New Model Army, double action: length of pistol, 12½ inches; length of barrel, 7½ inches; weight of pistol with 7½-inch barrel, 2 lbs. 7 oz.; calibre, .45 inch; six-shot. Made with barrels of any length, and for the U.S. regulation cartridge, or the .44-calibre magazine rifle-cartridge. Revolvers taking the latter cartridge are known as the Frontier model.
New Model, .41, double-action weight; central fire; calibre, .41; six-shot. Length of barrels, 4½, 5, and 6 inches.
New Model, .38, double action; central fire; calibre, .38; six-shot. Length of barrels, 2½, 3½, 6, and 7 inches.
New Police, .38, single action; central fire; calibre, .38; six-shot. Length of barrels, 4½, 5, and 6 inches.
New target-revolver, in .38 and .32 calibre, made in the Army model frame.
Pocket-revolvers, in calibres .22, .30, .32, .38, and .41, with 2-inch barrels.
The above models, we believe, represent the various models made at the Colt’s armory at the time of writing, but there will be found in use many Colt’s revolvers made up differently than those mentioned. There are thousands of the old model Army and Navy revolvers in existence to-day which load at the muzzle of the cylinder, also the .38 calibre. Many of these have been altered to breech-loaders, to shoot the central-fire cartridges, and are accurate and fine shooting arms. There are also in use, in the old and new models, Colt’s revolvers with various lengths of barrels and odd calibres, to suit the whims and fancies of individuals requiring a revolver for a particular kind of work; revolvers in single action of various calibres, without a trigger, and fired by drawing back the hammer with the thumb, and releasing it as well as by pressing back the hammer with the left hand, and releasing it with the object of discharging the arm more rapidly than it could by checking the revolver; Army and Frontier models with very short barrels, for parties desiring the most powerful revolver made in the most compact form, suitable for short range only, and sacrificing accuracy. These special revolvers will be referred to later under another department, and the present chapter devoted to the standard models of the Colt’s revolver manufactured to-day. The Colt’s revolvers differ from those previously described in the following points, viz.:—
The hand, or finger, or pawl, which revolves the cylinder, has two points, one above the other. The upper engages the ratchet of the cylinder when the revolution begins. But before the necessary sixth of a revolution could be made, as the pawl moves in a plane, and the ratchet tooth in the arc of a circle whose plane is perpendicular to the pawl’s plane of motion, the pawl would lose its hold on the tooth, and the revolution of the cylinder would stop. To prevent this, the second point is added, and just as the first point will disengage from the ratchet, the second or lower point engages another tooth of the ratchet and completes the revolution. By this arrangement the pawl actuates a larger ratchet than it could otherwise, and therefore exerts more force upon the cylinder, by acting upon a longer lever-arm. This permits a smaller-sized cylinder for the same diameter of ratchet.
The cylinder has a bushing, which projects in front of it, and gives three surfaces upon which the cylinder revolves, thus diminishing the chance of sticking from dirt or rust, and also giving a very small axis upon which to revolve, decreasing the moment of friction.
When the ejector is used it springs back to its place and is ready for use again, avoiding the necessity of putting it back.