Original Item: Only One Available. This is an American classic in .44 Rimfire, the cartridge used in the early HENRY Lever Action Rifles! What a punch these must have had!

The story goes that Doc Holiday's part time girlfriend, Big Nose Kate, once drilled some gambler a new belly button with one of these powerful pistols. Using Hammond's "Bulldog" patent, these were made by the Connecticut Arms and Manufacturing Company. Records show production was between 1865 and 1868 and that total production reached fewer than 8,000 units. We originally thought these were produced into the 1870s, however per a historian customer, Connecticut Arms ceased production in 1868 following a mortgage default. This was the result of poor sales, resulting in a large unsold surplus, so the pistols continued to be sold as new through the 1880s, even though they were made over a decade earlier.

The top of the barrel still has relatively clear maker markings:

There are also mostly clear patent markings on the rotating breech:

The pistol is marked on the on the grip frame and on the inside of the left grip scale with matching serial number 3491, indicating it was made towards the middle of production, probably circa 1866. We were not able to see serial numbers on other components, however we do not know if they were usually numbered.

This example is in very good condition, with the original blued finish faded to a gray patina overall, with no major rust present, just a bit of peppering on the bottom of the barrel. The frame has a good amount of the original bluing present. The bore is in very good condition, showing clear lands and grooves and a mostly bright finish. There are some spots of fouling and oxidation, as expected on a black powder era pistol, but it is definitely a lot better than most examples we see. The original "gutta percha" composite grips are in lovely condition, with strong checkering and a slightly faded color on the exterior. The left grip does have a repaired crack on the front toe, which was well executed.

The chamber on these pistols is opened by setting the hammer at half cock and pressing the small stud sight on the top of the frame directly behind the hammer. The breech can then be rotated left to extract the spent cartridge and load a fresh one. This example is fully functional, with the sight releasing the breech, which rotates down and actuates the ejector correctly to present and snap back when the breech is fully opened. The only issue we noted is that the firing pin spring is missing or broken, so it may need to be manually retracted to open the breech.

Really one of the better examples we have seen of these. Ready to display!

Specifications: 

Years of Manufacture: 1865-1868
Caliber: .44 Henry
Ammunition Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Overall Length: 8 inches
Action: Exposed Hammer
Feed System: Swivel Breech Single Shot

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.