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 lovely example features a standard 7 1/2" barrel, and is marked with matching serial number 40435 on the barrel, loading rammer, cylinder, frame, grip frame, and trigger guard. The cylinder arbor pin and barrel wedge are all marked with shortened number 0435. This makes this a great "ALL MATCHING" example of the M1851 Navy revolver, without any parts swapped out over the years! Colt records indicate that this revolver was produced in 1855, right before the onset of the Civil War, however it was almost certainly not used during the conflict. The condition is far too good for a revolver that went through a war.

More importantly, the back of the grip is inscribed with the name Luis Groso, who per the included research was a Colonel in the Mexican Army, "charged with the purchase of arms and ammunition for his Government." Contemporary newspaper reports from papers in New York, Washington, D.C., Lynchburg, VA, and New Orleans all reported on the March 1856 death of a "Luis Groso," who had been in the United States for a period of several months to accomplish the arms purchase. He does look to have accomplished this, however unfortunately he does not appear to have been of sound mind, as The Daily Delta of 24 March 1856 recorded the "Suicide of a Mexican Officer," reporting that "Don Luis Groso, a Commander in the Mexican Artillery Ordnance Department committed suicide at his boarding house, Walker Street, New York... the deceased has been in the city for several months, purchasing supplies for the Mexican army, and had at various times shipped large quantities of ammunition and other implements to the port of Vera Cruz."

Sam Colt and his company were well known for presenting inscribed guns to those who could potentially influence the acquisition of Colt firearms by government contract. More than likely this gun was a gift from Colt and the company to Colonel Groso that was intended to influence the colonel's purchasing decisions. Assuming that our Col. Groso was the owner of the gun offered here, his unfortunate death in 1856 just about one year after the gun was produced may account for the crispness of the gun overall. Most likely it was in storage for a long period before being disposed of on the market, and aside from this connection, it is also a really fantastic example of a revolver from this early production period.

Unlike most Colt revolvers we see, the "Naval Engagement Scene" on the cylinder is still retained at over 80%, and the COLTS PATENT № marking is still present next to the serial number as well. Even better, this early example still has a faint Engraved by W. L. Ormsby. New York. marking under this. We've very rarely seen this marking on revolvers, as it is only on very early examples, and almost always worn away!

The top of the barrel still has the early pattern Colt "New York" address marking present:

The revolver looks to have seen light to moderate service during the war, and shows a lovely light gray patina in most areas, with some of the original bluing still present in more protected areas, such as the bottom facets of the barrel. There is a bit of past peppering on the very front of the cylinder, but no major oxidation such as pitting present. The brass front sight is still prsent, as is the rear sight on the end of the hammer. The revolver has a brass trigger guard and grip frame, and in this case the original plating is still well retained, and looks to possibly be silver plated. The Luis Groso inscription on the rear of the grip frame is still easily legible. The COLTS PATENT marking is still fully visible on the left side of the frame, though there is no "36CAL" marking on the trigger guard, which is common. The walnut grip is in excellent condition, showing only light wear and no major damage. It still retains almost all of the original "Piano Varnish" finish, with wear around the bottom edge as often seen.

The revolver cycles perfectly, with accurate indexing and strong cylinder lock up, and none of the finicky behavior we often see on revolvers of this age. Really "tight as a drum", and we have probably never seen better! The revolver still breaks down properly with removal of the barrel wedge, and the barrel to frame connection is rock solid. The bore is in excellent condition, showing a mostly bright finish with strong lands and grooves. The "progressive rifling" used when making these revolvers is still clearly visible, which increases the rate of twist closer to the muzzle. There is some light past oxidation and fouling near the forcing cone, now cleaned away, making this a really great bore for a service used Civil War revolver. The cap nipples are all intact and clear on the cylinder, showing light past oxidation and powder burn on the exterior, which was later cleaned away.

A fantastic 1851 Navy dating from just before the Civil War, inscribed to a Mexican Army Officer and complete with some great printed out research materials. With the fantastic cylinder scene and great bore, this would be a great acquisition for any collection, even without the back story. Ready to display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1855
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 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.

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