Civil War Starr Arms 1863 S.A. SA Army .44 Cal Cap & Ball Revolver, Antique
SOLD FOR: $1275
LSB#: 211006MW17
Make: Starr Arms Co.
Model: 1863 S.A. Army Revolver
Serial Number: 25232
Year of Manufacture: 1863-1865
Caliber: .44 Caliber Ball
Action Type: 6-Shot, Single Action, Dual Trigger, Top Opened Percussion Revolver
Markings: The left of the frame is marked “STARR. ARMS. Co. NEW.YORK.”, the right is marked “STARR’S PATENT JAN. 15, 1856”. The left of the frontstrap and backstrap, front of the topstrap assembly (under the loading lever), bottom of the barrel (above the loading lever hinge), top face of the grip, and the outside of the cylinder are marked with matching serial number “25232”. The hammer slot on the rear of the frame appears to have had a matching marking, but it is mostly worn away. The left-rear of the barrel, topstrap and frame, the bottom-front of the trigger guard, the right-rear of the barrel and the outside of the cylinder are each marked “C”. The left side of the grip has remnants of a cartouche, but it is too worn to make out.
Barrel Length: 8”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is rounded blade, integral to a base that is dovetailed onto the barrel. The rear sight is a “V” notch in the hammer, visible when cocked.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is a one piece walnut stock. The grip has scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches with a notable cluster of impact marks on the bottom. There are areas of thinning finish, most notable on each side near the bottom edge. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grip is in about Very Good condition as refinished Antique.
Type of Finish: Blued & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark with well defined rifling. There is light-moderate erosion throughout the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 5% of its metal finish. Remaining finish is mostly around the recoil shields with a few other spots in protected areas. Most other surfaces have gone to a light-moderate patina. There is scattered light surface oxidation and infrequent light erosion. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are tool marks around some screw heads. The nipples have light wear and erosion, but their flash-holes are not obstructed. The action shows operational wear, including a turn-line on the cylinder. The screw heads range from tool marked with strong slots to disfigured with questionably useable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in Good-plus condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder locks up with light-moderate play on each chamber. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Starr D.A. 1858 was an early double-action percussion revolver created just before the Civil War, produced in both Navy (.36 caliber) and Army (.44 caliber) variants, but the cost and complexity of the double action version of the revolver led to a lack of popularity. In 1863, Starr introduced a more simple, traditional single action only version which was only offered in the Army .44 caliber. Despite being made for a shorter duration, about 32,000 of the single action revolvers were made, as opposed to about 23,000 of the D.A. Army models. For some reason, despite significantly more being made, we have seen relatively few of the single action versions. After the war, demand dried up significantly, and the extra price of the Starr was simply not competitive with offerings from Colt and Remington. This example has matching serialized parts and, considering both its age and service in the Civil War, is still in pretty darned good shape. The mechanics are strong and the bore is about what you’d expect for a 150+ year old black powder revolver. This revolver’s interesting history and unique features will make a nice addition to any collection, especially collectors of Civil War arms. Please see our photos and good luck!