Just some old Colt's

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The sidehammer was a Colt Roots' revolver, designed by Elijah Roots.
There is a photo of George Armstrong Custer fresh out of West Point holding a Roots revolver -- probably a stdio photographer's prop, since Custer was not known to carry this weapon.
 
I've long wished that the Italians would make a repro Root sidehammer.
 
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Berkley, the did till recently, by Palmetto Arms out of Italy (I think Dixie Gunworks still advertizes them). They come up on GB occasionally, I think the last one went for about $550.00. In the history books they were called "The Wheel of Misfortune" by those that had to use them, chain firing was a common problem.
 
I've long wished that the Italians would make a repro Root sidehammer.
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As sltm1 said, they were made by Palmetto. I have one. Don't regret having missed out; they are expensive and unfortunatly, they are just not well made.
Mine is tricky to reassemble due to the wierd way the cylinder arbor is removed and is indexed --- unlike normal Colts, the cylinder has no bolt stops milled into it. The ARBOR is what indexes. The bolt comes up from the rear, under the hammer, and if you put the arbor in wrong it indexes halfway in between the chambers.
 
they were called "The Wheel of Misfortune" by those that had to use them, chain firing was a common problem.
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If your roundballs shave lead and you have properly fitting caps, I wonder why chain fires would be any more of a problem with a long arm than with a handgun?
 
If your roundballs shave lead and you have properly fitting caps, I wonder why chain fires would be any more of a problem with a long arm than with a handgun?
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If you hold the carbine/rifle correctly with the left hand under the trigger guard there isn't a problem, but if you hold it in a convetional manner with your hand up where a forearm would be, and in front of the cylinder... :uhoh:

When shooting a revolver your left hand shouldn't be in front of the cylinder, but this is far less likely to happen.
 
The Colt 1855 model was originally made in both 10 & 20 gauge as a shotgun, in calibers as diverse as .36 & .56 as a carbine, and in .28 & .31 caliber as a revolving pistol.
There are some photos of the Colt Model 1855 in this thread:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=279291&highlight=root

About the significance of the Charter Oak:
The Charter Oak was an unusually large white oak tree growing, from around the 12th or 13th century until 1856, on what the English colonists named Wyllys Hyll, in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Its name derives from its importance as a legendary symbol of American independence (specifically, autonomy from England) from the story of how Connecticut's constitutional charter had been hidden within the hollow of the tree to thwart royal-ordered confiscation by English authority. This document is what earned Connecticut its nickname as the Constitution State, and the Charter Oak is commemorated on the Connecticut State Quarter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_Oak
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