Original Item: Only One Available. The Tranter revolver was a double-action cap & ball revolver invented around 1856 by English firearms designer William Tranter (1816-1890). Originally operated with a special dual-trigger mechanism (one to rotate the cylinder and cock the gun, a second to fire it) later models employed a single-trigger mechanism much the same as that found in the contemporary Beaumont-Adams revolver.

Early Tranter revolvers were generally versions of the various Robert Adams-designed revolver models, of which Tranter had produced in excess of 8000 revolvers by 1853. The first model of his own design used the frame of an Adams-type revolver, with a modification in the mechanism which he had jointly developed with James Kerr. The first model was sold under the name Tranter-Adams-Kerr.

Design and operation:
The Tranter revolver was a "solid-frame" design, very similar in appearance to the Beaumont-Adams revolver. Over the course of the the models Tranter developed, the only significant change was to the attachment of the ramrod- In the first model it was detachable, on the second model it was attached to the frame by a hook on the fixed barrel, and in the fourth model (1856) it was attached to the barrel by a screw.

The 4th Model Tranter revolvers introduced in 1856 used a single trigger, and had what would today be called a conventional “double action” lock work. All of these revolver patterns were produced in a variety of calibers, with 54-Bore (.442) “Holster Size” and 120-Bore (.338) “Pocket Size” revolvers being the most commonly encountered calibers and frame sizes, and the mid-sized 80-Bore (.387) “Belt Size” being less often encountered.

The American Civil War:
With the beginning of the American Civil War, the demands for foreign weapons in the Confederate States of America increased, as the Confederacy no longer had access to the weapons factories in the North and had almost no local small-arms manufacturing capability of their own. At the outbreak of the war, Tranter had a contract with the importing firm Hyde & Goodrich in New Orleans to import and distribute his revolvers commercially. Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Hyde and Goodrich dissolved their partnership, and its successors, Thomas, Griswold & Company, and A. B. Griswold & Company, continued to distribute Tranter's guns.

As a reliable, functional, and proven design, Tranter revolvers soon enjoyed a great popularity among the Confederate military. The Tranter was originally produced in six calibres, with .36, .44, and .50 being the most popular, with Tranter developed an Army model (.44 calibre) and a Navy model (.36 calibre) for the American market.

Serial Number Ranges:
Dating Tranter revolvers based upon their serial numbers can be difficult, as frames could be made in advance, and often no detailed factory records were kept. What is known is that the “T” serial number suffix came into use around serial number 2200, sometime between 1854 and 1856, and that all of the "4th Model" examples, introduced in 1856, were in this T-suffix series. From extant examples of Tranter’s with specific dates associated with them, it appears that those Tranter revolvers with serial numbers under about 20,000 (and possibly some of the early guns in the 20,XXX range) with T suffixes were produced prior to the end of 1865.

This lovely patinated example is marked with serial N'r 16969. T., so it was definitely produced well before the end of the U.S. Civil War. It is also quite close to known Confederate Tranter revolvers 15,465 and 15,476, which appear on the "Pratt Roll" from Company H of the 18th Virginia Cavalry, from July of 1864. That means there is a very good chance that this revolver was used or at least acquired for Confederate forces during the Civil war. Like many weapons sent clandestinely, it is minimally marked, with only the serial number and TRANTER'S / PATENT marked on the left side of the frame and on the loading rammer. The cylinder also has the CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V "viewed" marks from the city of Birmingham stamped next to the cap nipple cones. It was usually intended that the retailer or importer would mark the top strap, but that did not happen on this example, so it may have been sent directly into service.

Condition of the revolver is very nice, showing a lovely aged patina on the metalwork, with some staining and light peppering in places. The Beaumont Style ramrod is present and fully functional, something we do not often see. The checkered wooden grip is in great shape, showing minimal wear to the checkered texture. There does look like there may be a crack on the right side, as there is a sudden dip in the level of the surface near the front.

Functionally, the revolver works great, with good indexing, a firm cylinder lockup, and a crisp dry fire. We did not notice any of the finicky behavior we often see on revolvers of this age. The cylinder arbor pin is easily removed, allowing removal of the cylinder for cleaning. The only issue to note is that the "safety" on the right side of the frame to the rear of the cylinder moves freely, so it does not lock in place at all. We checked the bore, and it is in very good condition, with a partly bright finish and strong lands and grooves. There is some oxidation and fouling, but for a black powder percussion revolver, it's definitely a great example.

A very nice example of a possible Confederate linked British Imported Revolver. Ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1863-1864
Caliber: 54-bore (.442")
Ammunition Type: Cap & Ball
Barrel Length: 6 inches
Overall Length: 12 inches
Action: Double Action Only
Feed System: 5 Shot Revolver

After the American Civil War, production continued of the Tranter percussion revolver (despite the increasingly availability of cartridge-firing designs) because many people thought percussion firearms were safer and cheaper than the "new-fangled" cartridge-based designs of the time. In 1863, Tranter secured the patent for rimfire cartridges in England, and started production using the same frame as his existing models. As early as 1868, Tranter had also begun the manufacture of centrefire cartridge revolvers.

By 1867, his company expanded its production with a new factory in Aston Cross (England) under the name "The Tranter Gun and Pistol Factory" and, in 1878, he received a contract from the British Army for the supply of revolvers for use in the Zulu War. This was the last official use of Tranter revolvers by the British military, and Tranter retired in 1885, with his patent rights -Between 1849 and 1888 Tranter secured 24 patents firearms design patents and 19 cartridge patents- as well as the Tranter factory later being acquired by munitions manufacturer George Kynoch.

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