revolver serial number lookup navy arms co serial numbers

Colt first referred to this Revolver as the Ranger Size model, and then Revolving Belt, but the designation 'Navy' quickly took over.Īfter the Civil War, revolvers using fixed metallic cartridges came into widespread use. The Colt Revolving Belt Pistol or Navy Pistol, sometimes erroneously referred to as 'Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber' or 'of Navy Caliber' (Naval is heavy gun and Navy Size Caliber was termed later for another Colt model), is a cap and ball revolver that was designed by Samuel Colt between 18. Squareback trigger guard Navy, serial number 1 - c. 4200 Second Italian War of Independence 1859Ĭolt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Conn.About 50% of the 34,000 Second Models were purchased by Army & Navy. The US Navy purchased 6,226 Whitney revolvers during 1863-1865. The Army also obtained Whitney revolvers through other private vendors as well, resulting in over 10,000 Whitney Navy revolvers being used by the Army. Whitney obtained a contract with the US Army in 1862, and provided about 7,602 revolvers through 1863. Later, one side of the cylinder was replaced with a Naval scene with an American Shield with a ribbon across the shield. This scene covered one side of the cylinder and was duplicated on the other side.

Facing the shield on either side was an American Eagle and England’s Trafalgar Lion. Whitney used a unique cylinder scene that included a Shield with half of it being the US Stars & Stripes and half being the English Coat of Arms. As data was collected for our book, The Whitney Navy Revolver, we documented each of the models and types of these unique weapons, and were able to obtain at least one photograph for all models and types. Both models went through a few improvements, resulting in four “types” of the First Model and five “types” of the Second Model. These revolvers were purchased by both the US Army and Navy.Īpproximately 35,500 Whitney Navy revolvers were manufactured, including about 1,500 of the First Model and approximately 34,000 of the Second Model. The term “Navy” referred to the caliber and size of the revolver. The Navy Model is 36 caliber with a standard barrel length of 7 5/8 inches. An improved second model was developed as the War began and sales increased as Whitney worked to market his revolver. This revolver came on the scene just prior to the War Between the States. The most famous and easily recognized revolver manufactured by Eli Whitney, Jr.

Revolver serial number lookup navy arms co serial numbers