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Savage Navy Model Revolver
Reproduction/Conversion to Savage & North Figure 8 Third Model Revolver. The Figure 8 Model revolvers were made c.1856-1859; the Navy Models c. 1861- mid 1860s. SN 788
About 23,000 Savage Navy revolvers were manufactured during the
Civil War era. Of these, nearly 12,000 were purchased by both the
U.S. Army and Navy under various contracts. These were not popular
sidearms with Union troops, but quite a few privately-purchased
Savage revolvers were smuggled into the South and served with
Confederate cavalry troopers. The Savage Navy revolver evolved from
the earlier Savage & North Figure 8 revolver.
The specimen displayed here is a Navy revolver that was converted
to a rare Third Model Figure 8 model, of which only a few hundred
are known to have been produced. The primary difference between
these two is the heart-shaped trigger guard featured on the Navy
version. In the case of this pistol, the trigger guard was removed,
and the trigger re-worked as part of the conversion process. This
is an excellent example which illustrates the practice of altering
a more commonly available gun to resemble a much rarer and
therefore more valuable piece.