![]() ![]() Army originally adopted the revolver, the lore around it grew from its use by famous good and bad guys of the Old West. 45 Colt round, well, it was like when Butch met Sundance. But when prevailing design points of the era were married to the powerful. The gun itself doesn’t represent a huge technological leap from what was being produced at the time. A testament to this, these single-action legends have been rolling off - reluctantly so, upon occasion - Colt's assembly line for going on 150 years. There probably isn’t a single pistol that encapsulates more of America than this Colt. It was also the foundation - with improvements - for the majority of lever-action rifles that would go on to win the Old West, such as the Winchester 1873. However, the fact soldiers would spend their own hard-earned pay - one would say wisely so - to purchase them to take into battle speaks volumes as to what the rifle brought to the fight. The gun saw some action in the Civil War, but was by no means the dominant arm of the conflict. Perhaps one of the weightiest modifications was the self-cocking mechanism that operated in concert with the lever-action. Henry soon set to refining the design when he was hired by Winchester in 1858 as superintendent at the New Haven Repeating Arms Company. It was basically an improvement on Volition and Volcanic rifles, designs Oliver Winchester acquired when Volcanic Repeating Arms went bankrupt. The repeating rifle was the brainchild of Benjamin Tyler Henry, sort of. If the brass receiver of the 1860 Henry doesn’t spark some primal urge to thumb off 16 rounds as fast as you can work the lever, then there is no hope for you. Photo: Hmaag Learn More About The Colt Patterson Not only did the design lead to some true firearms legends, it’s still a concept that dominates nearly 200 years later. No matter how inspiration struck, we Americans are sure happy it did. They were somewhat common in India, and his destination was Calcutta. That might be, but there were likely examples of flintlock revolvers - such as Elisha Collier’s - he saw on his trip. As Colt’s fans most likely know, the popular story is Colt conceived of the revolver during his teenage years at sea, inspired by the ship's steering mechanism. Patented in 1836 and produce until 1842, the cap-and-ball, black-powder pistol was the first commercially successful repeating firearm to use a revolving cylinder. To be sure, old Sam Colt and his company would go on to produce much more iconic firearms. But there are more recent theories that suggest English Trade Guns also had a large influence on the design, particularly the American Long Rifle’s longer barrel and smaller caliber. It is generally accepted that the American Long Rifle was a modification of the Germanic Jäger rifle, produced by Swiss and Germen settlers of the region. The rifles came about during the French and Indian War with Lancaster, Pa., the most commonly referenced place of origin. While they played a role in the American War for Independence, it was small compared to the British-made Brown Bess Musket, the primary arm of our Nation’s Army. And they gave the Colonists a great advantage in the American Revolution, with the gun's rifled bore and long barrels extending their user's effective range out to 200 yards and beyond. ![]() More generally known now as the Kentucky or Pennsylvania rifle, these elegant flintlocks are a symbol of American independence. Good for injecting lead into distant deer and Red Coats alike. Share your thoughts in the comments below. Of course, we know we might've left out your favorite or added one you don't agree with. With that in mind, here are the top 10 most American guns of all time. And in the end, we come up with implements that change world history. We cut some out of whole cloth and others we improve on time-tested designs. We Americans have a knack at engineering, especially when it comes to guns. ![]() Not only does the Second Amendment give us the ability to thwart tyranny and protect ourselves and our families, it also has spawned incredible firearms along the way. ![]() Here at Gun Digest, one right is always floating around our heads, particularly on our Nation's birthday - the right to bear arms. The Fourth of July is, of course, a time for we Americans to celebrate our liberties and inalienable rights. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |