The Revolver was the iconic weapon of the “Wild West,” but more importantly it revolutionized the small arms industry.  Prior to the invention of the revolver, guns were single-use weapons that were cumbrous and time consuming to reload.  The revolver allowed for 6 shots to be fired and reloaded with relative ease.  Samuel Colt is a name synonymous with the revolver.

On this day, February 25th, in 1836, Samuel Colt obtains a U.S. patent for the “revolving gun,” which would later take on the name, Colt Revolver.  Colt’s 1836 gun design was not perfect, but was improved greatly in the next decade.  Samuel Colt began to manufacture his patented pistol and the military quickly realized the effectiveness of the weapon.  Colt began to manufacture different revolver models and by the 1850s, the Colt revolver was a standard weapon for the military and public alike.

The Colt Revolver left a large mark on the 19th century.  Colt Revolvers were used for protection, to settle disputes, in war, and in westward expansion.  The Colt name prestigiously represented power, accuracy and speed for more than a century.  The revolver is still used today, although less frequently, by law enforcement and military.