Whitney M1857 Revolver
Whitney Arms Company · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1858
Also known as: Whitney Navy Revolver, Whitney Model 1861 Navy, Whitneyville Navy
Overview
The Whitney M1857, better known as the Whitney Navy Revolver, is a six-shot, .36-caliber single-action cap-and-ball percussion revolver designed by Eli Whitney Jr. and produced at the Whitneyville Armory in Connecticut. Entering production after Samuel Colt's revolving-cylinder patent expired in 1857, it used a rigid solid-bridged frame with an octagonal barrel that gave it a reputation for durability, and it saw substantial service with U.S. Army and Navy forces during the American Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1105 g (39.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 330 mm (12.99") |
| Barrel Length | 194 mm (7.64") |
| Action Type | Single Action Revolver |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 229 m/s (751 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 152 J (112 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .36 cal, .36 percussion, .36 Navy, 9.1mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Revolving Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Notch
- Features: Solid Bridged Frame, Octagonal Barrel, Engraved Cylinder, Loading Lever
Variants
- Whitney Navy First Model - Early Production
- Whitney Navy Second Model - Improved Production
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1862
- United States Navy · adopted 1863
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 35,500 · Production years: 1858-1866
Approximately 1,500 First Model and 34,000 Second Model revolvers; about half of Second Models were purchased by U.S. military forces
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Eli Whitney Jr.
Discontinued: 1866
Notes
Produced in two main models (roughly 1,500 First Model and 34,000 Second Model), the solid-frame Whitney Navy influenced the later Remington percussion revolvers. Many surviving examples were later converted to .36 rimfire metallic cartridges.
Background
When Colt's revolver patent finally lapsed in 1857, Eli Whitney Jr. - son of the cotton-gin inventor - seized the opening and built the Whitney Navy, whose one-piece bridged frame proved so sound that it became the pattern Remington borrowed for its own famous solid-frame revolvers.