Pietta 1863 Starr Single Action
F.lli Pietta · Revolver · In Production
Also known as: Pietta Starr Model 1863 Army, Starr 1863 Single Action Army, Pietta STARRS44
Overview
The Pietta 1863 Starr Single Action is a modern black-powder reproduction revolver produced by F.lli Pietta of Italy, faithfully recreating the Starr Model 1863 Army revolver of the American Civil War. It is a six-shot .44 caliber cap-and-ball percussion revolver with a single-action lockwork, a distinctive two-piece steel frame, an 8-inch barrel, and single-piece walnut grips. The original Starr 1863 was a simplified single-action version of the earlier Starr double-action Army, adopted by the Union Army to lower cost, and this reproduction is prized by re-enactors and black-powder shooters.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1180 g (41.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 348 mm (13.70") |
| Barrel Length | 203 mm (7.99") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 221 m/s (725 fps) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 762 mm (30.00") |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .44 Caliber Percussion · primary — also known as .44 Black Powder, .44 Percussion
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Notch
- Features: Two Piece Frame, Six Shot Percussion Cylinder, Single Piece Walnut Grip, Loading Lever
Service history
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Modern Pietta reproduction; the original Starr Model 1863 saw roughly 25,000 units delivered to the Union Army during the Civil War.
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Ebenezer Townsend Starr
Notes
The historic Starr Model 1863 was developed after the U.S. Army requested a cheaper single-action alternative to Starr's double-action Model 1858 Army; roughly 25,000 of the 1863 single-action model were delivered to the Union Army. The Pietta reproduction is often classified as an antique-type firearm under U.S. law because it uses cap-and-ball percussion ignition.
Background
The Starr 1863 Single Action was born of wartime economy: the U.S. Ordnance Department asked Starr Arms to strip the complexity and cost out of its double-action Model 1858 Army, producing a simpler single-action revolver that became one of the more numerous Union sidearms of the Civil War.