Chapter 2 – Facts and Figures
2.5 Milestones and Serial Numbers
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2.5 2.5.1 2.5.2 2.5.3 2.5.3.1 2.5.3.2 2.5.3.3 2.5.4 2.5.4.1
2.5.4.2
2.5.4.3
2.5.5 2.5.5.1 2.5.5.2 2.5.5.3 2.5.5.4 2.5.6 2.5.7
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Milestones and Serial Numbers Pre-Centaure Milestones 1796 to 1950s Centaure Milestones 1959 to 1973 Location of Serial Numbers Three Models – One Block of Serial Numbers Three More Models – Three Blocks of Serial Numbers Extra and Mismatching Cylinders Gaps in the Serial Numbers Regular New Model Army (RNMA) #18408 from the U.S.A. Regular New Model Army (RNMA) #5 1971 from Germany Regular New Model Army (RNMA) #043573 from Germany Regular New Model Armies (RNMAs) in Disguise Regular New Model Army (RNMA) #6464 from Germany Regular New Model Army (RNMA) #7070 from Germany Regular New Model Army (RNMA) #7079 from France Regular New Model Army (RNMA) #7091 from Germany Mixed Serial Reworks (MSRs) Conclusions
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2.5.1 |
Pre-Centaure Milestones 1796 to 1950s |
The history of our preferred Belgian licensed Colt 1860 pattern percussion revolvers or New Model Armies (NMAs) goes back to the end of the 18th century. As early as 1796 we find the first mentioning of their makers the Hanquet family and their involvement with the Belgian and International gun business.
The Hanquets played their role in the famous consortium of Seven Liège Gun Makers that signed the licensing agreement with Samuel Colt in April 1853 regarding the production of Colt pattern percussion revolvers aka Colt BREVETES in Belgium. This agreement was never terminated.
BREVETES produced under this agreement were open top pattern revolvers with hinge type loading levers like Walkers, Dragoons, Navies and Pockets. None of the later advanced models, namely 1855 Roots, 1860 Army, 1861 Navy or 1862 Police made in Hartford with creeping type loading levers and mostly round barrels from the new silver steel until 1873, were manufactured as BREVETES.
This happened over 100 years later with what collectors, reenactors and shooters around the globe call the Centaure 1960 New Model Army percussion revolver today, or Centennial Army or simply Belgian Colt Army.
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Pre-Centaure Milestones 1796 to 1950s |
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1796 |
Martin Hanquet starts the Hanquet gun business |
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1853 |
End of April: licensing agreement between Samuel Colt and Consortium of Seven Liège Gun Makers namely Ancion & Co., Callotte, Dandoy, Drisseur & Co., Jean Hanquet, Petry and Brothers Pirlot regarding the production of Colt pattern cap & ball revolvers |
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1913 |
May 30: Centaure trademark registered |
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1950 |
F.A.U.L. official Colt distributor for Belgium (ended 1992) |
Centaures (aka New Model Armies (NMAs)) are Colt 1860 Army pattern percussion revolvers produced under a never terminated license from 1853 by Sam Colt using advanced 20th century production technology, higher grade steel and other important finesses which make competition shooters happy. These Centaures‘ virtues become obvious even today when taken through the paces on the shooting range and, on second glance of course, after disassembly, compared to 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation Colt 1860s or their Italian clones.
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2.5.2 |
Centaure Milestones 1959 to 1973 |
The Centaures were produced between 1959 and 1973 by Fabriques d’Armes Unies de Liège (F.A.U.L.) at 22, Rue Trappe in Liège, Belgium in five basic models, namely Regular New Model Army (RNMA), Civilian Model, Cavalry Model, Marshal Model and Pocket Army Model in numerous variations and sub-variations (see chapter 3 for details). Back then F.A.U.L. was the name of the Hanquet family’s gun business.
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Centaure Milestones 1959 to 1973 |
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1959 |
Model guns (RNMA marked M) manufactured; specimens presented to Paul Hanquet and Fred Roff, then President of Colt |
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1959 |
RNMA 1st variation 1st sub-variation: Commencing regular production, output ca. 300 specimens, first shipments for launch in the U.S.A. |
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1960 |
RNMA 1st variation 1st sub-variation: Launch in the U.S.A. 100 years after introduction of Colt M1860 Army in 1860 (production discontinued in 1961) |
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1960 |
Civilian Models 1st and 2nd variation: Commencing production and launch in the U.S.A. (production discontinued with 2nd variation in 1963) |
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1960 |
Cavalry Models 1st variation: Commencing regular production in fall |
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1960 |
First Centaure variants with rampant centaur logo observed |
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1960 |
Regular fitting of hammers with 2nd version spur |
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1961 |
Cavalry Model 1st variation 1st sub-variation: Launch in the U.S.A., dubbed First Model Centennial Revolver (production discontinued in 1963) |
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1961 |
Cavalry Model 1st variation 2nd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in the U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1963) |
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1961 |
RNMA 1st variation 2nd sub-variation: Launch in U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1973) |
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1961 |
Thomas Haas has Horacio Q. Acevedo Sr. engrave die for Colt/Ormsby-style naval scene for RNMAs 3rd variation |
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1961 |
RNMA 3rd variation 1st sub-variation: Prototype production, launch in the U.S.A. (production discontinued same year) |
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1962 |
RNMA 2nd variation 1st sub-variation: Commencing regular production, launch in the U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1964) |
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1962 |
Pocket Army Models 1st and 2nd variation: Commencing special order production, launch in the U.S.A. (production aborted same year) |
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1962 |
Cavalry Model 1st variation 3rd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in the U.S.A. (production aborted same year) |
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1963 |
RNMAs 3rd variation 2nd sub-variation: Commencing regular production, launch in the U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1971) |
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1963 |
Pocket Army Model 3rd variation: Commencing special order production, launch in the U.S.A. (production aborted same year) |
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1963 |
First European sales recorded in Belgium, France, Germany |
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1963 |
First NMAs with 2nd version arbor observed |
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1964 |
Change from rampant to walking centaur logo |
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1964 |
Gradual change from early type ratchet teeth on the back of cylinder to late type |
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1964 |
First pistols with mid-size chambers recorded |
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1964 |
Regular fitting of hammers with 3rd version spur |
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1966 |
RNMA 1st variation 3rd sub-variation: Commencing production and launch (production discontinued 1970) |
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1966 |
RNMA 3rd variation 3rd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in the U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1970) |
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1966 |
First RNMAs with 3rd version arbor in regular production through 1973 |
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1967 |
RNMAs 4thvariation 1st sub-variation and early 2nd sub-variation: Prototype production, small scale/test market in Europe (production discontinued same year) |
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1967 |
RNMA 5th variation 1st sub-variation: Prototypes and regular production, launch in Europe and the U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1970) |
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1967 |
RNMA 6th variation 1st sub-variation: Prototype production, small scale/test market in Europe (production discontinues same year) |
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1968 |
Liège Proof House discontinues stamping inspector and Crown over R marks by Feb. 26 |
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1968 |
Change to small chambers |
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1969 |
RNMAs 2nd variation 2nd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in Europe (production discontinued in 1970) |
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1970 |
Gradual introduction of cast parts including change to 2nd version backstraps |
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1970 |
Barrels with 8 grooves and 8 lands often observed |
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1970 |
Regular fitting of hammers with 4th version spur |
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1970 |
RNMA 5th variation 2nd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in Europe and the U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1973) |
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1971 |
Cavalry Models 2nd variation 1st and 2nd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in Europe and the U.S.A. (production aborted same year) |
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1971 |
Marshal Models 1st variation: Commencing production, 1st sub-variation launch in Europe (production aborted same year), 2nd sub-variation launch in Europe and the U.S.A. (production discontinued in 1973) |
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1971 |
Marshal Models 2nd variations 1st and 2nd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in Europe (production aborted same year) |
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1971 |
RNMA De Luxe-style factory engraved: Commence program, launch in Europe and the U.S.A. (program ended sometime after production of pistols was discontinued in 1973) |
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1971 |
RNMA Super De Luxe-style factory engraved: Commence program, launch in Europe (program ended sometime after production of pistols was discontinued in 1972) |
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1971 |
RNMA Presentation-style factory engraved: Commence program, launch in Europe and Canada (program ended sometime after production of pistols was discontinued in 1973) |
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1971 |
RNMAs 4th variation 2nd sub-variation: Commence production, launch in Europe (production discontinued in 1972) |
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1971 |
RNMAs 6th variation 2nd sub-variation: Commencing production, launch in Europe (production discontinued in 1973) |
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1972 |
RNMA 7th variation first stainless-steel C&B revolvers: Commencing production launch in Germany (production aborted same year) |
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1972 |
RNMA 4th variation 3rd sub-variation: Commencing small scale production, launch in Germany (production aborted same year) |
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1972 |
RNMA 6th variation 3rd sub-variation: Commencing small scale production, launch in Germany (production aborted same year) |
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1972 |
Marshal De Luxe-style factory engraved: Commence program, launch in Europe (program ended sometime after production of pistols was discontinued in 1972) |
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1973 |
Production of all RNMAs and Marshals was discontinued in early summer |
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2.5.3 |
Location of Serial Numbers |
In the next chapters we will look at the serial numbering and their rational from different angles.
Like the Colt 1860 Armies of the 19th century, complete or partial serial numbers (i.e. last digits) are to be found on all major parts of the 20th century Centaure (aka licensed Belgian NMA) as direct descendants of the 19th century Colt 1860 Army. In regular production revolvers, i.e. Regular New Model Army (RNMA), Civilian (C-prefix), Cavalry (F-prefix), Marshal 1st variation, Marshal 2nd variation (F-prefix) serial numbers are visibly stamped on barrel lug, frame and triggerguard.
2.5_1 Typical location of visible serial numbers of RNMA 1st variation #10655 on barrel lug, frame and triggerguard
2.5_2 Typical location of visible serial numbers of Civilian 1st variation #C190 on barrel lug, frame and triggerguard: Note prefix C in front of the three (3) serial numbers
2.5_3 Typical location of visible serial numbers of Cavalry 1st variation #F144 on barrel lug, frame and triggerguard: Note prefix F in front of the three (3) serial numbers
2.5_4 Typical location of visible serial numbers of Cavalry 2nd variation #F11103 on barrel lug, frame and triggerguard: Note prefix F above serial number on barrel lug only
2.5_5 Typical location of visible serial numbers of Marshal 2nd variation #F11553 on barrel lug, frame and triggerguard: Note prefix F above serial number on barrel lug only
The exception to this rule is the few Centaures recorded in the survey where barrel lug and frame have the embossed serial number but none has been stamped on the triggerguard. The reason might be a senior moment on behalf of the technician in charge at the factory.
Cylinders were stamped on the:
# Front side – early production revolvers only,
# Between the ends of the naval scenes of a few very early Regular New Model Armies (RNMAs) 3rd variation 1st sub-variation, but
# Mostly on the breech side.
# A few Centaures are recorded with no digits on their cylinders at all, same applies to
# A few variants of the extra cylinders of later production.
2.5_6 Typical location of all 3 digits of the serial number stamped on the front side of cylinder of early production RNMA 1st variation #619
2.5_7 All 4 digits of the serial number stamped between the scene’s ends of cylinder and the breech side (not pictured) of RNMA 3rd variation 1st sub-variation #1423
2.5_8 Last 3 digits 226 of the serial number stamped on the breech side of cylinder of RNMA 6th variation 2nd sub-variation #14226