Savage-North Figure-8 Revolver
Savage Arms · Pistol · Discontinued · 1856
Also known as: North-Savage Figure-8 Revolver, Savage & North Figure 8, Model 1856 Figure-8
Overview
The Savage-North Figure-8 is a six-shot .36 caliber percussion revolver designed by Henry S. North and Edward Savage and produced in Middletown, Connecticut from 1856 to 1859. Named for its distinctive figure-8 shaped iron trigger guard, it used a two-trigger system in which a lower ring trigger cocked the action and advanced the cylinder while an upper conventional trigger released the hammer, allowing rapid fire without shifting the shooter's grip. The cylinder cammed forward to seal against the barrel before firing. Tested by the U.S. Ordnance Department, only about 450 were made before the design evolved into the later Savage Navy revolver.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1531 g (54.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 340 mm (13.39") |
| Barrel Length | 181 mm (7.13") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 229 m/s (751 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 152 J (112 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Rifled |
| Rifling Twist | 1219 mm (47.99") |
| Number of Grooves | 3 |
| Frame Material | Brass |
| 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: 6-Round Percussion Cylinder
- Features: Figure-8 Dual-Trigger Cocking System, Cylinder Cams Forward To Seal Against Barrel, Octagonal Barrel, Swinging-Link Loading Lever
Production
Estimated total produced: 450 · Production years: 1856-1859
Approximately 450 made across multiple model variations; about 100 were U.S. Ordnance Department test revolvers.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Henry S. North
Discontinued: 1859
Notes
Produced in three to four model variations differing in frame shape (round brass, round iron, flat-sided) and loading lever type. Of roughly 250 first-model examples, about 100 were Ordnance Department test pieces.
Background
The Figure-8 was an ambitious antebellum attempt to outpace Colt's single-action percussion revolvers. Its twin-trigger cocking mechanism foreshadowed double-action designs and led directly to the more successful Savage Navy revolver of the Civil War era.