Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice well-patinated service used condition example of the Savage Navy Model, a six shot .36 caliber revolver, which was made from 1861 until 1862 with a total production of only 20,000 guns. This unique military revolver was one of the few handguns that was produced only for Civil War use. Its design was based on the antebellum Savage-North "figure eight" revolver. The Savage Navy had a unique way of cocking the hammer. The shooter used his middle finger to draw back the "figure 8" lever and then released it forward to cock the hammer and rotate the cylinder.
This is a very nice early example, manufactured in early 1862, made a bit after the first half of production. It bears serial number 11765, which is stamped on the underside of the barrel, on the right side of the grip frame at the bottom, and on the rear of the cylinder. These markings are a bit faint due to wear and oxidation, and the grips look to be custom fabricated replacements, and do not have any serial number markings.
The pistol shows light peppering overall, which has unfortunately made the stamping on top of the frame faint, and only the top two lines can be fully read with a magnifier:
SAVAGE R.F.A CO MIDDLETOWN. CT
H.S. NORTH PATENTED JUNE 17 1856
[JANUARY 19 1859 MAY 15 ]1860
Overall the pistol is in nice condition, with an overall peppery patina on the metalwork, with no signs of major cleaning or restoration. It's got a great "barn find" or "attic find" look, which we have for the most part left intact. It also has some fantastic personalized markings added to the bottom of the grip.
We disassembled the revolver to get some of the gunk out of the action and to lubricate it, but little more. It functions perfectly, with crisp indexing and a strong cylinder lockup. We did not notice any of the usual finicky behavior we usually see on these. The cylinder chambers are in good shape, and all 6 cap nipple cones are still present, which is rare due to the strong hammer strike the pistol has. They do however show oxidation and wear from use, as well as mushrooming of the tips.
The bore is actually still in very good condition, showing clear lands and grooves with a mostly bright finish. There is some fouling and oxidation in the grooves, and a bit of a ring an inch or so from the breech, but we do not see any type of bulge. We usually see these looking like stovepipes, so this is definitely well above average. The replaced grips are very nice and in great shape, having been custom aged to look like they are original.
These are always hard to find, so now is your chance! Ready to add to your civil war collection and display!
Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: c.1862
Caliber: .36cal
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 7 inches
Overall Length: 14 inches
Action: Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver
History of the Savage 1861 Model .36 Cal-
The Union purchased just fewer than 12,000 of these initially at $19.00 apiece for use by its cavalry units. Savage Navy revolvers were issued to the 1st and 2nd Wisconsin U.S. Volunteer Cavalry regiments, and 5th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry while the State of Missouri issued 292 Savage revolvers to its Missouri Enrolled Militia units.
The remaining revolvers were purchased by private means and shipped to the Confederacy for use with the 34th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Nighthawks), the 35th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry (White's Rebels), 11th Texas Cavalry, 7th Virginia Cavalry (Ashby's Cavalry), and 7th Missouri Cavalry. The United States Navy also made a small purchase of 800 Savages during 1861 for use on its ships.
The Savage-North revolver is a direct descendant of the Savage & North Figure 8 Model Revolver and the Alsop revolver sharing many similarities with both arms. Alsop was also located in Middletown, CT. and three members of the Alsop family served on the Savage Revolving Firearms Company board of directors. Therefore, the relationship between the two companies and the two weapons was more than coincidental.
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