Apparently, the term “Suicide Special” was first coined by a collector and author named Duncan McConnell in 1948. In an article written for “American Rifleman”, McConnell explains the rise and fall of this small pocket revolver and the many varieties on the market in the late 19th century. The term describes an American revolver made from about 1870 to 1890, usually in a small caliber, and as a single-action, spur trigger gun. Although the name conjures up images of cheap, shoddy pieces of junk (most were…), there are also examples of well made, highly embellished specimens which can measure themselves against a Remington or Colt in style and workmanship. “Suicide Specials” were shunned by collectors and considered unworthy of study and appreciation until the time McConnell wrote the article, and only then did the collecting community begin to take an interest in this type of gun. Since then, suicide specials have become a bona-fine collecting specialty, and the genre is now recognized as a distinct class of historical American antique firearm.
The story of the suicide special goes back to 1870, the year Rollin White’s patent for the bored-through cylinder (no. 12648, 1855 to 1870) expired, and anyone could manufacture a breech-loading cartridge revolver. Smith and Wesson, owners of this patent, had been manufacturing breech-loading cartridge revolvers since the 1850’s, and several unauthorized makers tried to produce revolvers using the same design. White, bound by his contract with S&W had to defend the patent, and sue the imitators. Most of the lawsuits were successful however a few of the makers were able to avoid detection and prosecution. By 1870, in anticipation of the patent’s expiration, the other large makers had already tooled up their factories to produce cartridge revolvers: Colt and Remington were poised to challenge Smith and Wesson for substantial market share. Had it been for only these three makers, the pocket revolver market of the next twenty years might have looked very different. Each of the “big three” had a line of excellent, well designed pocket revolvers to offer but being a free market economy, there was nothing to stop newcomers to compete for a share of the demand as well. The market was proliferated by several dozen makes, some good, some mediocre, and some outright shabby. Among the better ones were Hopkins & Allen, Marlin, Whitney, Forehand & Wadsworth, and Harrington & Richardson, while the mediocre ones would count among them Lee Arms, Hood Firearms, Otis Smith, Iver Johnson, and Bacon Manufacturing. Among the truly shoddy makers are the Rome Novelty Company, Continental Arms, Enterprise Gun Works and others. One must remember at this point that many of the mediocre makers also made very poor quality, cheap suicide specials under contract to large companies like Sears Roebuck & Co, and Hartley & Graham, as well as numerous hardware store chains across the USA. These cheap contract guns are usually unmarked as to a maker’s name and often bear proprietary brand names exclusively sold by the contract customer. This, of course, did not prevent the maker from selling exactly the same gun with a different name stamped on the barrel to a different customer. It is estimated that as few as a dozen companies were responsible for as many as 600 different brands and models of suicide special. The names given to the (often identical) models are unique and imaginative, and could keep a collector busy for years: from Aetna, Alexis, American Boy, and Avenger, to Bang-Up, Bismark, Blood Hound and Blue Jacket, to Captain Jack, Defender, Little John, Midget, Mohawk, Veiled Prophets, White Jacket and Wide Awake...
A collector who endeavours to collect even a modest cross-section of American suicide specials could assemble a sizable collection of several hundred pieces without duplicating any one model. From caliber .22 to .41, suicide specials come in every conceivable variation. Here are a few characteristics which are prerequisite to qualify as a suicide special:
At a time when the country was still deeply divided, a time when the wounds of the most significant event in US history were still raw, life in the cities was rough. There was no welfare or unemployment insurance, and every man was left to his own devices. The national debt, a generation of young men all but wiped out, the collapse of infrastructure, and the realities of a post-war economy gave rise to immense fear among the citizenry. Vagrants, tramps and petty criminals lurked at every corner and in dark alleyways. The need to be armed became universal, stoked not without perhaps callous vigor by the retailers of the time. Any man could own a gun, and protect his family for as little as a dollar! Competition for customers was stiff, and at these prices, not a lot of quality could be offered. In fact, the Colt Patent Firearms Mfg. Co. decided to get out of the pocket revolver market altogether by 1882, citing their unwillingness to compromise quality for price. The cheap imitations had taken over the field…
By the late 1870’s only the most tenacious of the suicide special makers were still in the market – Harrington & Richardson made their last single-action spur-trigger revolver in 1878, Colt followed suit by 1882, and even Smith and Wesson decided to stop making their small caliber, single action rim fire revolvers. By this time, it was Hopkins & Allen, Iver Johnson, Hood and Lee who dominated the market. Another reason for this shift in manufacturing priority was the rise of larger, center fire cartridges, and the increasing popularity of double action revolvers. By the 1880’s the “Bull Dog” design had pushed the suicide special to the periphery of personal defense weapons, both in popularity as well as price.
Another "Hood" product - the "Marquis Of Lorne". He was actually Governor General of Canada in the 1870's...
The story of the suicide special goes back to 1870, the year Rollin White’s patent for the bored-through cylinder (no. 12648, 1855 to 1870) expired, and anyone could manufacture a breech-loading cartridge revolver. Smith and Wesson, owners of this patent, had been manufacturing breech-loading cartridge revolvers since the 1850’s, and several unauthorized makers tried to produce revolvers using the same design. White, bound by his contract with S&W had to defend the patent, and sue the imitators. Most of the lawsuits were successful however a few of the makers were able to avoid detection and prosecution. By 1870, in anticipation of the patent’s expiration, the other large makers had already tooled up their factories to produce cartridge revolvers: Colt and Remington were poised to challenge Smith and Wesson for substantial market share. Had it been for only these three makers, the pocket revolver market of the next twenty years might have looked very different. Each of the “big three” had a line of excellent, well designed pocket revolvers to offer but being a free market economy, there was nothing to stop newcomers to compete for a share of the demand as well. The market was proliferated by several dozen makes, some good, some mediocre, and some outright shabby. Among the better ones were Hopkins & Allen, Marlin, Whitney, Forehand & Wadsworth, and Harrington & Richardson, while the mediocre ones would count among them Lee Arms, Hood Firearms, Otis Smith, Iver Johnson, and Bacon Manufacturing. Among the truly shoddy makers are the Rome Novelty Company, Continental Arms, Enterprise Gun Works and others. One must remember at this point that many of the mediocre makers also made very poor quality, cheap suicide specials under contract to large companies like Sears Roebuck & Co, and Hartley & Graham, as well as numerous hardware store chains across the USA. These cheap contract guns are usually unmarked as to a maker’s name and often bear proprietary brand names exclusively sold by the contract customer. This, of course, did not prevent the maker from selling exactly the same gun with a different name stamped on the barrel to a different customer. It is estimated that as few as a dozen companies were responsible for as many as 600 different brands and models of suicide special. The names given to the (often identical) models are unique and imaginative, and could keep a collector busy for years: from Aetna, Alexis, American Boy, and Avenger, to Bang-Up, Bismark, Blood Hound and Blue Jacket, to Captain Jack, Defender, Little John, Midget, Mohawk, Veiled Prophets, White Jacket and Wide Awake...
A collector who endeavours to collect even a modest cross-section of American suicide specials could assemble a sizable collection of several hundred pieces without duplicating any one model. From caliber .22 to .41, suicide specials come in every conceivable variation. Here are a few characteristics which are prerequisite to qualify as a suicide special:
- Rim fire cartridge, primarily of .22 or .32 caliber, but .38 and .41 are sometimes encountered. Many of the suicide specials were made under the same model name in a variety of calibers.
- Any single-action, spur trigger pocket revolver not made by Colt, Smith & Wesson and Remington. A few makers could be considered “border-line” suicide specials, such as Marlin and Wesson & Harrington. These makers’ guns were of high quality and a usually much higher price to be considered suicide specials.
At a time when the country was still deeply divided, a time when the wounds of the most significant event in US history were still raw, life in the cities was rough. There was no welfare or unemployment insurance, and every man was left to his own devices. The national debt, a generation of young men all but wiped out, the collapse of infrastructure, and the realities of a post-war economy gave rise to immense fear among the citizenry. Vagrants, tramps and petty criminals lurked at every corner and in dark alleyways. The need to be armed became universal, stoked not without perhaps callous vigor by the retailers of the time. Any man could own a gun, and protect his family for as little as a dollar! Competition for customers was stiff, and at these prices, not a lot of quality could be offered. In fact, the Colt Patent Firearms Mfg. Co. decided to get out of the pocket revolver market altogether by 1882, citing their unwillingness to compromise quality for price. The cheap imitations had taken over the field…
By the late 1870’s only the most tenacious of the suicide special makers were still in the market – Harrington & Richardson made their last single-action spur-trigger revolver in 1878, Colt followed suit by 1882, and even Smith and Wesson decided to stop making their small caliber, single action rim fire revolvers. By this time, it was Hopkins & Allen, Iver Johnson, Hood and Lee who dominated the market. Another reason for this shift in manufacturing priority was the rise of larger, center fire cartridges, and the increasing popularity of double action revolvers. By the 1880’s the “Bull Dog” design had pushed the suicide special to the periphery of personal defense weapons, both in popularity as well as price.
Great Western Gun Works advertised this Iver Johnson “Defender” for $1.50. By 1880, a double action “Bulldog” revolver could be had for $1.35
Competition was fierce and advertising was aggressive. At these prices, not much wiggle room was left for quality…
32 RF "Liberty" by Hood Firearms Mfg. of Norwich, CTCompetition was fierce and advertising was aggressive. At these prices, not much wiggle room was left for quality…
Another "Hood" product - the "Marquis Of Lorne". He was actually Governor General of Canada in the 1870's...
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