US Colt Navy Model 1851 Serial Number Dates to 1857 ANTIQUE NO PERMIT REQUIRED

The US Colt Navy Model 1851 is a .36 caliber cap-and-ball revolver produced by Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company. This example, bearing a serial number that dates its manufacture to 1857, represents a design widely used by both military and civilian personnel during the mid-nineteenth century. The Model 1851 features a six-shot cylinder, octagonal barrel, loading lever, and brass trigger guard and backstrap. Typically associated with the U.S. Navy, it also saw extensive use during the American Civil War among other branches and in private hands. Distinguished by its robust construction and reliable mechanism, the revolver measures approximately 13 inches in overall length with a 7.5-inch barrel. As manufactured prior to 1898, this antique firearm is legally exempt from most firearms permit requirements in many jurisdictions. This piece offers insight into mid-19th-century firearm technology and period craftsmanship, reflecting its significance in American military history.