Colt 1861 Navy (foreground) and 1860 Army (background) "File:Coltnewmodles.jpg" by Michael E. Cumpston is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Few firearms have shaped American history like the Colt 1851 Navy and the Colt 1860 Army revolvers. Designed by Samuel Colt, these two cap-and-ball revolvers were not only some of the most widely used handguns of the mid-19th century...
The 1855 Colt New Model Revolving Rifle
The mid-19th century was a period of rapid innovation in firearms technology, and few weapons exemplify both the ambition and limitations of that era quite like the Colt New Model Revolving Rifle. Developed by Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company, this firearm sought to extend the revolver's rapid-fire capabilities to a rifle platform. While it offered...
The Colt Lightning: The Pump-Action Rifle That Challenged Winchester’s Dominance
Few firearms in history have left as unique a mark as the Colt Lightning rifle. Introduced in 1884 by Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, this pump-action repeater was a radical departure from Colt’s revolver-dominated lineup. It was designed to compete directly with Winchester’s immensely popular lever-action rifles, offering a faster rate of fire with...
The Dance Brothers Revolver: A Testament to Texas Craftsmanship and Confederate Resolve
In the annals of American firearms history, few weapons embody the resilience and ingenuity of Southern gunsmithing during the Civil War as profoundly as the Dance Brothers revolver. Manufactured in Texas by the Dance family, these rare and distinctive six-shooters served as a crucial alternative to Colt revolvers at a time when the Confederacy was...