During the Civil War, the Union Army purchased almost 130,000 pieces of the M1860 percussion revolver, making it the most-used revolver in the conflict. Enterprising Confederate armories were quick to appropriate the design and produce the piece for Southern troops. The gun was a .44 caliber, six shot, front-loader that took linen or paper cartridges....
The engraved Navy revolver was a presentation piece given to high ranking military officers and government officials and was based on the military-issue 1851 Navy revolver, which saw service through the end of the Civil War. This non-firing version provides a dramatic illustration of the talents of the factory engravers of the period.