Columbus Fire Arms Revolver
Columbus Fire Arms Manufacturing Company · Pistol · Discontinued · 1862
Also known as: Columbus Firearms Confederate Navy Revolver, Haiman Brothers Revolver, Columbus Confederate Revolver
Overview
The Columbus Fire Arms Revolver is a six-shot, single-action .36 caliber percussion revolver produced in Columbus, Georgia during the American Civil War. A close copy of the Colt Model 1851 Navy, it used a brass frame and trigger guard to conserve the Confederacy's scarce steel, paired with an octagonal iron barrel and an open-top frame. Built under contract by Louis Haiman's works, it is among the rarest of all marked Confederate revolvers, with only a handful of authenticated examples surviving today.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1170 g (41.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 355 mm (13.98") |
| 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 | 229 m/s (751 fps) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Brass |
| Barrel Material | Iron |
| 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 Notches
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Single Action, Six Shot Cylinder, Center Hammer, Loading Lever, Open Top Frame
Service history
Operators
- Confederate States Army · adopted 1862
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 200 · Production years: 1862-1864
At least roughly 100 to 200 revolvers are believed to have been completed; only a small number of authenticated specimens survive, making it the rarest of the marked Confederate revolvers.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Louis Haiman
Discontinued: 1864
Notes
Production was cut short and the works ultimately consumed when Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson's Union raiders captured Columbus in April 1865. Many surviving pistols carry only small serial numbers with no maker marks; barrels are found in both round and octagonal forms.
Background
Louis Haiman, a Prussian-born tinsmith, built one of the Confederacy's largest sword works in Columbus, Georgia, before turning to revolver manufacture. His Columbus Fire Arms Manufacturing Company contract for Colt Navy copies was beset by tooling and material shortages, and the venture had barely matured before Union cavalry burned Columbus at the close of the war.