Why was the Colt 1851 Navy known as the Navy revolver?
The designation “Colt 1851 Navy” was applied by collectors, though the popular name “Navy Revolver” is of early origin, as the gun was frequently called the “Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber”. As the factory designation implied, the Navy revolver was suitably sized for carrying in a belt holster.
Who used 1851 Colt Navy revolver?
Confederate forces
The most common pistol carried by Confederate forces in the Civil War was the Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver. This gun had a distinctive Octagonal barrel, came in . 36 caliber, and had a Naval battle scene engraved on the cylinder.
Where was the Colt 1851 Navy revolver made?
Hartford, Conn
Colt 1851 Navy Revolver
| 1851 Colt Revolving Navy Pistol | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Conn. |
| Produced | 1851–1873 |
| No. built | 272,000 |
| Variants | Squareback trigger guard Navy, serial number 1 – c. 4200 |
Was the 1851 Navy used in the Civil War?
Colt first referred to this Revolver as the Ranger Size model, and then Revolving Belt, but the designation “Navy” quickly took over. After the Civil War, revolvers using fixed metallic cartridges came into widespread use….Colt 1851 Navy Revolver.
| 1851 Colt Revolving Navy Pistol | |
|---|---|
| Muzzle velocity | 840 ft/s (256 m/s) |
What revolver did Wyatt Earp use?
Colt single-action Army revolver
Wyatt uses a Colt single-action Army revolver with a 4.75-inch barrel for most of the movie, but he breaks out a different SAA with a 12-inch barrel that he says was made custom for him by Ned Buntline.
When did the Colt Model 1851 Navy come out?
For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page. The Model 1851 Navy was Colt’s most popular percussion revolver. Nearly a quarter million of the iconic.36 caliber six-shot model were produced between 1850 and 1873. The term “Navy” refers to the caliber of the revolver, not necessarily the branch of service.
What was the name of the 1851 Navy revolver?
Ken, When the 1851 Navy was introduced, .44 Colts were much larger, heavier, had round barrels, and were called Dragoon revolver. Dragoons were soldiers who rode horses into battle, but were expected to fight on foot like infantry soldiers.
What was the velocity of a Colt Navy revolver?
(Photo: Rock Island Auction Company) Engraving aside, the percussion style six shooter spat out .36 caliber lead balls weighing 80-grains and featuring a velocity of 1,000 feet-per-second — a figure comparable to modern .380 models.
How did the Colt Navy Revolver get its name?
Originally termed the Ranger model, the pistol’s name later evolved into the Navy model due to the revolver’s intricately decorated cylinder. Depicting a scene of victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche in May 1843, the cylinder’s engraving set it apart and is what makes it a unique revolver even by today’s standards.