Just a bit of an update on the survival rate of Upper and Lower Canada-marked Colt revolvers .....
In my initial posting, I indicated that only about 200 of these revolvers are known to have survived. However, to ease the wait for mine to arrive I have been reviewing my references, and it turns out that although there are over 200 known serial numbers associated with surviving revolvers, as of 1997 (the last date any details were published) there were only 162 known revolvers.
The reason for the discrepancy is that many of the surviving revolvers have mismatched serial numbers among the four components so marked on Model 1851 Colts. Because the mismatches of known examples are apparently all between revolvers issued to the same Troop of Cavalry (no inter-Troop mismatches having been noted, at any rate) the writers surmise that mismatching likely occurred when the revolvers were serviced by the Troop armourer, and then reassembled without re-matching the serial numbers. (Personally, I think it is just as likely that at least some of the mismatching may be the result of salvaging parts from excessively worn or damaged revolvers to keep others serviceable. That is precisely what has been happening for years with the WWII-produced Inglis High Power pistols which remain Canada's primary-issue military handgun to this day ....)
At any rate, I can say of my newly that acquired revolver (which also has mismatched serial numbers) that neither its Troop issue-marking, nor the two different serial numbers I am aware of on its components, were included in the most recent published update (1997). I have asked the seller to include all information he has on the provenance of the revolver, but I believe he mentioned that he acquired the revolver in 1997 or later.