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SAVAGE REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS COMPANY “NAVY” MODEL .36 CALIBER REVOLVER – EXCELLENT HIGH CONDITION EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE MOST MECHANICALLY INNOVATIVE  PERCUSSION REVOLVERS OF THE CIVIL WAR:  Distinguished by its unique profile and advanced design, the Savage R.F.A. Company’s Navy Model .36 caliber Revolver was one of the most mechanically innovative percussion pistols which saw service during the American Civil War. 

 

While the designation “Navy” conformed to the vernacular of the period, referring to the .36 caliber – as opposed to “Army”, the .44 caliber pistols – in fact, Savage supplied these revolvers to both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army.  Some 26 regiments of federal cavalry were issued the Savage Navy Revolvers, and at least four Confederate units were armed with them as well. 

Manufactured by one of our country’s oldest gun maker firms, the design of this revolver stemmed from the initial patent issued in 1856 to Henry S. North for a “Figure 8” revolver which featured a toggle mechanism operating a longitudinal moving cylinder which seated the face of the cylinder against the barrel, creating a gas seal between the chamber and the barrel when the pistol was fired.  Henry James North came by his firearms acumen naturally as the grandson of the famous Simon North who is credited with the invention of the first practical milling machine in the early 1800’s which was then applied to the manufacture of universally interchangeable gun parts within a given model of firearm – a significantly important benefit to the armed forces.    

The Savage-North relationship was created when Simon North partnered with his brother-in-law, Josiah Savage in 1811.  After a series of management evolutions, in 1859 the Savage Revolving Fire-Arms Company was formed with Josiah Savage’s son Edward serving as president, and Henry North in their employ.  That this revolver is referred to as the “North-Savage”, or “Savage-North”, or “Savage” in different modern references and listings is due to the pistol’s combined lineage of North’s patent and the Savage manufacturing company.   

The final design of a series of ring/lever pistols which were produced employing North’s “Figure-8” design, this .36 caliber, 6-shot Savage Navy Revolver has a 7 1/8” octagonal barrel and features a unique finger-ring cocking lever in addition to the standard trigger, both protected by a heart shaped trigger/lever guard.  At rest, the face of the cylinder is held against the rear of the barrel whether the hammer is lowered on a cone or at full cock.   

To operate the revolver, the soldier would first pull the ringed lever.  This single pull retracted the cylinder to the rear - allowing enough clearance for the cylinder to rotate and advance the next chamber to index with the barrel - and at the same time cocked the hammer.  When the ringed lever was released, the cylinder returned forward “in battery”, seating the face of the cylinder against the rear of the barrel creating a gas seal.  The pistol was then ready to be discharged by using the traditional trigger. 

The purpose of the “traveling” cylinder was to create a gas seal to eliminate the loss of gasses produced by the burning powder charge.  Capturing the gasses retained more of the resulting pressure and hence increased the velocity of the bullet as it passed into the barrel.  This design feature was a marked improvement over the gap between the cylinder and barrel which existed in other designs such as Colt, Remington, et al.   

While the mechanism is certainly more complicated than most of the other revolver designs of the period, and the larger protective trigger/ring lever guard was somewhat unwieldy, with the onset of the Civil War the demand for revolvers to arm the growing ranks of the army guaranteed that any viable supply of revolvers was absorbed into the nation’s arsenal.  Beginning as early as 1862 and on through the course of the war, the federal cavalry regiments armed with Savage Navy Revolvers included the Illinois 6TH, 10TH and 13TH; Kansas 5TH and 15TH;  Kentucky 11TH; Missouri 3RD, 4TH and 7TH; New York 7TH; Ohio 3RD; Pennsylvania 7TH; the Potomac Brigade; Wisconsin 1ST and 2ND; and Vermont 1ST.  Missouri State Militia Cavalry Regiments - 1ST through the 9TH, and the 14TH - also received issues of these revolvers.    

It is worth noting that surviving records indicate that at least some Savage Navy Revolvers were in the inventory of Confederate cavalry regiments – the Texas 11TH; Virginia 7TH; and the 34TH and 35TH Virginia Cavalry Battalions.   

This specimen of the Savage R.F.A. Company “Navy” Revolver has survived in excellent condition.  Very attractive and with all of the martial inspector’s marks, this revolver presents in far better condition than those that normally appear on the market.   

This revolver features all matching serial numbers – 8745.  In the context of the estimated full production of 20,000, this is a fairly low serial number, indicating it was produced in one of the earlier production runs.  The matching serial numbers are stamped on the bottom flat of the barrel, the rear face of the cylinder, the side of the grip frame under the grip panel, and on the inside surfaces of both grip panels.   

The top flat of the frame retains the typically lightly struck, but fully legible, maker’s stamping:

SAVAGE R.F.A. Co. MIDDLETOWN . CT

H.S. NORTH PATENTED JUNE 17, 1856

JAN. 18, 1859, MAY 15, 1860 

The mechanics function exactly as designed, with no play and as tight as the day the pistol was manufactured.  The ring lever has a strong smooth pull which properly retracts, advances, and returns the cylinder into battery as it should, and with the same pull brings the hammer to full cock.  The main trigger-hammer function is also very crisp.   

The bore is as close to mint condition as one could expect to find.  The rifling is strong and distinct with sharp edges, and no pitting or evidence of wear.  The six chambers of the cylinder are in likewise “like new” condition with no pitting or signs of every having been loaded.  In fact, the pristine condition of the bore and the chambers shows no indication that this revolver was ever loaded or fired.   

It is generally accepted that Savage Navy Revolvers commonly present with heavily worn, peened or broken percussion cones, more so than generally found on other models of percussion revolvers.  Perhaps this damage was a function of the angle of the hammer fall and force of the main spring.  So it is quite notable that all six of the original percussion cones on this revolver are present, full form, and show none of the peening or misshaping that is typically found on these pistols.  

The original loading lever is present and intact, and operates as it should, as well as properly engaging the loading lever latch on the underside of the barrel.     

The two grip panels are in excellent, almost “like new” condition – perhaps two of the best examples of original Savage Navy Revolver grip panels in private hands.  Considerably thinner than the grips of other Civil War era revolvers, these grip panels were more inclined to suffer from exposure and wear, and were subject to cracking, splitting or being replaced altogether.  This pair of panels, both serial numbered to this revolver, have survived in amazing condition.  Showing only very minor handling marks, the panels retain a very smooth surface with all of the original finish intact, and most importantly, both grip panels retain crisp, fully legible inspectors’ cartouches – “HBT” on the left grip panel for Henry B. Thomas, and “RHKW” for then Lieutenant Colonel Robert Henry Kirkwood Whiteley, U.S. Army Ordnance Department.   

The metal components of the revolver are likewise legibly stamped with the initials of the U.S. Army inspectors who accepted the various parts as they were viewed during the manufacturing process.   

From all appearances, this revolver presents today as if it were manufactured, inspected, and transferred to the army’s inventory, and then for whatever reason was never issued and certainly never exposed to the rigors of field use.  All of the edges are sharp, there is no significant pitting or other signs of exposure, and there is no evidence of holster wear.  The metal retains an even bright blue finish overall, with enough wear to at the corners and sharp edges to suggest the finish is quite old and is certainly not the result of an amateur modern refinishing effort.  The sharp edges show no indication the metal was subjected to polishing after the revolver was assembled and accepted by the army.  The blued finish is present on the hammer and ring lever which on standard production revolvers were finished with case colors.  There is no doubt this Savage “Navy” was a protected specimen, and it is possible it was provided with a special full blued finish for presentation, or it was refinished with this blue finish long ago as part of the original owner’s maintenance efforts. Other than the lack of case colors on those two components, the blue finish overall is quite striking and is consistent with the high condition of the grip panels and the mechanical integrity noted above.    

This is truly a rare and outstanding example of the Savage “Navy” Revolver.  The finish, military inspection stamps, crisp mechanical function and the spectacular grip panels combine to set this Savage Navy Revolver in a class of it own.  It would be very difficult to find a better example, and once this revolver has been added to your collection there will be no need to attempt to up grade this specimen.  This Savage Navy Revolver could well be the centerpiece of your Civil War pistol collection.   SOLD

 

 
 
 
 
 

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