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Starr Model 1858 Double Action Army Revolver

Starr Model 1858 Double Action Army Revolver

  • Product Code: FHG-JM009-SOLD
  • Availability: Out Of Stock
  • $1,695.00


This is a solid example of the unique Starr Model 1858 Army “Double Action” .44 percussion revolver that remains in VERY GOOD condition. 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. 

 

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 The .44 M1858 “Army” revolver was produced from 1861 through 1863, when production of the Model 1863 superseded the Model 1858.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.”

 

Even though the guns were procured at prices that ranged from about $23 to $25 per pistol during the war, the guns were of limited value at the end of the war. Between October of 1865 and June of 1868, the US government disposed of some 2,026 .44 Starr revolvers at prices that varied from $2.87 to $5.00 each. In December of 1870 some 20,000 .44 Starr revolvers (both single and double action) were sold to the Austin Baldwin Company for $8.00 each, and on 19 June 1901 the Francis Bannerman Company purchased the last 7,537 .44 Starr revolvers in US governments stores, at between 2.13 cents and 27.55 cents each, a far cry from the $23 to $25 per gun prices that were paid by the government during the war.

 

This Starr Model 1858 Army revolver is in VERY GOOD overall condition. The action is very crisp and works perfectly. The gun is mechanically tight and times, indexes and locks up exactly as it should. The serial number 16640 is readily visible on upper (under the hammer nose recess) and lower (below the loading lever cut out) sections of the frame, on the side of the cylinder and inside the face of the hammer neck. The US Sub-inspector initial B appears on the right side of the barrel and twice on the cylinder. A more interesting inspection mark, consisting of a smaller B surrounded by a C is found on the right side of the left side of the barrel and frame. The frame is crisply and clearly marked on the left side:

 

STARR.ARMS.Co. NEW.YORK.

 

and on the right side:

 

STARR’S PATENT JAN. 15. 1856

 

The gun retains about 15% of its original bright blue overall. These guns are notorious for the finish flaking, leaving most guns with dull pewter gray metal appearance. This one is no exception but retains some nice swirls of finish on the frame. The balance of the gun has the aforementioned pewter gray color with scattered patches of brownish surface oxidation and discoloration. The metal is mostly smooth with some freckled areas of minor oxidized surface roughness, some small areas of pinpricking and some small areas of minor pitting here and there. The hammer retains some nice remnants of its original color casehardened finish, with about 30% vivid color remaining and the balance a dulled and mottled bluish-gray patina. The loading lever retains some traces of case colors in protected areas but is mostly a pewter gray color. The trigger retains some traces of its original bright fire blued finish with the exposed sear release at the rear of the triggerguard retaining about 70% of its bright fire blue. The bore is in VERY GOOD condition. It is mostly bright with some patches of oxidized surface roughness. The bore retains crisp rifling and shows some scattered light pitting here and there. All of the percussion cones (nipples) are all in very good condition as well. The cylinder chambers remain fairly crisp with some traces of blue on their interiors. The screws are in nice condition and show only some light slot wear, with some of the heads retaining traces of blue. The one-piece oil finished wood grip is in NEAR VERY GOODcondition. It remains solid and complete with no breaks, cracks, chips or repairs but shows moderate wear. The grip shows numerous bumps, dings, handling marks and small mars. The grip has two very good and clear inspector’s cartouches. The left grip shows a script EF cartouche, the mark of civilian armory sub-inspector Edward Flather and the right grip shows a script CSL, the mark of civilian armory sub-inspector Chester S. Leonard.

 

Overall, this is a solid and reasonably priced example of the Starr Model 1858 Double Action Army Revolver. It would be a nice addition to any Civil War era handgun collection. The gun is 100% complete and correct in every way and will display very well. This is a solid example that will not break the bank and will be one you’ll be proud to display.


SOLD

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