1863 Starr Army 44

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marlinman93
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1863 Starr Army 44

Post by marlinman93 »

Sitting at my tables for today's OAC gun show when my neighbor behind comes in to setup and begins dragging guns out on his table. Some interesting stuff, but a number of the long guns had been restored improperly with shiny wood, and over buffed, hot blued metal.
Then he opens up a handgun case and sets down a Starr percussion .44 and I ask to see it quickly before others started gathering to look. A guy grabs it before I can pick it up without asking, but looks it over, and lays it down, thank goodness! I looked it over, and it appeared unmolested. And although not much finish left, the patina is wonderful, and the gun was well cared for. The rifling is very deep, and not a sign of corrosion at all from BP. Grips are pretty nice for an 1863 revolver used in the Civil War, and still has inspector's stamps showing on both grip panels!
I asked the price, waiting for the gut check, and he quotes me a price about 1/3rd of what I usually see these selling for, so I bought it! It's a very low serial number, and appears to be within the first thousand made in 1863 from what I can decipher. They were made for the Union troops and only built from 1863-1865.
Doubt I'll ever shoot it, but knowing it went through the Civil War in some soldier's holster, and likely saw some action just tickles me to own it!

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Dusty Texian
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by Dusty Texian »

Lucky you that's a great find . Those have always interested me . If it functions like it should I would have to shoot it at least a few shots . ,,,DT
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2ndovc
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by 2ndovc »

That is very cool!
Many years ago, I was remodeling a basement for a guy that one in his safe. He let me handle it for a bit. Had some cool stuff, but the Starr really stood out.

There was an Italian reproduction at one of the shows I went to a few months ago. It was a nicely made replica that I probably should have bought.


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Ysabel Kid
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Oh that is so cool. That's the single-action version of the Starr. The double-action versions were out first, but almost universally distained by the troops. Very easy to lock up the revolver; the double action was not like the Colt or Remingtons. The Federal Government (Union) asked for a redesign to a single-action, and Starr made it happen. Between the double-action and single-action, the Starr revolvers were the third most common handguns used in the Civil War.

I have a Pietta reproduction of the double-action model, and it is indeed easy to lock up. When it does, you basically have to take the darn thing apart to free it. But it is a hoot to shoot!

Congrats!!!
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marlinman93
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by marlinman93 »

Yes, I read that the Starr single action 1863 was much improved over the earlier double action, and have much higher values also. It's a much heavier revolver than the Colt or Remington .44's that the military used, but not as heavy as say a Walker. Definitely feels like a big gun in my hands.
Flayderman's says the Union bought 25,000 of these, and started serial numbers beginning in the same series as the DA Starr revolvers at around 23000. This one in in the 23800 range, so fairly early model. Some later delivered never saw service, and were later sold as surplus.
Last edited by marlinman93 on Mon Jul 25, 2022 9:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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gamekeeper
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by gamekeeper »

Wow, what a great find.... :mrgreen: YK is on the button with the history... :wink:
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Vall, I will admit that I would just have to shoot it if it were mine. No harm if followed by a thorough cleaning. Nice find!
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by AJMD429 »

.
Now THAT is really COOL....!!!
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marlinman93
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by marlinman93 »

Thanks! I may consider shooting it, but it will require buying different powder as all I have is 1.5fg and 2fg for rifles, and not sure what I'd do with the rest after a little shooting? Plus caps, balls, etc. that I'll likely never use the rest of either.
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gamekeeper
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by gamekeeper »

Interesting video on both double and single action Starr revolvers.
https://youtu.be/nTFmwLOHxfE
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by yooper2 »

Wow, that's a great find! I've always been interested in the Starr revolvers but have never gotten the chance to shoot one.

I have an original Rogers&Spencer that my great uncle bought out of a Bannerman's catalog. He carried it a lot and changed the front sight so it isn't worth much but it means the world to me! I shot a nice whitetail with it about 8 years ago with a round ball. It's my best handgun deer and my favorite deer hunt period. Need to find a photo.

Eric
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marlinman93
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by marlinman93 »

gamekeeper wrote: Tue Jul 26, 2022 10:09 am Interesting video on both double and single action Starr revolvers.
https://youtu.be/nTFmwLOHxfE
His issues with the Starr double action reproduction are typical of the originals, so I guess in copying the original they did a great job, and had the same problems. You'd have thought they would have fixed the issues in a newly made clone?
The single action versions were considered a huge improvement, and had no issues as his repro shows.
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marlinman93
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by marlinman93 »

yooper2 wrote: Tue Jul 26, 2022 5:03 pm Wow, that's a great find! I've always been interested in the Starr revolvers but have never gotten the chance to shoot one.

I have an original Rogers&Spencer that my great uncle bought out of a Bannerman's catalog. He carried it a lot and changed the front sight so it isn't worth much but it means the world to me! I shot a nice whitetail with it about 8 years ago with a round ball. It's my best handgun deer and my favorite deer hunt period. Need to find a photo.

Eric
In some ways the Rogers & Spencer revolvers look a but like the Starr, but of course are solid frame vs. the break open design, and have a more traditional grip shape to an old revolver.
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yooper2
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by yooper2 »

I agree they are similar in profile. The most noticable thing about the R&S grip is how dramatically the base flares out. I have to believe that Bill Ruger had the Starr or R&S in mind when he designed the loading lever on the Old Army.


Eric
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Re: 1863 Starr Army 44

Post by Ysabel Kid »

yooper2 wrote: Tue Jul 26, 2022 7:11 pm I agree they are similar in profile. The most noticable thing about the R&S grip is how dramatically the base flares out. I have to believe that Bill Ruger had the Starr or R&S in mind when he designed the loading lever on the Old Army.


Eric
Rogers & Spencer, which, IIRC, actually mimics the earlier Whitney loading lever.
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