1848 Colt Dragoon Percussion Revolver: Successor to the Walker Revolver.
While Colt's Manufacturing Company in
Hartford, Connecticut was still under contract to the United States
government to produce the Walker Revolver, a new rush order came in to
supply the U.S. Army's Mounted Rifle (USMR) "Dragoon" Troops in Texas
with a new sidearm, before the end of the Mexican-American
War. This resulted in the production of the Colt Holster
Pistols--later named Colt Dragoons by collectors. However, by
the time the new percussion revolvers were shipping, the
Mexican-American War had ended. This does not seem to have
slowed down the success of the Colt Holster Pistol. It was
still produced up until 1860, with around 18,500 of the weapons
made.
Production of these percussion revolvers
for Colt's Manufacturing company was undertaken by Eli
Whitney Jr., son of mechanical genius Eli Whitney--of Cotton Gin
fame. Both the senior and junior Whitneys made
their fair share of contributions to the American industrial
revolution. Production of the new Holster Pistols aka
"Dragoons" started at the Whitneyville factory in Hamden, Connecticut
in 1848.
These Dragoons were the predecessor to the more
famous Army and Navy Colt percussion revolvers that evolved later from
this design. The first Holster Pistols (Dragoons) were based
on the Walker revolver, and had many similar features. The
introduction of the Dragoon also addressed and corrected some of the
more serious flaws of the Walker Revolver by having improved
metallurgy, since some of the old Walkers had been known to explode
from the massive 60-grain powder charge--a very risky business for the
shooter. Among other improvements, the Dragoon had a slightly
shortened 50-grain capacity cylinder and shortened barrel from the
Walker, yet still packed one of the strongest punches available until
well into the next century. The Dragoons are noted for having
engraved scenes and inscriptions on their unfluted cylinders.
There were both Army and Navy models, though strangely even the Navy
models (Model USN) still had engravings of cavalry scenes.
Most of the originals available now have the engravings nearly, if not
completely worn off. Most likely, since the Dragoon was a
cavalry weapon, the only difference between an Army or Navy model
Dragoon would be the inscription. It would be either USMR or
USN.
The Colt Dragoon is directly related to the 1849
Pocket Pistol, also called the Baby Dragoon, or Wells Fargo Pocket
Pistol, a concealable civilian version originating from the same line
of development. Some also refer to the famous pocket pistol
as the Wells Fargo Pistol. Another success story from
Colt. After the Mexican-American War, the Dragoon saw use by
the famed Texas Rangers--another product of the war in Texas-- against
the native Apache and Comanches in those skirmishes. Many
also saw use in the American Civil War.
In those days, revolvers were often issued in pairs, or "braces."
Undergoing several different model development phases, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Model Colts of this period have mixed and matched parts between them, making it difficult to pin down exactly which one a person might have. There are slight variations in the different designs, including square-backed and round trigger guards, oval cylinder stops, and different designs of loading levers and latches. Like almost all firearms production runs in history, improvements were implemented as problems surfaced in the field or from testing. Most of the Colt Dragoons were fitted with barrels that started as octagonal, then tapered to round at the muzzle. There may have been some with full octagonal barrels. 1st and 2nd generation Colt Dragoons had the square-backed trigger guard, while the 3rd generation introduced the round guard.
Unlike the popular and successful 1849 Pocket Pistol (aka Baby Dragoon or Wells Fargo Pocket Revolver), the Colt Dragoon was not so small and concealable. No pocket pistol, it was a massive, raw and powerful firearm, weighing in at around 4 pounds, 14 inches--over a foot--long, and chambered in .44 caliber, and well-suited for truly stopping whoever was unfortunate enough to be on the business end of it's muzzle. Today, the surviving original Colt Dragoons command a very high price on collectors' markets, and are not easy to acquire without a heavy pocketbook. However, there are a number of black powder and non-firing replicas available.
Firearm Type:
Cap and Ball Percussion Revolver, Single Action
Nation Of Manufacture: USA 1848-1860
Military Service Dates : 1849-1860 (also
used at other times)
Variations: Colt Holster Revolver (Colt
Dragoon) Army Model, Navy Model
Ammunition: .44 Caliber
Wars: US Civil War, other conflicts
Recent Prices at Auction for Originals: Up
to U.S. $1 million (depends on condition)
We offer an authentic
replica 1848 Colt Dragoon Revolver in our store.
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