Colt Navy Revolvers

The Colt firearms manufacturing company has always produced weapons that have attracted military and police. As a company, they are often on the cutting edge of firearms technology, and that cutting edge has long been appreciated by armed forces.

Colt produced Navy and Army designs for their revolvers with differences in design taking into consideration the mission, training, and personnel who would use the revolver. The Navy designation meant the revolver was often smaller and lighter.

Colt’s Navy revolvers included the Model 1851 Navy and the 1861 Navy. These revolvers bore the Navy title and were fairly popular weapons. Both the 1851 and 1861 saw extensive use in the Civil War on both the Union and Confederate sides. Most Navy-branded revolvers were extensively used and considered working guns, not pieces designed for the mantle.

Quick Facts

• Although they were given the Navy moniker, most of Colt's Navy revolvers were used by civilians and land forces
• Navy revolvers were chambered in .36 caliber and Army models were chambered in .44 caliber
• More than 20,000 1851 Navy models were produced in Colt’s London armory