The Texas Navy had purchased the earlier Colt Paterson Revolver, but this was Colt's first major success in the gun trade the naval theme of the engraved cylinder of the Colt 1851 Navy revolver was Colt's gesture of appreciation. The cylinder of this revolver is engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche on May 16, 1843. Colt's aggressive promotions distributed the Navy and his other revolvers across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It became very popular in North America at the time of Western expansion. As the factory designation implied, the Navy revolver was suitably sized for carrying in a belt holster. 31 caliber Colt Pocket Percussion Revolvers, that evolved from the earlier Baby Dragoon, and, like them, is a mechanically improved and simplified descendant of the 1836 Paterson revolver. 44 Walker Colt revolvers of 1847, which, given their size and weight, were generally carried in saddle holsters. 36 caliber Navy revolver was much lighter than the contemporary Colt Dragoon Revolvers developed from the. Total production numbers of the Colt 1851 Navy Revolver were exceeded only by the Colt Pocket models in concurrent development, and numbered some 215,000 domestic units and about 42,000 produced in the Colt London Armory.

The Colt Navy remained in production until 1873, being replaced in the Colt line with what would become one of the manufacturer's most famous handguns, the Colt Single Action Army (also known as the Peacemaker and Colt 45). 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.

Colt pistol age by serial number