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- Aug 26, 2021
- Location
- North Carolina
I wasn't planning to purchase anything else for a while other than a couple of "must haves" to supplement items I already have (scabbard, sling, etc.). However, I'd been reading about Whitney Navy revolvers and ran across one locally. From what I could tell it seemed to be in good shape and was priced at what seemed to be a fair price compared to other ones I'd seen online. So I purchased it.
This is a Whitney Navy revolver, Second Model, 4th Type. It is all matching with serial number 16730 found on the loading lever, the bottom of the barrel, the back of the cylinder, on the underside of the trigger guard, on the bottom of the frame, and on the inside of each grip.
Further investigation shows that this is one of the 10,587 Whitney Navy revolvers that were purchased by the US Army during the Civil War. It is marked with a "B" inspector mark on the left side of the barrel, the right side of the barrel and frame, and on the trigger guard (it may have been marked on the cylinder as well but if so it has faded with time). There is the remnant of a cartouche on the left grip but it too has worn to where it is illegible.
Best estimates made by Daniel E. Williams, Jr, author of the book The Whitney Navy Revolver 1857-1866, has this pistol being produced in 1862. There were approximately 35,500 Whitney Navy revolvers produced from 1857 through 1866.
The Whitney Navy revolver's influence can been seen in the Confederate pistols manufactured by Spiller & Burr and T.W. Cofer, and by St. Louis, MO, Union sympathizers Shawk & McLanahan.
Even though I was not in the market for one, I feel that my purchase of this lesser known and influential revolver was $900 well spent.
This is a Whitney Navy revolver, Second Model, 4th Type. It is all matching with serial number 16730 found on the loading lever, the bottom of the barrel, the back of the cylinder, on the underside of the trigger guard, on the bottom of the frame, and on the inside of each grip.
Further investigation shows that this is one of the 10,587 Whitney Navy revolvers that were purchased by the US Army during the Civil War. It is marked with a "B" inspector mark on the left side of the barrel, the right side of the barrel and frame, and on the trigger guard (it may have been marked on the cylinder as well but if so it has faded with time). There is the remnant of a cartouche on the left grip but it too has worn to where it is illegible.
Best estimates made by Daniel E. Williams, Jr, author of the book The Whitney Navy Revolver 1857-1866, has this pistol being produced in 1862. There were approximately 35,500 Whitney Navy revolvers produced from 1857 through 1866.
The Whitney Navy revolver's influence can been seen in the Confederate pistols manufactured by Spiller & Burr and T.W. Cofer, and by St. Louis, MO, Union sympathizers Shawk & McLanahan.
Even though I was not in the market for one, I feel that my purchase of this lesser known and influential revolver was $900 well spent.
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