04 American Colt Army Revolver 1848 Model (“Colt Dragoon“)

Fotogalerie

A single-action percussion revolver. Barrel 7 1/2 inches, seven right-hand grooves, cylindrical in the front, square in the rear. The barrel is marked „ADDRESS SAM’L COLT NEW YORK CITY“ on the top, „COLT’S/PATENT/U.S.“ on the frame from the left.
A cylinder with six chambers, plain, decorated with an engraving of a cavalry battle with Indians. Marked „U.S. DRAGOONS, COLT’S PATENT, W.L.Ormsby Sc.N.Y.“ (engraver’s name), on the handle frame „HYDE & GOODRICH“ (New Orleans sales firm 1853−1861). The trigger guard and the handle frame are silvered and decorated with engraving of floral ornaments; the surface is blackened (probably non-original).
It was the first revolver model produced in Colt’s own factory in Hartford. Although the Colt Dragoon was 200 grams lighter than previous Colt revolvers made in Whitneville, its weight was still considerable and the owner usually placed it in a saddle holster on horseback. The revolver was introduced as a service weapon in the U.S. Army Cavalry (about 8,000 in total), with other examples serving in militia units in some U.S. states or sold on the commercial market. Although more modern designs were later produced, the Colt Dragoon continued to serve during the American Civil War (1861–1865) and was popular in the American West long after single-shot revolvers came into use. It was also used by some pony express riders and stagecoach drivers.

Length 375 mm, barrel length 190 mm, calibre .44, weight 1,870 g.