Jeff,
The lettering was either mis-stamped or half buffed away, the barrel flats were blued silly which is often an indication that the barrels were re-blued. The action looked charcoal blued, like a Colt pistol, so yes some colors could be seen. Charcoal blue and color case hardening are very similar in that they are both packed then fired. It's another forgotten process that needs to be re-examined. Surely the Colt collectors have kept that finishing process alive.
As for the cutting of how many inches...the barrels were nearly touching at the muzzle, close enough to pass, but when I laid my 26" LC Smith next to it, the Royal barrels were 3/4" shy at least. That's how I came up with 25 1/4" for the barrel length.
Those castelated fences and engraving look identical to engraving found on other NYS doubles such as LC Smith's (of Syracuse)and Syracuse Lefevers...so, was it infact engraved by a NYS engraver? Was it still at the engravers when Royal went belly-up, awaiting payment upon completion? Did the Royal skilled tradesmen, who travelled to Wheeling from Syracuse, bring it back to Syracuse when Royal production ceased. This was the most common form of wage collateral at the time. Unfinished guns represented somebody's lost wages. In the case of Newton Rifle Corp., often parts turn up in Utica NY because when Newton went under, many skilled employees who were brought in from Utica (Savage) returned to Utica with their parts, as wage collateral. I'm of the mind that Hollenbeck himself travelled with receiver forgings...just look at the similarities between Baltimore Arms, Syracuse Arms, and Royal Arms...
That gun raises far more questions than it answers, and that's what I liked most about the gun. Identifying the engraver will/may answer some questions.
Last edited by Robert Chambers; 10/01/07 02:01 PM.
