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- Aug 26, 2021
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I've always thought the Starr Model 1858 and 1863 revolvers were neat looking. Big. Solid. A size and weight that conveys power. Try as I might I've never been able to find one for a reasonable price in decent condition until now.
As usual, I refer to College Hill Arsenal for the background information on these revolvers:
The Starr Model 1858 Army revolver was a 6 shot, .44 caliber revolver with a 6" round barrel. The .44 M1858 "Army" revolver was produced from 1861 through 1863, when production of the Model 1863 superseded the Model 1858. Starr was the third largest provider of revolvers to the US government during the course of the American Civil War, with only Colt and Remington delivering more handguns. The Starr M1858 saw significant service with the US military during the Civil War.
The initial US government purchases of M1858 revolvers were made by the Navy, who purchased the .36 caliber version of the pistol. Army procurements were initiated in the summer of 1861, with the first revolvers being delivered in January of 1862. Over a three-year period, Starr delivered 21,050 of the M1858 revolvers, with 9,900 accepted in 1862, 6,200 in 1863 and 4,950 in 1864.
The guns saw use with more than 40 different US mounted regiments, including in part the 1st Arkansas Cavalry, 2nd California Cavalry, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Colorado Cavalry, 10th, 13th& 16th Illinois Cavalry, 2nd, 3rd & 5th Indiana Cavalry, 5th, 8th, 11th & 12th Kentucky Cavalry, 11th & 12th New York Cavalry, 2nd & 4th Ohio Cavalry, 2nd – 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, 13th Tennessee Cavalry, 1st & 2nd Tennessee Mounted Infantry and 1st Wisconsin Cavalry.
The revolvers received mixed reports from the men that used them in the field, with one of the most damning comments coming from an officer with the 12th Kentucky Cavalry, who noted:
"The man who sold these pistols to the government and the contractor who bought them ought to be hanged as traitors."
While the design was innovative for its time, the self-cocking mechanism was delicate and expensive and lead to the Starr company dropping the model in preference of a cheaper and more robust single action design, the Model 1863. Although referred to as a "double action" revolver, the large trigger actually only cocked the hammer and rotated the cylinder but did not actually fire the gun. Pulling the large trigger all the way to the rear pressed a very tiny, recessed extension that actually tripped the sear and released the hammer to fire the gun.
This example is in very good condition and is all matching. I have not been able to locate production records or estimates yet, but the serial number on this example, 6111, leads me to believe it is a relatively early production model.
I welcome any information you may have on production numbers, etc., and any other information on these innovative, hefty and somewhat controversial weapons.
Here is my new-to-me Starr Model 1858 Army revolver.
As usual, I refer to College Hill Arsenal for the background information on these revolvers:
The Starr Model 1858 Army revolver was a 6 shot, .44 caliber revolver with a 6" round barrel. The .44 M1858 "Army" revolver was produced from 1861 through 1863, when production of the Model 1863 superseded the Model 1858. Starr was the third largest provider of revolvers to the US government during the course of the American Civil War, with only Colt and Remington delivering more handguns. The Starr M1858 saw significant service with the US military during the Civil War.
The initial US government purchases of M1858 revolvers were made by the Navy, who purchased the .36 caliber version of the pistol. Army procurements were initiated in the summer of 1861, with the first revolvers being delivered in January of 1862. Over a three-year period, Starr delivered 21,050 of the M1858 revolvers, with 9,900 accepted in 1862, 6,200 in 1863 and 4,950 in 1864.
The guns saw use with more than 40 different US mounted regiments, including in part the 1st Arkansas Cavalry, 2nd California Cavalry, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Colorado Cavalry, 10th, 13th& 16th Illinois Cavalry, 2nd, 3rd & 5th Indiana Cavalry, 5th, 8th, 11th & 12th Kentucky Cavalry, 11th & 12th New York Cavalry, 2nd & 4th Ohio Cavalry, 2nd – 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, 13th Tennessee Cavalry, 1st & 2nd Tennessee Mounted Infantry and 1st Wisconsin Cavalry.
The revolvers received mixed reports from the men that used them in the field, with one of the most damning comments coming from an officer with the 12th Kentucky Cavalry, who noted:
"The man who sold these pistols to the government and the contractor who bought them ought to be hanged as traitors."
While the design was innovative for its time, the self-cocking mechanism was delicate and expensive and lead to the Starr company dropping the model in preference of a cheaper and more robust single action design, the Model 1863. Although referred to as a "double action" revolver, the large trigger actually only cocked the hammer and rotated the cylinder but did not actually fire the gun. Pulling the large trigger all the way to the rear pressed a very tiny, recessed extension that actually tripped the sear and released the hammer to fire the gun.
This example is in very good condition and is all matching. I have not been able to locate production records or estimates yet, but the serial number on this example, 6111, leads me to believe it is a relatively early production model.
I welcome any information you may have on production numbers, etc., and any other information on these innovative, hefty and somewhat controversial weapons.
Here is my new-to-me Starr Model 1858 Army revolver.
Bringing the