Colt Model 1851 Navy .36 Cal Cap and Ball Percussion Revolver 1863 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1,741.00
LSB#: LSB260618MR080
Make: Colt
Model: 1851 Navy
Serial#: 134009
Year of Manufacture: 1863
Caliber: .36
Action Type: Single action, percussion revolver, with 6 shot cylinder
Barrel Length: 7 1/2″
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a brass post drilled and tapped into the barrel. The rear sight is a V notch in the hammer nose.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grip is a one piece smooth walnut. There is a handwritten serial number in the backstrap inletting. There are scratches and compression dents throughout. There are a few small chips. There are spots of worn finish. There are no cracks. Overall this grip is in Very Good condition as antique.
Type of Finish: Blued, Case Colored, Silver Plated Brass
Finish Originality: Original, numbered parts match
Bore Condition: The bore is gray. The rifling is well defined. There is erosion and pitting throughout. In this writer’s opinion this bore rates 6/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains virtually none of its original finish. The bluing and color case has worn to gray patina with corrosion staining. The silver plating is worn off of all exterior surfaces except for trace amounts. There are light pits scattered throughout. There are scratches and other handling marks throughout. The screw heads are lightly tooled but serviceable. The markings are clear. Overall this revolver is in Good to Very Good condition as antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: Presentation box, flask, bullet mold, cap tin.
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1851 Navy was one of Samuel Colt’s most successful percussion revolvers and one of the defining American sidearms of the mid-19th century. Chambered in .36 caliber, the Navy combined a six-shot cylinder with a 7 1/2″ octagonal barrel in a package lighter and handier than Colt’s larger .44-caliber Dragoon and Army revolvers. It remained enormously popular through the Civil War and continued in production until 1873, even after Colt introduced newer percussion designs. The standard Hartford configuration combined a blued barrel and cylinder, case-colored frame, hammer and loading assembly, and silver-plated brass grip straps. Serial number 134009 falls within the documented 1863 production range, which began at approximately serial number 132000.
This 1863 example has seen substantial use but retains the classic configuration of the Model 1851 Navy. Virtually none of the original blue or case-colored finish remains, with the steel surfaces worn to gray patina with scattered corrosion staining and light pitting, while only traces of the original silver plating remain on the brass furniture. The one-piece walnut grip remains in Very Good antique condition with scattered scratches, compression dents, and a few small chips but no cracks. The gray bore retains well-defined rifling with erosion and pitting throughout and rates 6/10. The numbered components match, and the action functions correctly. The included presentation box, flask, bullet mold, and cap tin make for an attractive display ensemble with one of Colt’s most recognizable Civil War-era percussion revolvers. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! MF