Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a real mystery as its origin and maker are unknown, except that it bears proof marks from Birmingham, England. It is an early double action design centerfire cartridge revolver, which has disassembly required to load and reload the cylinder. The lever on the front under the barrel needs to be lowered to allow barrel to be removed for access to the cylinder. The only markings are a letter "F" on the front of the cylinder and the CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS proof of Birmingham, England, a major gunmaking city in the country, second only to London at the time. These proofs are seen on the side of every chamber on the cylinder, as well as twice on the underside of the barrel, which have the V "Viewed" and BPC Birmingham Gun Company abbreviations.
We removed the grips, and there were no markings there as well, so this appears to be some type of prototype or experimental revolver being developed, with the loading system of Colt percussion revolvers as an inspiration. There is no caliber marking that we could find on the revolver, but the bore measures about .440" land to land at both the muzzle and the breech end, with the cylinder chambers measuring about .442" at the muzzle and .485" at the breech ends. The cylinder is only 1.12 inches long, which is too long for both .476 Enfield or .455 Webley, so we assume this is for .442 Webley, or possibly the later .45 Adams.
The revolver features nicely checkered walnut grips, which look to have shrunken a bit, and the frame looks to originally have been blued, now faded to a worn plum and gray patina. It functions well in both single and double action, indexing correctly with a stiff trigger action. However the design involves a cylinder lock on the very edge of the cylinder, which is missing, so it can rotate even when the revolver is at full cock. We checked the bore, and it is in very good condition considering the age, showing 5 groove rifling with a partly bright finish. There is some oxidation and wear, so the revolver definitely did see some level of use.
Estimated to date from the early 1870's, this revolver is most unusual and clearly a design very quickly obsoleted hence the rarity. Ready to research and display!
Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: circa 1870
Caliber: .442 or .45 Boxer
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Overall Length: 11 1/2 inches
Barrel Length: 6 1/4 inches
Action: External Hammer Double/Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver
- This product is not available for shipping in US state(s): New Jersey
This product is not available for international shipping.
IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to most US States and most U.S. territories.
These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.
Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to most addresses within the United States.
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