Starr revolvers?

M

Model12Win

Moderator
Hello everyone, I am wondering about the Starr 1858 and Starr 1863 replica revolvers made by Pietta. The Starr revolver of 1858 was double action, and a number were sold to the army. However, the Army wanted a simpler single action affair and the 1863 single action Starr was the result.

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Pietta makes both these guns, both in .44 caliber (percussion). I am wondering if anyone out there has any experience with these firearms, both positive and/or negative. I am having trouble deciding which model to pick as well. I think it's neat how the 1858 Starr is double action, but I love single actions as well and the 1863 Starr is tempting too!

What do you all have to say about these guns? I don't hear much about them and am just looking for some guidance before I buy one, if I do.

Thanks! :)
 
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My brother has a single action Starr and I have fired it several times. Fun to shoot, but the timing was a little bit off. I have read that the (but have no experience with) double actions are a bit of trouble.
 
Yeah same here Creek, I've read quite a few negative things on the double action model. I think I'll stick to the single action one if I decide to get a Starr. :)
 
I remember in the early days of the internet (1990s) when you could still find original unfired Starr revolvers for fairly decent prices. I think Bannerman's (spelling?) sold them for dirt cheap back in the early 1900s.
 
Wow, that's very interesting! I see some original Starrs go for not much over $1000 and slightly below in some cases for examples in decent shape. I'd rather own a replica as I intend to shoot it often and don't have that much money to spend.
 
I wrote this post on another forum, so you may see it more than once.

Two points:

1) I own a PIetta Starr SA. In a word, it's a POS. Well, ok, that's 3 words.

The gun is unwieldy at best - the bore centerline is high relative to the grip making follow through difficult. It's difficult to point if you're used to the Colt grips. The gun is a top break design, secured by a large screw at the joint; the joint does not fit well and the screw if very difficult to start and secure. This is without a doubt my least favorite gun; it rarely gets taken to the range.

2) Percussion Revolvers, A Guide To Their History, Performance and Use, by Mike Cumpston and Johnny Bates. The best book about c&b revolvers I've ever read. Chapter 15: Treason With A Hair Trigger - The Starr Revolver will tell you all you need to know. His review is accurate and not favorable.
 
Thanks! I just tried to order a single action Starr form Dixie gun works... they were out of stock, so a I tried to order the double action version and it was out of stock to. I guess there will be no more Starr revolver replicas made... for better or worse. I have Mike Cumpston's book. I'll have to give the Starr part a read again.

Alas, now I need to find another percussion revolver to buy! How about a Paterson? :)
 
From what I understand the double action Starr did not reveal the sights until the last split second before the hammer drops. i.e. you can't see the sights until the hammer is drawn back out of the way and if firing DA you can't see them but for a split second as you shoot it. I've never handled one so I may not be correct but that is what I recall reading.
 
Yeah! Well I sort of still want a single action Starr from Pietta... I can't find any sources for them though since they've been discontinued... this saddens me! :(
 
Did you check with Cabelas ?, I bought mine from them near ten years ago.
Starr SA and I also have an original 1863 from the Civil War...I like both but
the parts DO NOT interchange.
 
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Not sure about the Pietta Replicas but rumors are that the single action, unlike the double action might have actually worked. One officer said that whoever foisted the double action Starr off on a nation at war should have been hanged as a traitor. Side by side, original Starr double actions look exactly like the replicas except for the addition of Pietta literature on the copies.

We managed to get a few shots out of this one but it sucked with a mighty suction. There are a few, but not many, owners of the replicas who are happy with them and seem to have made them work. Widely repeated disappointment by end users are probably the reason these aren't made any more.
That book (books) Mykeal mentioned has a confusing history. The current one is expanded and, unlike the first two, also benefits to some extent from professional editing by skyhorse publications.
 

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You might want to try a Rogers & Spencer revolver if are looking for something different. I have one and the only complaint I have is the trigger is a little awkward to cock.
 
This Company was working on a strange Double action design - The Pettingill but it was too complicated so they switched to the Rogers and Spencer in time to miss the entire Civil War. In the early 1900s, Bannerman's bought the like- new revolvers and sold them cheap. They were extremely high quality and have been a favorite of target shooters here and in Europe. This is a replica made by EuroArms after it bought the Armi San Paulo machinery. Top quality like the Euro Arms long guns and comes in a target sighted version if you want. Dixie gunworks has carried them- the sorce of the one in the picture and there are one or two other domestic importers. The trigger pull was heavy but the hammer is hardened all the way through making it easy to reduce the full cock notch without harming the heat treat. The bore is narrow like Pietta revolvers and it is right at home with .451 balls
All though it was never issued, a hundred (?) or so were sold privately and one of those has been provinanced to a Union Soldier from MA.
Target shooters often call it the most advance and best of the percussion revolvers and this one worked very well.
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Buy yourself original. In you its must be has yet enough.
Here is mine, to use him on western Cowboy Action Shooting, discipline Frontiersman.
 

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