Antique Manhattan Navy Cap & Ball Revolver
- Category
- Firearms Muzzleloaders
- Classification
- No PAL Required
- Action
- Revolver
- Manufacturer
- (other)
- Caliber
- (other)
- Hand
- Right Handed or Ambidextrous
I am selling a 5-shot .36 calibre Manhattan Navy cap and ball revolver. It is mechanically in excellent condition, and functions smoothly, as demonstrated in my video of it ringing steel at 10 metres. The serial number suggests a year of manufacture around 1864 or 1865. The bore still has sharp rifling, with some light pitting. The blued finish is mostly intact, with some mottled spots. Wood grips are intact with no chips. Cylinder nipples are intact and undamaged. Classified as antique. Feel free to contact me with any questions or requests for more photos, or reasonable price offers.
Although Manhattan brand revolvers were rip-offs of Colt, they were superior to the Colt design in several ways. Their extra cylinder stops allow the cylinder to be locked in place with the hammer down between chambers. This was a much more robust safety system than Colt's, which had the hammer interfacing with small fragile pins on the rear of the cylinder. Additionally, the front sight of the Manhattans were more durable than Colt's. Later production Manhattans had a spring steel plate behind the cylinder that held the caps in place and prevented cap jam, a common malfunction with Colts. Although not officially issued in the American Civil War, Manhattans were popular as privately purchased self-defense weapons.
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
  