Item:
ONSV9789

Original U.S. Colt 1851 Navy Percussion Revolver Marked Overland Mail & Ex. Co. Made in 1866 - Serial No 188879

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. The Colt Navy Model 1851 Percussion Revolver in .36 caliber was widely used by both sides in the U.S. Civil War. The Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber (i.e., .36 cal), later known as the Colt 1851 Navy or Navy Revolver, is a cap and ball revolver that was designed by Samuel Colt between 1847 and 1850. Colt first called this Revolver Ranger model; but the designation Navy quickly took over. It remained in production until 1873, when revolvers using fixed metallic cartridges came into widespread use.

This very nice example features a standard 7 1/2" barrel and matching serial number 188879 on almost all parts including the barrel, frame, cylinder, trigger guard, grip, and cylinder axis pin! The barrel wedge, easily lost, is a period replacement. Serial number records indicate production in 1866, just after the Civil war. Interestingly, there is the letter "L" stamped under many of the numbers, which usually would indicate inspection for London, but this revolver does not appear to have been exported.

Additionally, there is still a lot of the original "Naval Engagement" Scene visible on the cylinder. The COLTS PATENT marking is still visible as well next to the shortened serial number.

Top of the barrel still has the full original Colt address marking:

- ADDRESS. COL. SAML COLT NEW-YORK U.S. AMERICA -

It also has some very interesting markings on the grip back strap:

Overland Mail & Ex. Co. 12

This would indicate use by the Overland Mail & Express Company, which operated in the late 1860s, moving mail across the country. Overall the metal finish is a worn gray patina, with areas of past pitting and rust damage, as shown. The bore shows clear lands and grooves, however also fouling and areas of past oxidation. The revolver cycles correctly, though as with any revolver of this age, it can be finicky, as they were when new.

A very nice service worn example of a Colt Percussion revolver, possibly used out on the frontier mail routes, most attractive and ready to display!

History of the 1851 Navy Colt Pistol:

The .36 caliber Navy revolver was much lighter than the contemporary Colt Dragoon Revolvers developed from the .44 Walker Colt revolvers of 1847, which, given their size and weight, were generally carried in saddle holsters. It is an enlarged version of the .31 caliber Colt Pocket Percussion Revolvers, that evolved from the earlier Baby Dragoon, and, like them, is a mechanically improved and simplified descendant of the 1836 Paterson revolver. As the factory designation implied, the Navy revolver was suitably sized for carrying in a belt holster. It became very popular in North America at the time of Western expansion. Colt's aggressive promotions distributed the Navy and his other revolvers across Europe, Asia, and Africa. As with many other Colt revolvers, it has a six-round cylinder.

The cylinder of this revolver is engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche on May 16, 1843. The Texas Navy had purchased the earlier Colt Paterson Revolver, but this was Colt's first major success in the gun trade; the naval theme of the engraved cylinder of the Colt 1851 Navy revolver was Colt's gesture of appreciation. The engraving was provided by Waterman Ormsby. Despite the "Navy" designation, the revolver was chiefly purchased by civilians and military land forces.

The .36 caliber (.375-.380 inch) round lead ball weighs 80 grains and, at a velocity of 1,000 feet per second, is comparable to the modern .380 pistol cartridge in power. Loads consist of loose powder and ball or bullet, metallic foil cartridges (early), and combustible paper cartridges (Civil War era), all combinations being ignited by a fulminate percussion cap applied to the nipples at the rear of the chamber.

Famous "Navy" users included Wild Bill Hickok, John Henry "Doc" Holliday, Richard Francis Burton, Ned Kelly, Bully Hayes, Richard H. Barter, Robert E. Lee, Nathan B. Forrest, John O'Neill, Frank Gardiner, Quantrill's Raiders, John Coffee "Jack" Hays, "Bigfoot" Wallace, Ben McCulloch, Addison Gillespie, John "Rip" Ford, "Sul" Ross and most Texas Rangers prior to the Civil War and (fictionally) Rooster Cogburn. Use continued long after more modern cartridge revolvers were introduced.

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: 1866
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

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  • This product is not available for shipping in US state(s): New Jersey

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