Cimarron Colt 1871-1872 Open Top revolver, 38 spl. 7.5"

[Onmilo]

CraigC,
Npe, you understood incorrectly.
The Army did test the Richards, The Richards Masen, and the 12 cylinder stop notch Richards.
Like I said, they had no interest in a rimfire revolver cartridge.

 

[CraigC]

I don't know where your information comes from but according to Dennis Adler's "Metallic Cartridge Conversions" as well as R.L. Wilson's "The Book of Colt Firearms", the Open Top was "rejected" by the Ordnance Dept. Whether or not that was done with or without testing I do not know but the Open Top was indeed submitted to the military.

PS, it's William Mason, not Masen.

 

[Onmilo]

You just aren't going to let that rimfire cartridge issue settle in your craw are you.
'I have those books and a few others.
By 1872 the Army was done with rimfire cartridges.
The Open top was submitted as a candidate firearm but rejected for the .44 rimfire cartridge it chambered.
Colt offered the gun in a centerfire chambering, examples exist, but by that time, the Army had settled on the S.A.A. type revolver with a solid topstrap and a larger centerfire chambering.

While you are book shopping look for Major Pittmans notes on Military Handguns in the U.S. Services.

Here is some more points to ponder.
Why did Colt make the 1872 revolver in a proprietary .44 Rimfire cartridge?
Why did Colt basically drop the .44 Colt central and rimfire cartridges after the introduction of the Model P?
They did produce the Single Action Army in .44 Henry Flat rimfire in very limited quantities, why not the other two cartridges.
Why was the majority of 1872 production shipped to other markets where the revolvers were eagerly purchased?

Get your thinking cap on, you have some research to do.

 

[BSA1]

I have owned my pair of .44 Colt Open Tops since they first came on the market.
These revolvers shoot both modern .44 Colt and .44 Russian cartridges equally as well.
They are good shooting revolvers but you may notice the spare springs I have in the case.
This is the only real fault I have had with the guns is the springs keep breaking.

Cylinderbolt/trigger spring, ejector spring, and that damned gate spring are the worst offenders.

I finally gave up on the standard flat bolt/trigger springs and installed Cylinder & Slide round wire replacements and they have yet to break again.

About those gate springs,,,

Onmilo,

What is the story of the gun case?

 

[CraigC]

The Open top was submitted as a candidate firearm but rejected for the .44 rimfire cartridge it chambered.

Has nothing to do with the rimfire issue. I'm aware of that. YOU did not make the distinction between it being offered as a candidate and actually being tested, neither does the book. Nor has anything else I've ever read. Including "US Martial Pistols & Revolvers" by Arcadi Gluckman. You simply acted as if you had a nugget in your pocket you did not want to share. Lovely argument over semantics, much obliged. Yes, I always have reading to do, condecension duly noted.

Although Gluckman's book does make note of a Hopkins & Allen XL .38 rimfire revolver being used by the Navy in the mid-late 1870's.

Why did Colt basically drop the .44 Colt central and rimfire cartridges after the introduction of the Model P?

Because the .44Colt was simply a means to an end. It was just the largest cartridge that would physically fit into the 1860/Open Top platform, while still accomodating a heeled bullet large enough to obturate the percussion bore. The Model P was designed from the ground up with one purpose in mind, to get the military contract which demanded a solid frame and .45 caliber centerfire cartridge.

Why did Colt make the 1872 revolver in a proprietary .44 Rimfire cartridge?

They did produce the Single Action Army in .44 Henry Flat rimfire in very limited quantities, why not the other two cartridges.

Because .44 rimfire ammunition was in great supply.


Thank you very much.