Cimarron is known for their reproduction revolvers, many of which are authentic black powder guns. With a mind toward more modern consumers and ease of use, they’ve just released their ’62 Pocket Navy Conversion .380 ACP.
A little history on this model, as related by the folks at Cimarron. It started in 1862 when new technology allowed Colt to make a .36 caliber pocket pistol for the Navy. Later in the 1870s, Colt adjusted the design of these guns again to accept new cartridge ammunition. This could have been a good carry gun for a late 19th-century frontiersman.
Cimarron has updated the design again for the modern .380 ACP. This common cartridge should make it easier to own and use a classic Colt revolver.
The 1870s models would have used ammo with rimmed cases. The .380 ACP is a rimless cartridge, which normally requires a moon clip to keep the cartridge in the cylinder, and those can be a pain to load. But this gun doesn’t require moon clips. Just half-cock the hammer and spin the cylinder to load and unload.
Its 6″ barrel has a bead front sight. The rear sight is notched in the hammer. The Cimarron rep says it remarkably accurate for its length.
The Pocket Navy Conversion is available with a nickel finish or a blued cylinder and barrel with a case-hardened frame and brass straps. Both feature a cowboy scene engraved on the cylinder. They have solid walnut grips.
Cimarron use of the .380 ACP cartridge in their ’62 Pocket Navy Conversion makes it easier to consider owning this revolver. The ammo is available and affordable and with the gun weighing in at 1.78 pounds, the recoil should be very manageable. It comes in nickel or blued and case hardened. The guns are designed by Cimarron in Texas and manufactured in Italy. MSRP for the nickel finish is $647.70 while the blued finish rings in at $587.82.
Specs
| Barrel Length | 6 in. |
|---|---|
| Style | Pocket Navy Conversion |
| Frame | Blue Steel Brass T/G – B/S |
| Finish | Standard Blue |
| Grip | 1 Piece Walnut |
| Weight | 1.78 Lbs. |
The article is erroneous in the history part, in that Cold did not “make a new pocket pistol for the navy”. Instead, it was a pocket pistol in “navy”, or .36, caliber. Even the original Colt 1851 “navy” was not originally intended FOR the navy – it was meant for the Texas Rangers, and Colt wanted to call it the “Ranger” model. But the cylinder engraving featured a naval battle scene commemorating a confrontation between the Texas navy and the Mexican navy, so people called it the Navy model. Ironically, the later 1860 “army” model had the same engraving, but the name stuck for the .36 models.
I have two revolvers of this type one in 38 spl the other in 44 spl, great fun. The 44 spl can be loaded with snake shot when needed.
Looks funny without an ejector assembly or a loading gate. I know that Krist make a .22 conversion for the .32 and .36 caliber Colt style gun (six shot), and these do not have a loading gate either. But I still have to wonder what keeps the cartridges in.
All in all, it looks like a Krist style conversion, and I suspect from the hammer that there is a spring loaded fining pin in the back of the cylinder (a la Krist).
If it was me, I’d lop 2″ off the barrel.
For owners of 380 ccw guns who might buy something cool that uses the same ammo? Most of those folks could get turned into enthusiasts by a gun like this
There was a version of the original manufactured with a loading gate. That’s the one they should have copied. I can see some one cocking this one with the muzzle raised and a cartridge sliding back and locking the action.
That is neat! I love this stuff. Modern ammo in there.
I can appreciate this revolver since I have several of the old re-production cap and ball re-makes by Uberti and Persoldi and I have considered converting one to use brass cartridges. There are two ways to do it. One is swapping out the cylinder for one that has a closed back so you have to remove the cylinder each time you load it and the other is putting a normal cylinder in it and removing part of the frame to load the ammo through. But that creates a problem! Without a gate there to hold the cases in place, when the cylinder spins, a brass case could slide back and keep the cylinder from rotating! Has Cimarron done anything to keep this from happening? I don’t see anything that would! In any event, they are two nice looking pistols!
Why???
Because the 38 Short Colt, which is the correct ammunition for this gun, is obsolete.
Remington still makes .38 Short Colt .
The only “why” I can think of is maybe cowboy action shooters. Other than that…kind of cool, but yeah, not very useful unless you want to use 1800’s technology that’s been slightly updated.