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1 of ONLY 100 Antique SPRINGFIELD ARMS Co Warner Patent Revolver BELT MODEL ENGRAVED and Pre-CIVIL WAR; COLT LAWSUIT
Guns International #: 102653309 Seller's Inventory #: 233169
Category: Antique Revolvers - Percussion - Handguns - American Revolvers
Seller's Information
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Seller: AncestryGunsLLC
Company: Ancestry Guns LLC
Member Since: 11/3/16
State: Missouri
Zip: 65203
Country: United States
Phone: (314) 707-7373
International Phone: 314-707-7373
Platinum Seller
Number of Active Listings: 1523
Total Number of Listings: 30242
Seller: FFL Dealer
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: Credit Card, Certified Check, Money Order
Description:
1 of ONLY 100 Antique SPRINGFIELD ARMS Co Warner Patent Revolver BELT MODEL
ENGRAVED and Pre-CIVIL WAR; COLT LAWSUIT
Here we present an antique Engraved Springfield Arms Co. Warner Patent Belt Model Percussion Revolver, made circa 1851 in Springfield, Massachusetts. James Warner was granted a patent for this percussion revolver in 1851 while he was working as the chief designer for the Springfield Arms Company. It was with this revolver that Warner had his first conflict with a patent infringement lawsuit in a case brought against him by Samuel Colt and the Colt Patent Firearms Mfg. Company. The end result of the suit was that Warner and Springfield Arms were forced to stop manufacturing percussion revolvers whose mechanisms rotated the cylinder as part of the cocking action of the hammer. At the same time Colt was pursuing Warner and the Springfield Arms Company, he was also pursuing the Massachusetts Arms Company. Colt won that suit as well and Mass Arms temporarily adopted the use of Dr. Edward Maynard’s automatic tape priming system in an attempt to circumvent Colt’s patent protections.
Springfield Arms Company manufacture an estimated 100 of these scarce Warner Patent Belt Model revolvers in 1851 before the firm ceased production after litigation from Colt for patent infringement brought production to an end. Surviving examples of this limited production percussion revolver in any condition are extremely scarce.
Colt’s revolver patent would haunt Warner until its expiration in 1857, limiting the features that could be included in the revolving firearms that he produced both with Springfield Arms and on his own. With the 1857 expiration of the patent, Warner started to produce a small frame, 6-shot percussion revolver that would be his most successful firearm. This 1st Model was a .28 caliber single action revolver with only about 500 examples produced prior to the introduction of the 2nd Model, 1st Variant, also in .28 caliber. It wasn’t until the 2nd Model, 2nd Variant that the .31 caliber was introduced. This final version would be produced through the late 1860s with somewhere around 9,000 guns being produced.
At the end of the Civil War, Warner attempted to move forward manufacturing revolvers with metallic cartridge designs. He introduced a cartridge version of this revolver, but again ran into trouble with another previously held patent. This time it was the Rollin White patent for the bored through cylinder, held by Smith & Wesson. As with the earlier Colt lawsuit, Warner lost a was forced to pay royalties to Smith & Wesson and to mark all revolvers on hand and produced after the conclusion of the suit with the Smith & Wesson patent.
The overall condition is good. Even patina throughout. The action is strong. The bore is dim with good rifling. The walnut grips are solid.
Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.
Barrel is 5 inches.
Caliber: .31 Percussion
Overall condition as seen in photos.
Very Fast. Very Safe. FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE. Delivered directly to your door by express mail!
Guaranteed AUTHENTIC & Includes CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.
ancestryguns
$1800
#233169
Price: $1,800.00
Antique: Yes