Product Description
c1868 mfr. MANHATTAN FIRE ARMS CO. Series V Percussion POCKET Revolver .36
BRITISH PROOFED with ENGRAVED PANEL CYLINDER SCENE
Here we present an antique British Proofed Manhattan Arms Fifth Series Navy Revolver, made circa early 1868 in Newark, New Jersey with roughly 9,000 of these 5th Series revolvers made during a production run between June 1867 to December 1868. Serial numbers ranged between 1 and 9,000 in this series. Manhattan Fire Arms Co. was founded in 1856 specifically to capitalize on the soon to be expiring Colt patents in 1857. This strategy worked very well for the company and they began by making high quality and very close copies of both Colts and other popular pistols with expired patents. These revolvers greatly resemble the Colt Model 1849 Pocket and 1851 Navy revolvers. In fact, Manhattan’s copies of Colts were so close that Colt tried to kill their production with a lawsuit, even though their patent had expired. There were roughly 80,000 total revolvers made throughout the production run of Series One through Series Five. Series I through Series IV were all five-shot revolvers while the Series V (with its tapered loading lever) was of six-shot. All were, however, chambered for the .36 ball cartridge.
Manhattan’s revolvers were very well received by the public. The company never received U.S. military contracts, except for a small delivery, most likely on the regimental level. Nevertheless, many Manhattan revolvers found themselves on smoky Civil War battlefields, purchased privately by officers and soldiers, and they were certainly in use at home. The war created a vast and unquenchable market for firearms of all types.
The overall condition is fine. Original blue finish and case colors. The action is excellent. The bore is bright with sharp rifling. London proofed. Numbers match. Excellent cylinder scenes.
Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.
Barrel is 4 inches.
Caliber: .36 Percussion
Overall condition as seen in photos.
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Guaranteed AUTHENTIC & Includes CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.
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$2200
#240443