Make: Colt

Model: 1861 Navy

Serial Number: 14792

Year of Manufacture: 1863

Caliber: .36 Caliber Cap and Ball

Action Type: Single Action Percussion Revolver

Barrel Length: 7 1/2″, Round

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch in the hammer spur, visible when cocked.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is one-piece smooth walnut. The grip has minor handling wear with a few light marks and some thinning finish. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grip is in excellent condition as an Antique

Type of Finish: In the White(Blue, Case Color & Silver-Plated Brass)

Finish Originality: Original, serial-matching.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray. The rifling is worn. There is light corrosion scattered through the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 6/10.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 0% of its metal finish,having mostly worn or been cleaned to white. There are some scattered nicks and scratches. The wedge screw is missing. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with useable slots. The majority of serial number markings are clear. The address and cylinder scene are faded. Overall, this revolver is in Good condition as an antique 

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder locks up with minor play on each chamber. The barrel has minor play to the frame. The trigger is crisp. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: The revolver comes with a Kansas made holster appropriate to the time line of the revolver.

Our Assessment: The Colt 1861 Navy revolver was an update to the earlier 1851 model, incorporating the round barrel and creeping loading lever of the 1860 Army. In all respects, it is a great percussion revolver, but it saw limited production for a few reasons. Limited numbers were procured by the Government as there were already large purchases of the 1851 and 1860 models. After the Civil War, the civilian market was flooded with surplus weapons, limiting demand for new guns. Colt’s factory had a disastrous fire in 1864, and by then cartridge revolvers were starting to hit the market. For these reasons, despite the quality of the design, there were fewer than 40,000 produced between 1861 and 1873 when the model was discontinued. It would, however, have an influence on the Single Action Army, which had a similar grip frame (though steel instead of brass) and would retain the 7 1/2″ barrel length for the Model 1873 adopted by the U.S. Army. 

This Model 1861 revolver is of particular interest for Civil War collectors. It is all matching though it retains 0% of its original finish. Its mechanics are strong. Accompanied by the Kansas marked holster, this a wonderful piece of history which would take a prized place in a Civil War or US military firearms collection.