Videos tagged with Colt 1855

The 1855 Colt revolving shotgun is a unique 10-gauge firearm featuring a five-shot cylinder and a distinctive rack and pinion lever system for cycling. Its side hammer design and the placement of ratchets on the axis pin are notable mechanical features. However, the design suffered from a significant cylinder gap issue, posing a risk of dangerous chain fires despite attempts to mitigate it.

This video from C&Rsenal delves into the history and details of the Colt 1855 New Model Pocket "Root" revolver. It highlights the significance of this firearm and provides links to supporting merchandise, Patreon, and other content creators like Rock Island Auction Company. The description also lists several books for further reading on Colt revolvers and firearms history, as well as acknowledging contributors for ammunition data and animations. This episode continues C&Rsenal's bi-weekly presentation of in-depth small arms history.

This video tests a rare .36 caliber Colt Model 1855 Revolving Rifle, highlighting its historical significance as the first repeating firearm adopted by the US military. It details safety concerns like chain fire and gas splatter, emphasizing proper hand placement. The test also reveals issues with modern percussion caps not sealing properly on British-proofed nipples, causing 'spackling'.

This video showcases a heavily modified Colt 1855 revolving shotgun converted into a 10-gauge pistol, weighing 6.5 pounds and featuring a shortened 12-inch barrel. The host compares its immense size to a Colt Walker, highlighting the extreme nature of this functional, custom firearm. Modifications include a bent backstrap, custom grips, and a trigger guard extension, demonstrating significant gunsmithing effort.

This prototype Colt Sidehammer 'Root' Dragoon represents an experimental design path Colt explored, blending features of the 1855 Sidehammer and 1848 Dragoon. It showcases a robust solid frame, a unique side-mounted hammer, and Elijah Root's patented 'creeping' loading lever with enhanced leverage. Though similar in size to the Dragoon, it was ultimately not chosen over scaling up the 1851 Navy design for the 1860 Army.

The Colt 1855 Revolving Shotgun, designed by Elisha Root, featured innovative mechanics like a side-hammer and a unique creeping ramrod for easier loading of large charges. Its cylinder axis pin housed the rotation ratchets and stop notches, allowing for smoother cylinder faces and easier removal. Colt avoided chamber shields to prevent sparks from reflecting back, mitigating chain fire risks.