The artisans engraved images and floral patterns on the Navy Revolver. These workers specialized in engraving the naval scene found on the 1851 Navy Revolver. Some believe that the Navy designation came from the naval scene honoring the 1843 Battle of Campeche engraved on the cylinders.Īt the factory in Hartford, CT, Samuel Colt hired highly skilled artisans and metal workers, mostly of German origin. 36-caliber bullet while the Army model uses the. It was the caliber of the bullet that brought the designation. Designating the firearm Navy or Army had nothing to do with the military branch using the revolver. Colt also designed an Army model in 1860. Some 215,000 examples were produced in the United States, turning it into Colt's first real financial success.Ĭolt called it the Ranger model during the design phase, but the Navy designation quickly gained popularity. The Colt 1851 Navy Revolver is a perfect symbol of Samuel Colt's genius. During this remarkable era, Colt designed some of the most fascinating and famous firearms known to man. He had a passion for firearms like no other. Samuel Colt was at the helm, and his crew was the best at sea. Firearm technology was a swiftly-moving ship in some extremely rough waters. The late 1840s was a great time in American history.

Civil war colt navy revolver