strange looking bp pistol

Thought I caught a sight of one in..

..Silverado.

And in Gettysburg, the Confederate officer captured by Chamberlain has a revolver which was similar. It has been a while since I watched either of these two flicks so very likely my mind is playing tricks on me.
 
Strange looking?
672.jpg

Well maybe just a little.
First of all, it's a big gun, on the order of the Rogers & Spencer or Ruger Old Army. If you know what someone means when they say the 1851 Navy Colt "points naturally", then you'll understand when I say, "This one doesn't." I have to say that to me, it's an awkward pistol, a bit of a brute, not sophisticated like the R&S or ROA.

It's a top break design; you can break it down and remove the cylinder without tools by unscrewing a large through-bolt at the back top corner of the frame.

It's an interesting gun but not fun to shoot. The design did not survive the Civil War era for good reason; the 1858 Remingtons and 1860 Colts were simpler and better guns. I'm not sorry I bought one, but it rarely goes to the range any more.
 
The Star is an unusual looking beast for sure.
It was used in Unforgiven, in a double action 1858 form.
Here's the link:
http://www.imfdb.org/index.php/Unforgiven

According to this site, (which you can't totally trust BTW) it says that a Star DA/SA was used by Kevin Costner in Wyatt Earp, as a young man.

Anyway, that's about all I can find on it.
But, IMHO it certainly is ugly. Oh well.

OJW
 
I was thinking Unforgiven as well.

I always thought the the starr was a bit ugly too, but would make a nice looking revolving carbine.
 
Apparently a Southern agent thought highly enough of the Starr double action to give it a favorable review. He must have been smitten! :)

....There is the story that is more than likely anecdotal, that a certain Union officer was known to have stated that the person who signed the government contract for the Starr 1858 double actions revolvers, should of been hanged for treason. The Army eventually replaced this model with the simpler single actions such as the Starr Model 1863, Colt 1860 Army, Remington New Model Army, or a host of other lesser known revolvers. While the Union military may of held the Starr DA in an unfavorable light, there is evidence that is was favored by some in the South. The following excerpt was taken from DeBow's Review, April 1861, Volume 30, Issue 4, pp. 505-506: "The proprietors have placed in our hands a self cocking hair trigger revolver, which is one of the simplest, cheapest and most powerful instruments of defense with which we have met. The agent for New Orleans is O. S. Jennings, 20 Camp Street. Our contemporary of the 'Crescent' says most truthfully of the weapon: 'Starr's revolvers - We made a trial with one of these pistols a few days since, and must acknowledge that we were agreeable surprised by its great range and accuracy. Without being heavier than is desirable for a serviceable belt-pistol, they carry a sufficiently heavy ball to be effective, and, in the hands of a good marksman, a man could be brought down every time at from one hundred to one hundred fifty yards. The trial we made convinced us of this, and further, that they possess all the advantages of the Colt army and navy revolver, with additional ones of being better adapted for quick shooting, and having conveniences for cleaning and keeping in order what in active service will render them less liable to damage. Military companies, about supplying themselves with side arms, could do no better than choose this pistol.'"

http://www.rebelstatescurrency.com/sidearms.html
Click to expand...
 
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Dear me. I have to wonder if that fellow actually tried to disassemble and clean a Starr DA. My next thought is that he's writing for G&A.
 
Starr

I just sold mine,great gun,fun to shoot. Down side is extra cylinders and conversions are not available and the cylinders did not fit my relaoder.
Interesting and it gets noticed at the range.
 
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