I think I treated the old Colt for what it was, a historical artifact that required some repair to restore it to original design specifications and function. Never thought about applying for registration or NFA status; seriously, I think even the most anti-gun activist would realize that I was dealing with a piece manufactured well in advance of any type of intentional automatic firing. John Moses Browning may have been having day dreams about automatic weapons in 1882, but those dreams did not bear fruit until a decade or two later.

A dentist known as Gatling developed a weapon that he sincerely hoped would put an end to war by providing defenses that no one could hope to overcome. The invention of the atomic bomb was intended to stop all thoughts of conquest or war. Today's results show that wishful thinking did little to alter human behavior.

I seriously doubt that a malfunctioning revolver from the 1880's would be taken seriously by BATFE or the federal courts.