Antique Smith & Wesson CIVIL WAR No. 1 .22 RF Revolver WILD WEST 2nd Issue S&W’s ROLLIN WHITE “Bored Through Cylinder” Patent

Description:
Antique Smith & Wesson CIVIL WAR No. 1 .22 RF Revolver WILD WEST 2nd Issue

S&W’s ROLLIN WHITE “Bored Through Cylinder” Patent

Here Ancestry Guns presents an antique Smith & Wesson Model No. 1, Second Issue Revolver, manufactured circa 1862-63 with a production run between 1860 to 1868 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Smith & Wesson manufactured approximately 115,000 of these revolvers between 1860 and 1868. Serial numbers started around 11000 where the 1st Issue left off and continued to 126400. The No. 1 was Smith & Wesson’s first metallic cartridge firearm. It utilized the idea of the “bored through cylinder”, which was patented by Rollin White and subsequently exclusively licensed by Smith & Wesson.

This concept has forever changed revolving firearms design, and is the same idea used in revolvers today. S&W, via Rollin White himself, aggressively sued any patent infringers and were able to hold their monopoly on the American market for cartridge revolvers from about 1857 to 1870, whereupon their patent expired. The results were a very profitable business, a broke Rollin White, and a grudging U.S. Chief of Ordnance Alexander Dyer, who was still angry in 1870 about not being able to use the technology during the Civil War. The U.S. government ended up giving Colt their contracts since they valued the larger .44 caliber in the Colt 1860 Armies over the .32 caliber full sized No. 2 Armies.

The overall condition is nearing fine. Much of the original finishes and patinas are preserved. The action functions when the trigger is manually set, otherwise the hammer will not seat in the cock position on its own due to a weak spring. Bright, nicely rifling bore. Markings are legible. The butt is drilled and tapped. The barrel latch has a weak hold. Both grips are good with expected handling wear.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 3-13/16 inches.

Caliber:  .22 Short Rimfire

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$1150

#261003
 

Antique: Yes

Price: $1,150.00
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