Spiller & Burr Revolver
Spiller & Burr · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1862
Also known as: Spiller and Burr Navy Revolver, 1862 Spiller & Burr, Confederate Whitney
Overview
The Spiller & Burr was a .36-caliber single-action percussion revolver produced for the Confederate States during the American Civil War, a six-shot brass-framed copy of the Whitney Navy revolver. Forced by the South's chronic steel shortage, it used a distinctive cast-brass frame and a deliberately twisted iron cylinder so that flaws in the bar iron would not align with a chamber and burst. Begun as a private contract by Edward N. Spiller and David J. Burr under the technical superintendence of James H. Burton, the operation moved from Richmond to Atlanta and finally to Macon, Georgia, where the Confederate government took it over and continued production through the end of the war.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1134 g (40.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 330 mm (12.99") |
| Barrel Length | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Action Type | Single Action Revolver |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolver Cylinder |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Brass |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .36 Caliber Percussion · primary — also known as .36 Navy, .36 cap and ball
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded Revolver Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Notch
- Features: Brass Frame, Octagonal Barrel, Loading Lever, Twisted Iron Cylinder, Percussion Cap Ignition
Service history
Operators
- Confederate States Army · adopted 1862
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,451 · Production years: 1862-1865
Roughly 1,450 made (some split ~700 Atlanta + ~700 Macon); only about 10% of the 15,000-unit contract was delivered
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: James H. Burton
Discontinued: 1865
Notes
Sources disagree on the original's dimensions: barrel length is quoted from ~6.94 in (College Hill specimen) to 7.625 in (American Rifleman), with modern reproductions at 6.5 in. Production total is most precisely cited as ~1,451 within a 1,250-1,500 range, against a contract goal of 15,000.
Background
One of the most desirable and recognizable Confederate revolvers, the Spiller & Burr is prized for the all-brass frame that the South's steel shortage forced upon it. With only about 1,450 ever made and few surviving the war, original examples command anywhere from roughly $4,000 to $20,000 and more at auction, versus a few hundred dollars for Italian replicas.