Original item: Only One Available. This is a very nice condition example of a Colt Navy percussion revolver, manufactured in 1864. The 1861 Navy Revolvers have always been hard to find, being much overshadowed by the famous Colt 1851 Navy Model. The 1851 had a 36 caliber Octagonal barrel, and many thousands saw service in the Civil War. The 1861 Navy Model was also in 36 caliber but the barrel was modeled after the 1860 Colt Army model, being totally round. Easier and more economical to produce, the 1861 was designed to replace the model 1851, and should have been a great success. However the 1851 model was so well established that production continued long after the Civil War had ended.

Our example has a Serial Number of 19967, indicating manufacture in 1864, during the height in the Civil War, so it was almost certainly used during the conflict. It bears the same serial number on the barrel, frame, trigger guard, and grip frame, while the cylinder bears shortened serial number 967, and the cylinder arbor pin is marked with 9967. The barrel wedge is an unmarked arsenal replacement, which makes this a very nice "Mostly Matching" example, with no major parts swapped out during service. It is in the expected .36 caliber and shows a lovely patina on the exterior, its finish partly worn away leaving scattered past peppering in several areas. However the revolver is totally original and shows no signs of refinishing or other modifications.

Top of the barrel still has the original Colt markings partly visible, with the area near the breech of the barrel being worn away:

The COLT'S PATENT marking on the left side of the frame is worn but legible, and the left side of the trigger guard has a clear 36CAL marking, which are relatively common on this model to avoid confusion with the Model 1860 Army. There is still most of the [CO]LTS PATENT No marking next to the serial number on the cylinder, however the original cylinder scene is almost completely worn away. The original walnut grip is a bit worn and rounded at the edges, however there are no major cracks or chunks missing, and much of the original finish is retained.

The pistol is complete, and actually functions great with accurate indexing and a solid cylinder lockup. We did not notice any of the usual finicky behavior we see on revolvers of this vintage, and there is just a bit of slop due to wear. The revolver still breaks down properly with removal of the barrel wedge, and the barrel frame connection is solid. The bore is in very good condition, showing clear lands and grooves with a mostly bright finish. The "progressive rifling" is still easily discernable, and there is only more serious oxidation visible near the forcing cone / breech. All 6 cap nipple cones are present and clear, showing wear and oxidation from use, but no major damage aside from a bit of "mushrooming" to the ends from dry firing.

A very nice genuine honest used example of the rare Colt 1861 Navy Revolver with a very nice bore: perfect for display in any Civil War Collection.

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1864
Caliber: .36cal
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 7 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 13 inches
Action: Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

History of the Colt 1861 Navy

The Colt Model 1861 Navy cap & ball .36-caliber revolver was a six-shot, single-action percussion weapon produced by Colt's Manufacturing Company from 1861 until 1873. It incorporated the "creeping" or ratchet loading lever and round barrel of the .44-caliber Army Model of 1860 but had a barrel one half inch shorter, at 7.5 inches. Total production was 38,000 revolvers.

Like its forerunner, the Colt 1851 Navy Revolver, it saw widespread use in the American Civil War and on the American Western frontier, though far fewer were produced. It has the same general specification as the earlier model, but with a rounded barrel and somewhat different rammer. While similar in design to the Colt Army Model 1860, the lighter recoil of the 1861 Navy's .36 caliber was preferred by some cavalry soldiers.

There were few variations of the Model 1861 Navy Colt. Approximately 100 of the first guns made had fluted cylinders with no cylinder scene. Another 100, made between the serial ranges of 11,000 and 14,000 were cut for a shoulder stock — the lower portion of the recoil shield was milled away and a fourth screw for the stock was added to the frame. With the exception of the first fifty or so of this model, all guns had a capping groove. A brass trigger guard and back strap, silver-plated, were standard.

During the Civil War its main competitor in England was the Adams self-cocking revolver. The Adams fired a .49 caliber bullet and did not require the shooter to pull the hammer back. Colt's revolver was more popular because Colt mass-produced his weapons while Adams' products were handmade by skilled artisans. In the United States, Colt's main rival was the Remington Model 1858 revolver.

The Colt 1861 Navy typically was used with paper cartridges, that is, with a cartridge consisting of nitrated paper, a pre-measured black powder charge, and a bullet that was either a lead round ball or a lead conical bullet. The nitrated paper of the cartridge was completely consumed upon use, and the use of paper cartridges enabled faster re-loading. Alternatively, it was always possible to load with measured powder charges and lead round balls.

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