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Colt Model 1849 Pocket Revolver

History of the Colt Model 1849 Pocket Revolver

The Colt Model 1849 "Pocket Revolver" was Colt's answer when changing out his "Baby Dragoon" line of guns. When the Model 1849 was introduced, Colt was unaware of the success of the new product. Of course, sales of this new type of gun also benefited from the fact that America was at war, and soldiers were always looking for a variety of auxiliary weaponsespecially a reliable, sturdy sidearm, the Model 1849. In fact, both sides - the Northern Union and the Confederacy - continued to use the Model 1849s in their inventories, although they were not standard weapons - soldiers obtained these from private hands, either through sale or as gifts for friends and family.

Thus, from 1850 to 1873 (the American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865), more than 336,000 units were sold. Although the American conflict was over, production continued into the postwar years, with at least 11,000 even being made overseas in London - making them by far the widest range of Colt offerings and bringing firearm manufacturers real business success.

Production was carried out by the Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company in Hartford, Connecticut, and a factory in New York.

The Model 1949 is classified as a single-action "strike" revolver using "cap and ball" ammunition, designed to meet the standards of 19th century revolvers. The barrel is octagonal and has a front-loading sight for aiming. The underside of the gun body slopes down toward the trigger assembly, which contains a thin, curved trigger system within an elongated trigger ring.

The grip is made of wood (the only wooden furniture on the weapon) and is ergonomically curved to fit comfortably in the user's hand. The pistol grip at the rear of the receiver cooperates with a recognizable hammer exposed at the top of the rear of the weapon - the hammer has the necessary spines for easy access and operation. Cylinders (finished in five or six times) are usually flat, although some are made with fine carvings.

It should be noted that the frame around the cartridge is done overhead, without connecting the "bridge" frame. The Model 1849 is designed to fire a .31 caliber rotary cylinder barrel and barrel length is variable, available in three, four, five or six inches as required. Ammunition is loaded from the front of the rotating cylinder, one round at a time. Later revolvers facilitated this process by having the gun hinge forward as two separate pieces connected along a pivot point, or by "flipping" the cylinder to the side for unimpeded access. As a "single-action" revolver, the user must "fire" the gun with each shot, i.e. bring the hammer back manually, usually with the dominant thumb, to prepare the gun.

Pulling the trigger just releases the hammer onto the cartridge - a "simple" action, in contrast to "double action" pistols, which cock and fire with a single pull of the trigger - so use the word "double action"".

While the Model 1849 was generally a rugged design, it was not popular with the military during the American Civil War. It was a heavy pistol in those seemingly endless marches that warfare of that era required. In addition to your standard backpacking gear and long rifle, bring this weapon along with the ammunition supply required for the weapon. That . The .31 caliber cartridge is certainly a stopper, but the inherent firepower of the 1849 is generally considered unusable for military-focused engagements, which often start from a distance.

However, it could prove to be an extremely accurate pistol, especially in close combat where long weapons with bayonets become unwieldy. The repeatability of the five- or six-round cartridge also meant that the Model 1849 operator could lose several rounds on the target before reloading.

Revolvers were also a common side weapon for cavalry, who could charge from high cavalry on horseback, away from hordes of soldiers, and then charge with their sabers to kill waiting infantry. Additionally, he was able to retreat to reload the gun and prepare for another salvo.

Despite the "pocket revolver" name, the Model 1849 is by no means a pocket pistol, and should never be confused with a compact weapon that fits in anyone's regular pocket. A far cry from today's compact pistols indeed.