GR79-0421-5117, Mass Arms Adams Patent Navy Revolver. Possibly Confederate. .36 CAL, 6 shot.  With scattered patches of residue buildup and patches of what looks like blood pitting. Fine checkered grips showing visible frame markings with frame address partially obliterated by blood pitting.  Fine checkered grips with very light wear marks. Functional mechanics in both DA and SA. Replaced nipples. The bore is fine +. Bright and shiny, razor crisp rifling.  Flayderman’s Guide states 600 of these were sold to the the US Military and are found cartouched. In the book “The Adams Revolver” it is stated that 1000 of these revolver were purchased in 1860, before the war. Tim Prince, a friend and author of The English Connection, has a great write up about this on his website. 

This is from his write up “While total Mass Arms production of the revolvers is estimated at 1,000 (500 to the Ordnance Department and the rest for commercial sales), in reality at least 1,500 must have been produced, as the State of Virginia purchased 1,000 “Deane & Adams’ pistols and the same number of cavalry sabers from the Ames Manufacturing Company (also of Chicopee Falls, MA) in May of 1860. These guns were apparently delivered from Massachusetts Arms Company stock on hand. According to noted Adams revolver researchers W.H.J. Chamberlain & A.W.F. Taylerson, some of the guns delivered to Virginia were some of the guns from the original US Ordnance Department order that had been sub-inspected, but never officially “received” by the Master Armorer at Springfield. It is generally held that the Mass Arms Adams that are devoid of any US martial markings, and are numbered above about 500 would have likely been part of the Virginia State purchase.”

https://collegehillarsenal.com/mass-arms-36-adams-revolver-very-fine?search=adams&page=2

The state of Virginia purchased 1000 of the unmarked guns and they were most likely used by the Confederacy.  This more than likely one of those. The serial number on the cylinder is no longer visible do to the pitting but I was able to get the grip off of the gun and the number on the grip is 630.  This gun also shows the hallmarks of possibly being a gun that was on a dead soldier’s body. I could see this gun having been dug up from a mass grave where soldiers were buried and later recovered and taken to individual graves.  (The blood pitting suggests that.)  There is no way to prove that this gun was undoubtedly a confederate gun but shows characteristics that could make it possible. These are hard guns to find and when I do find them, it is more common to find them with a cartouche than without one.  The gun is not in great condition but the grips are still very nice and everything matches perfectly on the metal of the gun. This makes me believe that is is simply an untouched part of history. If only this one could talk and tell its story.

Est. Retail Value: $1750