Starr Model 1863 Army
Starr Arms Company · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1863
Also known as: Starr Army Model 1863, Starr Single Action Army
Overview
The Starr Model 1863 Army is a six-shot, .44 caliber cap-and-ball single-action percussion revolver designed by Ebenezer Townsend Starr and built by the Starr Arms Company of Yonkers, New York. Developed at the request of the U.S. Army Ordnance Department as a simpler, cheaper alternative to the earlier double-action Starr Model 1858, it used a single-action lockwork and a longer eight-inch barrel. It became the third most widely issued revolver of the American Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1360 g (48.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 356 mm (14.02") |
| Barrel Length | 203 mm (7.99") |
| Action Type | Single Action Revolver |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| 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 |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| 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: Repeating
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Features: Cap And Ball Percussion, Loading Lever, Two Piece Hinged Frame, Single Action Lockwork, Eight Inch Barrel
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1863 · as Starr Army Revolver Model 1863
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 25,000 · Production years: 1863-1865
Roughly 25,000 single-action Model 1863 revolvers were purchased by the Union Army; total Starr revolver production across all models reached about 47,454.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ebenezer Townsend Starr
Discontinued: 1865
Notes
The single-action 1863 replaced the more complex and costly double-action Model 1858 after the Ordnance Department asked Starr to produce a lower-priced arm; the Union purchased roughly 25,000 examples at about $12 each.
Background
When the U.S. Army balked at the price and complexity of Starr's double-action revolver, the Ordnance Department asked the company to design a plainer single-action version; the resulting Model 1863 sold for about $12 apiece and became the third most-issued revolver of the Civil War, behind only the Colt and Remington Armies.