Pre-CIVIL WAR Colt 1855 “ROOT” POCKET Revolver Samuel Colt Side-hammer Revolver Made in 1860

Product Description

Pre-CIVIL WAR Colt 1855 “ROOT” POCKET Revolver

Samuel Colt Side-hammer Revolver Made in 1860

Here we present an antique Colt Model 1855 “Root” Side-hammer Pocket Revolver in .28 Caliber, made in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut. This Samuel Colt design was named for his factory superintendent Elisha K. Root and is a telling example of Colt’s desire to innovate, which was probably the single biggest factor in his success. Though the Colt 1849 Pocket had been introduced only 6 years prior, the “Colonel” attempted to make an improved pocket revolver. The Root features Colt’s debut of the “creeping” style of loading lever which allowed for better mechanical advantage when loading the gun, Colt’s first solid frame, a hammer mounted on the right side for access to the cylinder axis pin, and a cylinder axis pin which was the point at which the hand turned the cylinder (versus on the cylinder itself). Many good ideas were tested in this design and some would prove worthy to be used in the future. The small parts used in the Root Revolver’s mechanism proved quite fragile, however upscaling them into the 1855 series of Revolving Rifles and Shotguns seemed to help. Colt is even known to have experimented with the Root design on a Dragoon pistol, a precursor to the 1860 Army. Overall about 44,000 Root Revolvers were made from 1855-1870, much fewer than the 1849 Pocket with 340,000 produced.

Though not a primary military arm during the American Civil War, handguns were commonly privately purchased by soldiers for use on the battlefield. Whether legend or fact, it is interesting to note something commonly read about pocket revolvers of the day: that while they could be used for self-defense against the enemy, many soldiers kept them on their person to defend themselves against an unwanted amputation in the primitive field hospitals that were notorious, even in their day.

The overall condition is very good. The frame bears 95% of an old nickel finish. The cylinder and barrel are semi-bright. The markings are clear. The numbers match. The grip is near fine, smooth and solid. The bore is in good shape with nice rifling. The action is excellent, strong and crisp.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 3-1/2 inches.

Caliber: .28 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$1975
#190768