Colt 1851 Navy Revolver
A .36-caliber cap and ball revolver popular in the American West.
The Colt 1851 Navy Revolver, also known as the Colt Revolving Belt Pistol, is a .36-caliber, six-round cap and ball revolver designed by Samuel Colt between 1847 and 1850. It was originally referred to as the Ranger Size model and then the Revolving Belt, but the designation 'Navy' quickly took over. The revolver was much lighter than the contemporary Colt Dragoon Revolvers and was suitably sized for carrying in a belt holster, becoming very popular in North America during Western expansion.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Service
- 1851–1873
- Designer
- Samuel Colt
- Design Date
- 1850
- Number
- 272,000
- Variants
- Squareback trigger guard Navy, serial number 1 - c. 4200
- Velocity
- 840 ft/s
- Weight
- 2.6 lb
- Length
- 13 in
- Part Length
- 7.5 in
- Action
- Single-action
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Colt 1851 Navy Revolver was an enlarged version of the .31-caliber Colt Pocket Percussion Revolvers, evolving from the earlier Baby Dragoon, and was a mechanically improved and simplified descendant of the 1836 Paterson revolver. Its cylinder is engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche on May 16, 1843, provided by Waterman Ormsby. Despite the 'Navy' designation, the revolver was chiefly purchased by civilians and military land forces. A very small number were produced in .34 caliber, and only five .40-caliber models were made in 1858 for testing by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ordnance. The revolver remained in production until 1873, when it was replaced by the Colt Single Action Army.
Reader's Guide
The Colt 1851 Navy Revolver holds significance as one of the most widely produced Colt revolvers of its era, with total production numbers exceeded only by the Colt Pocket models. It was used by a wide array of historical figures, including Wild Bill Hickok, Buffalo Bill Cody, Doc Holliday, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and many Texas Rangers prior to the Civil War. The revolver saw continued use long after more modern cartridge revolvers were introduced, with the Ottoman Empire employing it as late as the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78. After the expiration of the Rollin White patent, Colt converted or newly made 1851 Navy revolvers to fire .38 rimfire or centerfire cartridges, known as the Colt Model 1851 Richards-Mason Conversion. The revolver also appears in popular culture, such as the fictional character The Man With No Name using a Navy conversion in *The Good, the Bad and the Ugly*.
Did You Know?
- The revolver was used by the Ottoman Empire as late as the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78.
- The first metallic cartridge revolver made by Colt was the Thuer-Conversion Model, with about 1,000–1,500 Model 1851 Navy revolvers converted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Colt 1851 Navy Revolver?
It is a compact .36-caliber percussion revolver designed by Samuel Colt in the late 1840s, originally marketed as the "Ranger Size" or "Revolving Belt Pistol" before the Navy name became standard. Built to sit in a belt holster, it became one of the most widely carried sidearms of the American West.
What are the Colt 1851 Navy Revolver's key specifications?
The gun uses a six-round cylinder firing .36-caliber cap-and-ball cartridges via a percussion ignition system. It was manufactured from 1847 to 1873, with roughly 215,000 pieces produced in the United States and another 42,000 at Colt's London facility.
Why is the Colt 1851 called "Navy" when it was used by so many non-Navy people?
The designation originated from an early U.S. Navy adoption contract, and Colt kept the name as a marketing label even as the model became a general-purpose civilian and military sidearm. The "Navy" tag stuck in public usage long after the original contract context faded.
How does the Colt 1851 Navy compare to the Colt Dragoon Revolver?
The 1851 was noticeably lighter and shorter, sized for a belt holster rather than a saddle scabbard. The Dragoon was a larger, heavier gun intended for mounted troops, while the Navy model became the preferred everyday carry for officers, lawmen, and settlers.
Why is the Colt 1851 Navy Revolver considered important in firearms history?
With over 250,000 units produced across two continents, it was among the first revolvers to reach true mass-production numbers, putting a reliable multi-shot firearm within reach of ordinary buyers. Its compact, belt-friendly design also established the template for the "pocket revolver" category that defined the American frontier.
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