Original Item: Only One Available. This is a well-used but mechanically substantial example of the distinctive Savage 1861 Navy Model percussion revolver, a six-shot .36-caliber handgun manufactured in Middletown, Connecticut, during the American Civil War.

Serial number 1114 is present on the barrel, interior frame, and cylinder, giving this revolver a desirable low serial number and preserving the matching identity of its principal numbered components.

The Savage Navy is one of the most immediately recognizable handguns of the Civil War. Its unusual profile, enclosed frame, and large figure-eight lever set it apart from the Colt and Remington revolvers that dominated the period.

Designed by Henry S. North and Edward Savage, the revolver evolved from the earlier Savage & North Figure Eight model. Production began in 1861, with approximately 20,000 examples generally believed to have been manufactured during the Civil War era.

Unlike a conventional single-action revolver, the Savage uses two separate operating controls. The lower ring-shaped lever is drawn rearward with the middle finger, cocking the hammer and rotating the cylinder. The upper trigger is then pressed to fire the revolver.

This mechanically unusual system is sometimes described as a form of proto-double-action operation. It allowed the shooter to cock and index the revolver without placing the thumb on the hammer, although it was more complicated than the conventional actions used by its principal competitors.

The revolver’s upper frame retains its original three-line manufacturer and patent marking:

SAVAGE R.F.A. CO. MIDDLETOWN. CT
H.S. NORTH PATENTED JUNE 17 1856
JANUARY 19 1859 MAY 15 1860

The marking remains fully legible despite the revolver’s extensive service wear.

Serial number 1114 is marked on the underside of the barrel.

The same number appears on the right interior side of the frame beneath the wooden grips.

The rear of the cylinder, beneath the removable ratchet assembly, is also numbered: 1114.

The grip panels appear consistent with the revolver and fit correctly, although any original serial markings inside the wood are no longer visible.

The Savage Revolving Firearms Company hoped to secure major government contracts for the design. Surviving research indicates that approximately 11,284 were purchased for U.S. Army use, with additional examples acquired by the U.S. Navy. Estimates for the naval purchase vary by source, ranging from approximately 800 to somewhat over 1,100 revolvers.

Government-inspected examples may bear military inspection stamps and cartouches. No claim is made that this revolver retains identifiable U.S. military inspection markings, but its low serial number and wartime manufacture place it firmly within the Civil War production period.

Savage Navy revolvers were issued to numerous Union cavalry organizations. Documented associations include Wisconsin, Kansas, New York, Missouri, and other state volunteer cavalry units. Commercially purchased examples also reached Southern forces, including cavalry organizations in Virginia, Texas, and Missouri.

Without specific inspection marks, unit markings, or documented provenance, this particular revolver cannot be attributed to either Union or Confederate service. It is best described as an original Civil War-production Savage Navy that displays the extensive wear expected from prolonged period use.

The exterior has worn to a matte gray steel patina with scattered darker oxidation and evidence of past peppering.

The surfaces appear to have been cleaned at some point to remove active oxidation, leaving a muted and well-aged appearance. Little, if any, original finish remains.

The revolver is missing its loading lever and rammer assembly.

The forward catch that originally secured the loading assembly beneath the barrel has also been removed.

The missing components may have been taken off after the loading lever, rammer, or mounting assembly became damaged. The age of the surrounding surfaces suggests that the alteration occurred long ago, although it cannot be conclusively dated to the Civil War period.

The wooden grips show extensive handling wear but remain fitted to the frame. No major modern repairs are immediately evident.

Mechanically, the revolver remains partially functional.

The figure-eight lever can still cock the hammer, and the revolver will dry fire.

However, the cylinder-advancing system does not operate reliably. The hand does not consistently engage the removable cylinder ratchet, and the cylinder requires assistance to advance into position.

Movement can be heard beneath the grips when the mechanism fails to index, suggesting that an internal component is worn, loose, or shifting out of its proper position.

The revolver should not be repeatedly cycled in its present condition, as doing so could cause additional wear or damage to the surviving internal parts.

The bore remains mostly bright but is heavily worn. Only faint traces of the original rifling remain, appearing as a “ghost” along the interior surface.

The worn bore, missing loading assembly, faded exterior, and indexing issue all indicate a revolver that experienced a long and demanding service life.

The Savage Navy was never as widely accepted as the simpler Colt and Remington designs, but that is part of its appeal today. It represents a fascinating period of experimentation when American manufacturers were searching for faster and more efficient methods of operating the percussion revolver.

Its production was closely tied to the Civil War, and the design largely disappeared after the conflict rather than evolving into a long-running commercial handgun family.

The connection between Savage and the nearby Alsop firm is also historically interesting. Members of the Alsop family served on the board of the Savage Revolving Firearms Company, and the firearms produced by the two Middletown manufacturers share a number of mechanical and stylistic similarities.

With its matching low serial number, complete patent marking, distinctive figure-eight mechanism, heavily worn wartime appearance, and substantial surviving original components, this is a compelling representative of one of the most unusual revolvers carried during the American Civil War.

A scarce and unmistakable Civil War sidearm whose missing loading assembly and mechanical wear reflect more than a century and a half of use, alteration, and survival.

Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1861
Manufacturer: Savage Revolving Firearms Company
Model: Savage 1861 Navy
Serial Number: 1114
Caliber: .36
Ammunition Type: Percussion Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 7"
Overall Length: Approximately 14"
Operating System: Separate Cocking and Cylinder-Advancing Lever with Firing Trigger
Capacity: Six Rounds
Condition Note: Loading Lever, Rammer, and Forward Catch Missing; Cylinder Indexing Requires Assistance

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