Colt Model 1861 Navy
Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company · Revolver · Discontinued · 1861
Also known as: Colt M1861 Navy, Colt New Model Navy, Colt 1861 Round Barrel Navy
Overview
The Colt Model 1861 Navy is a six-shot, single-action .36-caliber cap-and-ball percussion revolver produced by Colt from 1861 to 1873. It combined the elegant lines of the earlier 1851 Navy with the round barrel and 'creeping' ratchet loading lever of the .44-caliber Model 1860 Army. Roughly 38,000 were made, seeing service with Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War and on the American frontier.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1170 g (41.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 330 mm (12.99") |
| Barrel Length | 190 mm (7.48") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 259 m/s (850 fps) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .36 cal, .36 percussion, 9.1mm
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Notch
- Features: Round Barrel, Creeping Loading Lever, Brass Trigger Guard, Silver Plated Backstrap
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1861
- United States Navy · adopted 1861
- Confederate States Army
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
- American Indian Wars (1865-1890)
Production
Estimated total produced: 38,000 · Production years: 1861-1873
Approximately 38,000-38,500 produced; serial numbers ranged from 1 to roughly 38,843.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Samuel Colt
Discontinued: 1873
Notes
The Model 1861 Navy is sometimes called the 'New Model Navy' to distinguish it from the 1851 Navy. Standard finish featured a casehardened frame, blued barrel and cylinder, brass trigger guard and silver-plated backstrap. Surviving original examples are scarce, with estimates that fewer than 3% remain today.
Background
The 1861 Navy carried over Samuel Colt's classic .36-caliber Navy frame but modernized it with the round barrel and creeping loading lever pioneered on the 1860 Army, making it one of the most refined percussion revolvers of the Civil War era.