Major Characteristics and Unique Features of the “1960 NEW MODEL ARMY”

This newly produced Belgian Colt Army M 1860 or NEW MODEL ARMY (NMA) as termed by some was manufactured by Fabriques d’Armes Unies de Liége (FAUL) from 1959 (!) through 1973. FAUL was the corporation succeeding the famous Belgium consortium of 7 gun makers around J. Hanquet with the April 1853 license to manufacture Samuel Colt’s C&B revolvers (COLT BREVETE). The Hanquet family behind the company has a proud gun history back to 1796.

FAUL used high quality forged carbon steel of particular hardness for barrels, cylinders, frames, back-straps, loading presses, etc., whereas the trigger-guards were brass, as were the originals. Only during the later years of production a few guns were made from stainless steel. In the early years of production backstraps were welded together from three separate parts but were cast during the outer years.

Most revolvers sport 8“ barrels and the so-called 3-screw frame with recoil shield and back-strap cut for stock attachment. A number of pistols are found with these general characteristics but without the notch in the toe: this is considered good housekeeping practice in line with old Colt’s fashion to use available parts from the inventory. Only time will tell if they represent a true variation.

Chamber sizes of the Centaures are adjusted the same as the barrel groove diameter. This important aspect sets them apart from almost all modern made cap & ballers and determines the good accuracy of the Belgians.

Most of the early production pistols to around serial 3900, the Civilian (C-series) and the Cavalry Model (F-series), feature an arbor with a separate deep grease groove close to the slot for the barrel wedge. This feature is very rare on later pistols. In adddition they have the historically correct square ended bottomed arbor "tight in the hole" like 1st and 2nd generation Colts. Next in the development from around serial 4000 was a slightly tapered ended arbor with a separate shallow grease groove. The factory altered this feature later to the tapered ended arbor without separate grease groove. If these evolutionary steps to the tapered arbor were done to please demanding competition shooters is not known but many of the Belgian Colts were successfully used by target shooters due to their inherent accuracy. One Centennial Army has been reported in the survey even with a trigger stop ! (S/N 10522 see below right). A couple of the late production pistols have a 4th variation of the arbor, namely square ended again but without the separate grease groove.

The usual finish was a modern bluing process resulting in a deep gray-black luster applied to barrel, cylinder and back-strap whereas frame, arbor, hammer and loading press received a color case hardening using a cyanide process. From around 1972 FAUL added NMAs in high gloss polish/”in the white” finish (stainless look: surface specially heat-treated) and also in stainless steel to the line. The one-piece wooden grips were mostly oiled but varnished grips could be had. Some pistols were assembled with a silverish Centaur medallion inlaid in the upper end of the grip. This is often found in factory engraved specimens.