Pietta repro Starr Model 1863 .44 Cal 8″ SA Percussion Revolver ATF Antique

Sold For: $1,030.00

LSB#: 220316CA379

Make: Pietta

Model: Reproduction Starr Model 1863

Serial#: G00665

Year of Manufacture: Italian date code “BM”, 1999

Caliber: .44 Cap & Ball

Action Type: Single-Action Top-Break Percussion Revolver

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “BLACK POWDER ONLY 44 CAL.” The left side of the frame is marked “SATRR, ARMS. Co. NEW. YORK.” and has the serial number “G00665”. The right side of the barrel has Italian proof marks and is marked with “FAP” inside a diamond adjacent “F.LLI PIETTA MADE IN ITALY”. The right side of the barrel assembly is marked with the date code and two faded Italian proof marks. The right side of the frame is marked “STARR’S PATENT JAN. 15. 1856”. The rear of the cylinder is serial matched.

Barrel Length: 8”

Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a dovetailed blade. The rear sight is a “V” fixed to the hammer which can be used when the hammer is fully cocked.

Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grip is one-piece smooth wood. The grip has a few light handling marks and nicks. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grip is in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is some stubborn fouling in the bore.

Overall Condition: The revolver retains about 90% of its metal finish. There are some light handling marks, nicks and scuffs. Notably, there is light wear around the muzzle, some light wear under the loading lever at the front of the barrel assembly and a small patch of finish loss at the tip of the hammer.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The barrel locks with no play on the frame. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box Paperwork and Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The Starr Model 1863 Army Single-Action Revolver was the brainchild of Ebenezer Townsend Starr (1816-1899), a man who came from a family of arms makers. Starr joined the Navy when he was 17 and served from 1834-1837. Following his brief service in the Navy, Starr was injured in a railroad accident which he never fully recovered from. Eventually Starr began to develop weapons and established “Starr Arms Co” of New York in the late 1850s. In 1861, following the outbreak of the Civil War, Starr was offered a commision in the Navy but he was unable to accept the position due to lingering complications from his accident. Despite this, he would prove a great service to the Union, providing the Federal Government with tens of thousands of both single and double action revolvers. Starr’s company provided the Union with its third largest order of revolvers with over 47,000 manufactured, his company was only surpassed by Colt and Remington. This particular specimen is a reproduction of his Model 1863 Army Revolver, a single-action design. He initially supplied the government with his Model 1858, one of the first double-action handguns to be developed, the action on the revolver is a bit difficult to master and Union troops were definitely frustrated by this. Thus, Starr developed his Model 1863, this gun, which was a single-action revolver that proved more simple to use than the complicated M1858. Starr’s company had come to rely on military contracts and the end of the Civil War did not bode well for his company. Unsurprisingly, Starr Arms Co. went under two years later in 1867. Although his company had failed, Starr remained an active inventor for most of his remaining years, he ultimately passed away in 1899 at the age of 83.

This particular specimen is a nicely made reproduction of Starr’s classic Model 1863 single-action design. It has some light handling marks, but it remains both a mechanically sound and aesthetically pleasing percussion revolver. This is a great option for Civil War reenactment and fans of the unique old revolver. Good luck on your bid!

Pietta repro Starr Model 1863 .44 Cal 8" SA Percussion Revolver ATF Antique
Pietta repro Starr Model 1863 .44 Cal 8″ SA Percussion Revolver ATF Antique