Manhatten Percussion Revolvers

[Vairochana]

Gday all,
I think I have caught the collecting bug,
I have come across a Manhattan Pistol-I have never heard of these before but apparently they were made for the civilian market during and following your Civil War using expired Colt patents.
Does anyone know anything about these guns?
Quality?
value?
Shootability?
As always I seek to learn

WS

 

[rafterob]

Apparently a fairly well known manufacturer of the day. I have seen an original Manhattan Pepperbox pistol in a museum.

 

[poordevil]

I think I remember reading that they replaced the Colt in Navy use during the civil war....in that the Gov. bought them, and stopped buying the Colt toward the end of the war.

P

 

[Coot]

Hi Poor Devil - I think that you may be thinking of the Remington Beals Navy which was improved to what was called the New Model Remington. It was lighter than the Colt 60, Joslyn or the Savage, stronger than the Colt due to the solid frame and cheaper at $12 vs $16.According to Winter (US Naval Handguns 1808-1911), after the Remington was available in quantity, no other percussion pistols were purchased by the Navy. Rankin (Small Arms for the Sea Services) mentions Mantattan as a Navy supplier but gives no particulars of any kind. Possibly a few were purchased test.

For those interested, Norm Flayderman has found some NOS copies of Rankin's book that he is offering at a very good (under $25 if I recall correctly) price.

 

[poordevil]

There you go! I knew it was something like that. The lower priced gun won out. Thank you
P

 

[colmoultrie]

The Manhattan pistol, despite its name and the address on the barrel, was made in New Jersey. The First and Second Model Navy used a frame similar in size to the Colt Pocket Navy or 1849 pocket and chambered 5 shots; I'm not sure, but I believe the 3rd and 4th Models had 6-shot cylinders and were slightly larger in frame. Manhattan patented a second set of cylinder stops in between chambers; the hammer could be safely lowered and the cylinder locked between chambers, so all chambers could be carried loaded more safely than the Colt. Here's a pic of my 2nd Model:

I have never shot it, but it appears to be well-made.

Back in the '50's friend on this board (who shall remain nameless) used to wander the campus of his boarding school - where I now teach - carrying one stuck in his belt and shooting feral cats. :hmm: It's a different world now, but it apparently worked pretty well for him then.

Values are certainly lower than Colts, but still decent; as a Civil War era revolver, I expect values to go up around the sesquicentennial.

 

[SAJones]

Manhattan firearms made a variety of pistols, including single shots very similar to the Allen & Thurber bar hammers. They developed a revolver, starting about 1857, very similar in outward appearance to the Colts, but with different internals. The most obvious difference is the 12 cylinder locking notches as opposed to Colt's 6. This made the revolver safer to carry. They were popular, but didn't take over Colt's market share that much. Thre is a book, "Manhattan Firearms" by Waldo E. Nutter which discusses the various models as well as all the corporate activities, squabbles, & patent infringement lawsuits. Far as I know, none were purchased by the military.

As with any antique pistol of this age, I would resist shooting it unless in very good condition. Obviously parts are harder to come by than Colts, and a broken part could reduce a $5,000 gun to a $1,000 relic. (Yes, I've seen them for sale for close to $5,000)