Colt Sidehammer "Root" Dragoon Prototype

Cool Forgotten Weapons Merch! http://shop.bbtv.com/collections/forg...

During the development of the 1860 Army revolver, Colt did consider mechanical options other than simply scaling up the 1851 Navy pattern. One of these, as evidenced by this Colt prototype, was an enlarged version of the 1855 Pocket, aka Root, revolver. That 1855 design used a solid frame and had been the basis for Colt’s revolving rifles and shotguns, and so it would be natural to consider it for use in a .44-caliber Army revolver. How extensive the experimentation was is not known, and I believe this is the only known surviving prototype of a Dragoon-size 1855 pistol. It survives in excellent shape, and is a really neat glimpse at what might have been…

  / forgottenweapons  

Related:

Collier Flintlock Revolvers:    • Collier Flintlock Revolvers  
Savage Navy Revolver:    • Savage Navy Revolver: Almost Double A...  
Presentation 1851 Navy w/ Canteen Stock:    • Presentation Colt 1851 w/ Canteen Stock  
Richards Conversion 1860 Army:    • Colt Richards Conversion 1860 Army  
Colt 1847 Walker:    • 1847 Walker Revolver: the Texas Behemoth  
Colt 1855 Revolving Shotgun:    • Colt 1855 10-Gauge Revolving Shotgun