Colt M1861 Navy

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Colt M1861 Navy
Reproduction of a Colt Model 1861 Navy revolver
Type	Revolver
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Wars	American Civil War
Production history
Manufacturer	Colt's Manufacturing Company
Specifications
Weight	42 oz (1190.7 g)
Length	13 in (330.2 mm)

Cartridge	Paper-wrapped .36 caliber
Action	Single action, cap and ball
Muzzle velocity	850 to 1,000+ fps depending upon load
Feed system	6 round cylinder

The Colt M1861 Navy cap & ball .36-caliber revolver was a six-shot, single-action, percussion weapon produced by Colt's Manufacturing Company from 1861 until 1873. It incorporated the "creeping" or ratchet loading lever and round barrel of the Army Model of 1860. Total production was 38,000 revolvers.^[1]

Like its forerunner, the Colt 1851 Navy Revolver, it saw widespread use in the armies of the American Civil War. While similar in design to the Colt Army Model 1860, the lighter recoil of the M1861 Navy's .36 caliber was preferred by some cavalry soldiers. Also like the Army revolver, the frame was lugged for a detachable shoulder stock, but very few came with one. During the pre-Civil War period and during the Civil War its main competitor was the Adams self-cocking revolver. The Adams fired a .49 caliber bullet and did not require the firer to pull the hammer back. Colt's revolver was more popular because Colt mass-produced his weapons while Adams' products were handmade by skilled artisans.

The Colt M1861 Navy typically was used with paper cartridges, that is, with a cartridge consisting of nitrated paper, a pre-measured black powder charge, and a bullet that was either a lead round ball or a lead conical bullet. The nitrated paper of the cartridge was completely consumed upon use, and the use of paper cartridges enabled faster re-loading. Alternatively, it was always possible to load with measured powder charges and lead round balls. Only 5 cylinders were usually loaded for safe carry, although some users preferred to load all 6 cylinders and to install caps on only 5 cylinders, leaving the hammer down on the uncapped cylinder.