Uberti 1851 Richards-Mason Navy
A. Uberti · Revolver · In Production
Also known as: 1851 Richards-Mason Navy, 1851 Navy Richards-Mason Conversion, Uberti 1851 Richards-Mason Navy Conversion
Overview
The Uberti 1851 Richards-Mason Navy is a single-action revolver chambered in .38 Special, a modern reproduction of the cartridge-conversion revolvers that bridged the percussion and metallic-cartridge eras. In the early 1870s, Colt factory engineers Charles Richards and William Mason devised a system to rebuild surplus 1851 Navy cap-and-ball revolvers to fire self-contained cartridges: Mason refined Richards' original patent by redesigning the cylinder, fitting a loading gate and spring-loaded ejector rod, and installing a fixed firing pin on the hammer. Uberti's faithful replica reproduces the 7.5-inch tapered octagonal barrel, six-shot fluted cylinder engraved with the classic naval scene, brass backstrap and trigger guard, and a color case-hardened steel frame with a one-piece European walnut grip. The front sight is a brass bead and the rear sight is a V-notch cut into the hammer nose. As a single-action design, the hammer must be manually cocked before each shot, and cartridges are loaded and ejected one at a time through a side gate. Chambered in the far more available .38 Special rather than an obsolete 19th-century cartridge, the reproduction is popular with cowboy action shooters and collectors who want an authentic Old West sidearm they can actually shoot.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1247 g (44.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 330 mm (12.99") |
| Barrel Length | 191 mm (7.52") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Trigger Pull | 15 N (3.4 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Rotary |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 457 mm (17.99") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Color Case Hardened |
Calibers
- .38 Special · primary — also known as .38 Spl, .38 S&W Special, 9x29mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Revolving Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Loading Gate, Ejector Rod, Fixed Firing Pin Hammer, Brass Backstrap, Brass Trigger Guard, Color Case Hardened Frame, Engraved Cylinder, One Piece Walnut Grip, Exposed Hammer
Production
Modern reproduction; the historical Colt Richards-Mason conversions were made in limited numbers in the early-to-mid 1870s before being eclipsed by the 1873 Single Action Army.
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Charles Richards, William Mason
Notes
Reproduction of the early-1870s Colt Richards-Mason cartridge conversion of the 1851 Navy percussion revolver. Fitted with a 7.5 in (191 mm) tapered octagon barrel, brass grip frame and color case-hardened steel frame.
Background
The Richards-Mason conversion was a clever bit of industrial thrift: rather than scrap tens of thousands of surplus Civil War percussion revolvers, Colt's engineers rebuilt them to chamber metallic cartridges, giving the venerable 1851 Navy a second life at the dawn of the cartridge age. Uberti, founded in Gardone Val Trompia in 1959, revived these transitional designs for modern shooters, letting collectors and cowboy-action competitors carry a faithful Old West sidearm chambered for readily available ammunition.