Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive, honest service used Colt Model 1851 Navy .36 caliber percussion revolver manufactured in late 1860, immediately before the outbreak of the American Civil War. Serial number 97880 is matching throughout all of the numbered major components, including the barrel, cylinder, frame, trigger guard, and grip frame, while the cylinder arbor pin, barrel wedge, and loading lever retain the matching shortened number 7880. With its crisp Hartford barrel address, surviving COLTS PATENT frame marking, matching numbered components, very good bore, and appealing peppery service patina, this is an especially evocative example from one of the most historically interesting periods of Colt Model 1851 Navy production.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Colt Model 1851 Navy was one of the defining American percussion revolvers of the mid 19th century and saw extensive use on both sides during the Civil War. Originally known by Colt as a revolving belt pistol of naval caliber, referring to its .36 caliber bore, the design was developed by Samuel Colt around 1850 and soon became universally known as the Navy. Its comparatively light weight, excellent balance, and six shot capacity made it enormously popular with soldiers, officers, civilians, lawmen, and frontiersmen. Production continued through the percussion and early metallic cartridge eras until 1873.

This example has the standard 7 1/2" octagonal barrel and is serial numbered:

97880

The full serial number appears on the barrel, cylinder, frame, trigger guard, and grip frame. The cylinder arbor pin, barrel wedge, and loading lever are correctly marked with the shortened number:

7880

All of these numbered components match, with no evidence from the serial markings that the major numbered parts have been exchanged over the revolver's long history.

Published Colt serial number information places serial number 97880 at the very end of 1860 production, immediately preceding the approximately 98,000 serial range associated with the beginning of 1861 manufacture. This puts the revolver squarely in the tense final months before the Civil War began, at a time when substantial numbers of Colt revolvers were being purchased throughout the country, including documented shipments to Southern dealers and states.

Collectors have long taken particular interest in Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers in the upper 90,000 serial range because documented revolvers in this general period were shipped to Southern destinations during the secession crisis and the opening months of 1861. Unfortunately, surviving Colt shipping records for Model 1851 Navy revolvers generally begin around serial number 98,000. At serial number 97880, this example falls just below that surviving record range, so we are unable to determine its original shipment destination or establish whether it was actually purchased or used in the South. Its serial number and configuration nevertheless place it within a particularly interesting period of Colt production immediately preceding the war.

The top of the barrel retains its original Hartford address, which is still fully legible and crisp:

- ADDRESS COL. SAML COLT HARTFORD CT. -

Hartford address Model 1851 Navy revolvers from this general period have long attracted particular interest among Civil War collectors. Documented examples in nearby higher serial ranges are known to have been shipped to Southern dealers and purchasers before and during the opening months of the war. The Hartford address itself, however, should not be taken as proof of Southern shipment, as Colt used this address over a much broader serial range.

The left side of the frame retains the clearly visible marking:

COLTS PATENT

There is no "36 CAL" marking on the trigger guard, which is not unusual on examples of this period.

As is frequently encountered on heavily used Civil War era Colt revolvers, the rolled Naval Engagement Scene on the cylinder has been worn away. A faint portion of the original cylinder legend remains next to the serial number:

COLTS PATENT №

The famous cylinder scene originally depicted the naval battle off Campeche between Texan and Mexican vessels in 1843. Its loss here is consistent with the extensive handling, use, cleaning, and surface wear visible throughout the revolver.

The revolver appears to have seen considerable service over its lifetime. The exterior metal surfaces have developed a peppery oxidized patina, with areas of old pitting and scattered small rust blooms. It has been cleaned to place it in its best present display condition, leaving much of the metalwork with a matte appearance. The original bluing is no longer present.

The brass trigger guard and grip frame were originally plated, and most of that plating has now worn away. A small amount remains on the underside of the trigger guard, while the exposed brass has matured to a very attractive mustard colored patina that contrasts nicely with the darker iron surfaces.

The one piece walnut grip is in very good condition for a revolver showing this degree of service use. There is wear around the bottom, but we do not see any cracks, chips, or major damage. Particularly appealing is the amount of original "piano varnish" still present, most noticeably on the right side of the grip.

Mechanically, the revolver cycles well in its present condition, with accurate cylinder indexing and strong cylinder lockup. We did not encounter the inconsistent or finicky action sometimes found on percussion revolvers of this age. The revolver also takes down correctly when the barrel wedge is removed, and the barrel to frame connection remains rock solid with no obvious indication that it has been adjusted in the past.

We did note that the two frame pins that normally secure and locate the bottom of the barrel assembly have been removed. This is an important condition issue and is mentioned for completeness.

The bore is in very good condition for a percussion revolver of this period. It has a partly bright finish with clear lands and grooves, and Colt's characteristic progressive rifling remains clearly visible. There is evidence of past overall oxidation and black powder fouling that has since been cleaned away, together with a small ring of oxidation approximately two inches from the muzzle. Even with these condition issues, the bore is definitely above average compared with many original percussion Colts of this age that we have handled.

All of the percussion nipples remain intact and clear on the cylinder. Their exterior surfaces show evidence of past oxidation and powder residue corrosion, which was subsequently cleaned away.

With its late 1860 manufacture, matching serial number 97880 throughout the numbered major components, crisp Hartford barrel address, surviving COLTS PATENT markings, attractive service patina, substantial original varnish on the grip, solid barrel to frame fit, and notably good bore, this is a very appealing pre-Civil War Colt Model 1851 Navy. Its position immediately below the surviving Colt shipping record range gives it additional research interest, while its honest wear provides exactly the character many collectors seek in a revolver from this pivotal period. It would make an excellent addition to a Civil War sidearms collection, an advanced Colt display, or a collection devoted to American percussion revolvers and the turbulent years immediately preceding the war.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1860
Manufacturer: Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company
Model: 1851 Navy Percussion Revolver
Serial No.: 97880
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
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

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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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

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