The Whitney Navy Revolver

[Harley Starr]

Lately I've been noticing a rather rare revolver known as the Whitney Navy. If you ask me, this is one strange piece.
It looks like an amalgamation of the Colt, the Remington, and maybe the Rogers and Spencer.
Could anyone point in the right direction in terms of reference books or any other mediums?

Wish Uberti, or Pietta, or Euroarms would produce these guns.   That way maybe Walter Kirst might get in on the act!

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy Ridgway,

There is a good deal of information in "Flayderman's Guide to Antique  American Firearms and their values" which should be available at your local library,  Amazon, Dixie Gun Works, and ABE Books to name a few on line sellers and Borders and Barnes & Noble at the mall.

[Tubac]

Hi,
Palmetto Arms made a repro Whitney Navy around ten years ago. I don't have any clue about their quality or reliability, but
they were made.
Tubac

[Trailrider]

Howdy, Pard,
The reason the Whitney Navy revolver looks like a composite of the Remington and maybe the Colt's, but especially the Remingtons is because Fordyce Beals designed the Whitney and most of the Remington cap-and-ball guns! I owned one once, an original, though it had been reblued...possibly a factory job according to one expert.  I decided to sell it, but wanted to try it since it balanced so well, like a Colt's 1851, but had the top strap like the Remmies.  I loaded it up and let loose with a cylinder full, reloaded and got ONE round off before it bound up so bad I had to turn the cylinder by hand for each shot!   Cleaned it and tried it again. Same result.  In other words, though it look great (perfect bore, great balance and feel), I wouldn't want one in a firefight!

Similar problem with a replica I bought.  BUT...then I bought one of those cheapie repro brass frame Spiller and Burrs.  Whether from looser tolerances on the arbor pin/cylinder centerbore, or whatever, that thing will stay in there for four or five cylinderfulls before STARTING to get sticky! And that Spiller & Burr replica is the most accurate cap-and-ball I've ever shot!

BTW, if you want a stronger, more reliable, albeit heftier "Whitney Navy" in .44 caliber (.457" ball), try to get ahold of the Ruger "Super Whitney", aka The Old Army.  Why do I relate it to the Whitney?  Take a look at the cylinder arbor pin/loading lever assembly on both.  Except for the lever latches, they are almost identical!  With a bit of refinement, the original Whitney could have been a great gun!

[Harley Starr]

Howdy Trailrider,
     sorry to hear about your rough experience with the real deal. While it's wonderful that the Whitney Navy lives on in the Spiller & Burr, I tend to shy away from brass framed revolvers because I really like conversions. Speaking of which, I've seen photos of a dirty nickel plated Whitney Navy conversion. Now if Ruger would restart production of the Old Army, I would get a few.

[Tubac]

Here's a photo of a whitney navy converted to .38 rimfire.

Tubac

[Forty Rod]

Lately I've been noticing a rather rare revolver known as the Whitney Navy. If you ask me, this is one strange piece.
It looks like an amalgamation of the Colt, the Remington, and maybe the Rogers and Spencer.
Could anyone point in the right direction in terms of reference books or any other mediums?

Wish Uberti, or Pietta, or Euroarms would produce these guns.   That way maybe Walter Kirst might get in on the act!

The reb Spiller and Burr was a copy of the Whitney. I had an original and a repro both.  The repro was the better gun, but the original had been rebuilt - maybe more than once - and was pretty clapped out before I got it.

Dr. Bob has given you some good advice.  Get  a copy of Flayderman's Guide.  You'll never regret it.  More info in less space than anyplace else.