G-MAN Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 On this day in 1836 Samuel Colt was issued a patent for his revolving cylinder handgun, what would become the "Patterson" Colt revolver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryinIN Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 Very cool. Too bad he didn't live to see the SAA it evolved into (eventually), which is perhaps the most famous revolver with his name on it. As I recall, he died rather young- under 50, I think. As his Senior thesis at Stanford, Jeff Cooper wrote "Sam Colt, the Progressive Industrialist". It told how Sam Colt changed manufacturing methods everywhere, a fact lost in history. I think I'll read that today in honor of the patent anniversary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryinIN Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 As I recall, he died rather young- under 50, I think. I just read Col Cooper's paper. Yes, Sam Colt was 48 when he died in 1862.That also means he was only 22 years old when he got this patent. Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trapper Posted February 26, 2011 Report Share Posted February 26, 2011 The American Rifleman did an article on the Pattersons and Sam Colt, while a mechanical whizkid, was not the sharpest tool in the box when it came to business. The first Colt gun shop went bust and there were not many of the Pattersons made by comparison to later models. The main creditors actually finished the last of the Pattersons and sold them for cheap. The Walker model was his first huge success which was named after Colonel Walker of Texas Ranger fame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryinIN Posted February 26, 2011 Report Share Posted February 26, 2011 I've heard varying stories as to his business acumen. One thing Cooper pointed out in his thesis was that while his early ventures were financial failures, he had very little control over the actual operations because the gun manufacturing was contracted out. The Walkers were also a money loser, but made in Whitneyville CT by the company ran by Eli Whitney Jr, for example. He argues that in addition to having the sense to retain all rights to his design and patents, "the Hartford armory must be regarded as the best example of his manufacturing policies". The Hartford armory started up by Sam Colt in 1848, only 14 years before he died. I don't know, but I can see the points. Sam Colt did die a very wealthy man, leaving an estate valued at just under 5 million 1862 dollars (maybe 120 million now?) which is not bad for starting a factory from scratch and operating it for only 14 years. I doubt that the current Colt's Firearm company has done so well in the past 14 years, with an existing facility. OK, bad example! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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