Starr Army Revolver
Starr Arms Company · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1858
Also known as: Starr Model 1858 Army, Starr Model 1863 Army
Overview
The Starr Army Revolver was a .44-caliber cap-and-ball percussion revolver designed by Ebenezer Townsend Starr and built by the Starr Arms Company of New York during the American Civil War. The original Model 1858 Army was a double-action design (its large outer trigger cocked and rotated the cylinder while a small recessed inner trigger tripped the sear), while the later Model 1863 Army was a simplified, cheaper single-action. It was the third most widely used revolver by the Union Army, behind only the Colt and the Remington.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1360 g (48.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 305 mm (12.01") |
| Barrel Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 221 m/s (725 fps) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 762 mm (30.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .44 Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .44 caliber, .451 ball
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Revolver Cylinder, Percussion Cap
- Features: Cap And Ball Percussion, Loading Lever, Two Piece Frame
Variants
- Starr Model 1863 Army — Single Action
Service history
Operators
- Union Army · adopted 1862
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 47,000 · Production years: 1858-1865
Roughly 47,000-48,000 delivered to the U.S. government: about 23,000 Model 1858 Army double-action plus about 25,000 Model 1863 Army single-action
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ebenezer Townsend Starr
Discontinued: 1865
Notes
Fires a loose .451-bore lead ball over a black-powder charge ignited by a percussion cap; it is not a fixed-cartridge arm, so cartridge fields are left null. The Model 1858 had a 6-inch barrel; the Model 1863 Army used an 8-inch (203 mm) barrel.
Background
Starr's clever double-action Model 1858 was relatively expensive, so the Ordnance Department pushed the company to produce the cheaper, simpler single-action Model 1863, which led the double-action model to be dropped, an early case of military procurement favoring cost over a more advanced feature.