Sold Frame

[kBob]

I keep seeing comments to the effect that Remington invented the solid frame revolver and demostrated its superiority over open top Colt revolvers with their 1858 revolver.

I read this on THR BP tonight, for instance.

Is there some reason folks are forgetting the Colt Root Revolver and Revolving rifle of 1855?

Is it Remington snobbery or just folks not knowing?

THere were some 2002 THR posts I believe on the Roots.

The Root revolvers were made in .28 caliber and .31.

I have seen a number of reference list the calbers availble in the 1855 Root rifle as .44 and .56. I seldom see mention of the 10 gauge shotgun.

I wonder how the .31 Root designs compared to the 1849 Colt .31 types.

Anyone do any comparisons with new made replicas?

-Bob Hollingsworth

 

[scrat]

i know there were others and at the same time i know that Remington does not have the right to say they invented it. However what they did do better than everyone else was market it. Im sure if we took the time we can all find a maker of a revolver that used a top strop besides remington and before remington. Same time we will find that they are no longer in business.

 

[pohill]

In A HISTORY OF THE COLT REVOLVER by Haven & Belden they show Colt's Patent #7,613 dated Sept. 3, 1850 which is "a solid-frame heavy revolver, like the Dragoon in appearance, which was never put on the market."

Part of the patent reads: "From the top of the shield-piece projects a strap which extends over the top of the rotating chambered breech and extends to a short distance beyond the front end thereof, and there it is hinged to the rear of the barrel..."

Wonder why it was never marketed?

I'd like a Root replica/repro but the only company that currently makes them is Palmetto and I've heard bad things about their guns.

 

[Tommygunn]

I'd like a Root replica/repro but the only company that currently makes them is Palmetto and I've heard bad things about their guns.

I have one. The wood grip is not as well finished as it could be, and if you look closely the barrel isn't right; the front sight is slightly canted.
It's a sort of funky revolver; it indexes on a disc that sticks out at the rear of the frame. The arbor pulls out to the rear and if you don't align it Juuuuuusst right, it will happily index precisely in between the chambers. There is too much side play in the cylinder for my taste, but it hasn't caused problems shooting it. It is not as accurate as my Uberti 1849 Baby Dragoon.
Originals had an engraving on the cyliner if there was no fluting, and Palmetto hasn't reproduced the engraving.
It is sort of a cool looking revolver.
I probably wouldn't by one again though knowing no that Palmetto isn't as good as Pietta .... ... .. .

 

[Voodoochile]

i know there were others and at the same time i know that Remington does not have the right to say they invented it. However what they did do better than everyone else was market it. Im sure if we took the time we can all find a maker of a revolver that used a top strop besides remington and before remington. Same time we will find that they are no longer in business.

You're right Remington knew how to market his Beals designed piece to the military at a price that Colt would not drop down to & how superior it was, Remington had nearly as many revolvers in soldiers hands as did Colt which is also another factor that helped in the reputation too.

 

[sundance44s]

Sam Colt had a hard time staying in business when he first started out ..He would open then close several times ..Remington is known as Americas oldest gunmaker because , they stayed in the gun business from their start ..Patents were stronger back in the 1800`s than they are today , more a gentlemans contract that ment something ..but even then the Europeans didn`t honor them here . The Europeans were selling drop in conversions in this country before the Rollin and White patent expired .

 

[pohill]

From CIVIL WAR SMALL ARMS OF THE U.S. NAVY AND MARINE CORPS by John D. McAulay:
"The Beals (.36 caliber) was fired 600 times with good results. While the accuracy with the Remington was slightly better than the Colt, the Navy gave the overall superiority to the Colt. A second firing occurred - this time two Old Model 1861 Remingtons were tested. Lieutenant Commander William Mitchell wrote (1862), "I am of the opinion that Beal's is fully equal to that of Colt."
And don't forget the Savage & North and the Whitney: