Despite the fact that the first patent for a revolver with a silicon lock was issued in 1818 in the name of an American, Elisha Collier, the role in the invention of this weapon is attributed to another American, Samuel Colt. The name Colt has become legendary and common, creating a whole era in the arms industry. The enterprising American managed not only to develop the idea of an individual rifle with a drum feed method, but was able to create the most effective and efficient samples. In the US, Colt's revolvers for a long time remained the only personal weapon of army and navy officers. Massive and long-barreled Colt has become a symbol of the conquest of the Wild West.
The American revolver became a real technological platform, on the basis of which the subsequent development of this type of weapon throughout the world took place.
A bit of history
Behind the name of Elisha Collier, who received a patent for a drum-type pistol in England, stands the name of another American. The inventor of the revolver in the form in which we used to see him was an American army officer and designer Artemas Wheeler. In his workshop appeared the first prototype of a pistol of this design. If Wheeler was a military engineer and inventor, then Elish Collier was entrepreneurial. Thanks to his efforts, the first industrial production of drum-type firearms opens at a factory in London.
The improved Collier model had a drum with six cartridge chambers. For the drum on his casing was installed flint. On the body of the pistol there was a silicon trigger. As a result of mechanical effort, the trigger struck the flint, a spark was struck, igniting the cartridge in the chamber opposite the trigger. In the first samples, a powerful spring was installed, pulling the drum onto the breech. This device improved the mechanism of action of the revolver, preventing the breakthrough of powder gases in the direction of the shooter. The system turned out so successful that it was subsequently successfully used on all American models and on European models of these weapons, including the Belgian Nagant revolver.
It should be noted that a promising weapon, the release of which in Europe wanted to build a Collier, appeared too early. The technical and technological capabilities of industry at that time did not correspond to similar types of weapons. On the existing equipment it was difficult to achieve the required accuracy of the parts of the weapon. The cost of production grew, which adversely affected its product attractiveness. In the end, the situation came to a standstill, and Collier’s enterprise soon became bankrupt. After that, the revolver disappeared from view for as much as 18 years.
Since then, the device revolver, which in 1836 patented Samuel Colt, has changed somewhat. Revolving feed cartridges preserved, as the body of the gun. The main difference in design was the emergence of a hammer-type firing mechanism, designed for capsule cartridges. Colt was able to establish mass production in the USA. In the city of Paterson, New Jersey, the production of capsule revolvers began at an arms factory. This moment can rightly be considered the beginning of a new era in the history of rifled firearms. It took only some 25-30 years to a new weapon ousted single-shot pistols. A powerful revolver, trouble-free in operation, was able to unleash a deadly lead with a total weight of 50-70 g on the enemy within 5-6 seconds.
It was nice not only to handle these weapons, the revolvers had a good range and accuracy. The rifled long barrel, large caliber provided the weapon with high firepower. Long barrels have become a kind of brand name for the first models of Colt revolvers. In the first samples, the barrel length reached 16 inches (41 cm). To carry such a weapon was not very convenient, it was often fastened to the saddle of a horse like a carbine. However, this inconvenience was easily compensated by the enormous power of the weapon and the stunning range of fire. The bullet leaving the barrel at a speed of 270-300 m / s, easily caught the target at a distance of 300-400 meters.
Paying tribute to Colt, as the inventor of revolving pistols, it should be recognized that other designers were able to create equally successful designs. Samuel Colt gave his brainchild a start in life. An overview of the revolvers who have left their mark on history suggests that, following Colt, the idea of creating models of personal weapons, which is based on a revolving principle of action, was picked up by Horatio Smith and Daniel Wesson. A little later in Europe, the talented Belgian Leo Nagan presented his invention.
Cowboy revolver - the brainchild of his era
We are all used to seeing brave cowboys in the American Wild West films, who are armed with revolvers at the ready. Despite the wonders of cinema, in this case the truth is the case.
The place near the brave cowboy was often occupied by a Colt Army Model 1860 revolver or a Remington M1858 drum-type pistol. It was on these weapons that the greatest burden fell during the American Civil War. With these revolvers, civilians felt more protected in conditions of complete lawlessness in the new, mastered territories. When confronted with Indian tribes, Colt's revolvers, along with rifles and carbines, were often the deciding factor. Pistols had great firepower, and the low price of a revolver at that time ensured great popularity among the civilian population. For comparison, the model Colt Army Model 1860 cost only $ 20.
Armed with Colt's revolvers, Texas Rangers became the personification of the brave cowboy, the main character of all westerns.
It should be noted that not only the Colt's revolver truly became the favorite personal weapon of the American prairie explorers. In parallel with the weapon of the Colt company, the Smith-Wesson revolver, caliber 10.67 mm, was successfully operated. Both of these revolver models appeared at about the same time. The main combat load fell on them. It was these two specimens that became pacifiers and peacekeepers in the process of developing the wild territories of North America.
Each of the pistols deserves special attention, given their high tactical and technical characteristics and mass character. Colt and Smith-Wesson revolvers appeared at one time, becoming not only a popular type of personal firearms, but also managed to give impetus to the subsequent development of weapons of this class, so it would be incorrect to give a palm to any one type of weapon. A 4.2 Smith-Wesson linear revolver appeared 4 years earlier than the Colt cowboy revolver. By the number of serial products produced, the first copy was not inferior to its counterpart. The extent of the spread of Smith-Wesson weapons can easily compete with Colt models.
The revolver, which was widely known and went on sale en masse, was created by two Americans Smith and Wesson in 1869. The main difference from other models produced at that time was the turning frame. This innovation made it quite easy to remove spent cartridge cases from the drum. It was enough just to break the barrel and tilt it down. The drum of the revolver contained 6 powerful cartridges with a central ignition cap specially created for this type of weapon. The barrel of the gun had a length of 203 mm.
The weapon along with the drum and part of the revolving frame were mounted on a hinge. Thanks to this weapon design, quick reloading is possible. A significant disadvantage of the invention of Smith and Daniel Wesson was the trigger mechanism of a single action. For continuous fire required constantly cock. However, this deficiency can be considered conditional, since it is almost impossible to conduct accurate continuous shooting from heavy weapons and powerful weapons.
The US Army ordered about 3,000 copies for its cavalry units. Most of the pistols sold out privately, making it widespread. As for the Colt, he managed to create a cowboy's revolver only in 1873, when Smith and Wesson’s weapons were already produced in large series and were in service in many countries. Model Colt M1873 Single Action Army has become a cult version of revolvers. The new weapon was so much liked by both military and private persons that some modifications continued to be mass-produced until 1940. It is appropriate to remind the famous American General George Smith Patton - the hero of the Second World War, who never parted with this model of a revolver.
His popularity Colt invention is due to the universality of the design. The classic design combined with a multiple-action trigger mechanism made this type of gun a better advertisement. The first versions of the weapon had a caliber of 45. The barrel of a revolver was 7.5 inches long. A powerful cartridge provided the speed of a bullet at 300 m / s. At the same time, the model weighed just over one kilogram. In the future, the gun was produced in different interpretations of 30 different calibers. In total, more than 350 thousand pieces were produced. Colt M1873 Single Action Army. The US Army received 37 thousand pistols.
Unlike the Smith-Wesson model, the Colt revolver had a solid frame. The loading of the drum was carried out through the flip bar mounted on the drum. The spent cartridges were removed using a spring extractor. On his revolver Colt installed a fuse that was previously missing. The American army fought with these weapons, ordinary Americans successfully mastered new territories.
Russian revolvers
The main buyer of American weapons in the 70s of the XIX century was Russia. Since 1871, the Smith-Wesson revolvers of the 1869 model appeared in the Russian army. Weapons came to Russia not only from the United States, but also from Germany, where the company "Ludwig Löwe & Co." established licensed production of the legendary revolver. Beginning in 1886, the Tula State Arms Plant established its own production of Smith-Wesson linear revolvers, which lasted until 1897.
With this weapon the Russian army entered the Russian-Turkish war of 1877. The combat use of the revolver revealed its essential drawback - great weight. Revolver, who was in service with army units, weighed 1.2 kg. Carrying such heavy and powerful weapons constantly was tedious. For personal weapons, this parameter was essential. High accuracy and long range could not compensate for this deficiency. The American pistol was replaced by a lighter and more convenient revolver of the Belgian gunsmith Leo Nagant.
The Belgian revolver has become the most successful European version of revolver pistols. Despite the fact that attempts to create such weapons were undertaken in England and Germany. Invented by brothers Emil and Leo Nagan, the revolver became the only effective and most common model. The revolver, which appeared in 1895 and was converted to the Russian caliber of 7.62 mm, became for the whole 50 years the main personal weapon of the Russian military, first the Tsar, and then the Red Army.
