This model of the 1855 Sidehammer revolver is the "6A" variant and dates from 1865. It has a round barrel, with a 31 caliber bore and a cylinder pin retainer secured by a screw in the side of the barrel lug. The Model of 1855 was designed by Alisha Root, superintendent of Colt's new Hartford factory. Root was not only a gifted firearms inventor, but, more importantly for Colt, he was a genius at designing the highly specialized machinery needed to produce large quantities of precision gun parts of all kinds. By 1856 Colt had become the foremost industrialist in America, and he associated with the richest and most powerful people in the world. His business acumen and industrial prowess was such that he had to guard his life and work very closely. Access to his factory compound was closely monitored for fear that "industrial spies" would attempt to glean details of his success for others to exploit. Colt's greatest talent, beside that of a brilliant salesman and tireless, aggressive businessman, was his ability to recognize genius in others, and acquire their skills and (mostly) their loyalty for the Colt business. Among the alumni of the Colt Patent Firearms Company are not only Root, Richards, Mason, and Thuer, but those who would go on in the industry to make their own mark: Rollin White (S&W patent), Francis Pratt and Amos Whitney (Pratt & Whitney machines and engines), Charles Billings and Christopher Spencer (Billings & Spencer, Hartford Machine Screw Co.), John Browning (Browning Firearms), and numerous others who would be instrumental in paving the way for large-scale manufacturing at Ford Motors, GM and Singer in the early 20th century.
1855 was an important year for the colonel. The new Hartford factory was finally complete, with Colt's expansive estate around the South Meadows property along the Connecticut River second to none. He was living the good life! Colt had just recently incorporated the "Colt's Patent Firearms Company" with 10,000 shares at a par value of $100 each - all but four of them owned by him. In celebration of the new armory, Colt introduced a line of sidehammer guns designed by his superintendent Alisha Root. The line included a pocket revolver, revolving rifle and shotgun. This was the first - and would be the only - solid-frame percussion handgun design Colt ever produced.
The 1855 Pocket revolver is an important part of any Colt collection for the reasons stated. It is unique in its design, although somewhat delicate and complicated, but was popular enough to warrant production of 40,000 pieces in two calibers (.28 and .31) over the course of 15 years.
1855 was an important year for the colonel. The new Hartford factory was finally complete, with Colt's expansive estate around the South Meadows property along the Connecticut River second to none. He was living the good life! Colt had just recently incorporated the "Colt's Patent Firearms Company" with 10,000 shares at a par value of $100 each - all but four of them owned by him. In celebration of the new armory, Colt introduced a line of sidehammer guns designed by his superintendent Alisha Root. The line included a pocket revolver, revolving rifle and shotgun. This was the first - and would be the only - solid-frame percussion handgun design Colt ever produced.
The 1855 Pocket revolver is an important part of any Colt collection for the reasons stated. It is unique in its design, although somewhat delicate and complicated, but was popular enough to warrant production of 40,000 pieces in two calibers (.28 and .31) over the course of 15 years.
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