ( from a reloading perspective this is easy fill case with black powder and compress charge with seated bullet lubricated with a suitable black powder lube.
It really doesn’t look bad !
I have repaired and shot single actions rougher than that in the past.
Clean yes
Repair to a functional shootable condition yes
Refinish NO

There are some high end restoration specialists like turnbull ( I once toured the shop there - impressive! Had people using microscopes to restore markings etc) but a full turnbull restoration runs thousands of dollars.
You might want to get a Colt historical letter, just in case it is associated with someone famous!

give it a good clean,

nothing more aggressive than a bore brush in the barrel and maybe a course rag and oil on the frame etc,  may need a nylon toothbrush to get in some corners,

you don't want to alter the patina, just clean it,


and +1 on the letter,  


all serial numbers matching (frame, grip, triggerguard,  and IIRC, the Cylinder)?




ETA, the screws don't look buggered up and it does not look like it was used as a hammer,


what caliber?

ask this over at the coltforum, there are a good bunch of people on it with a wealth of knowledge, all the leading restorers are on there as well. They would love to see this and can provide a lot of info

I can't remove the cylinder for lack of skill.  I'm not going to force anything.  Numbers that I can see match.

Just wondering, as it may or may not have anything to do with the pistol,

The Butte County badge, how many points and what is pictured in the center of it.

They've issued modern looking badges (with about 6-7 variations) long enough that guys born in the late 1800s were retiring with them, some of the nickled and chromed ones never really look old unless theyve been abused. Butte has been a county with a sheriff since the 1850s.

My wife's family has been there since 1849 (they drove lumber wagons) and her brother was with the department up until he left because their home town (and his house) were burned off the face of the earth.