Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Samuel Colt’s first firearms were developed in the 1830s in Paterson, New Jersey under the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company. His initial designs were the Colt First Model Ring Lever rifle and the Colt Second Model Ring Lever rifle, produced from 1837 to 1841. These were the first firearms manufactured by Colt, featuring a unique system where cocking the internal hammer would also rotate the rifle’s cylinder to the next chamber.
While innovative, the Ring Lever rifles suffered from a complex, delicate design that made them prone to failures in the field. However, Colt was able to secure an order for 50 First Model rifles from the U.S. Army for use against the Seminoles in Florida. These performed reasonably well, though issues with spare parts and maintenance plagued them. Endorsements from officers like Lt. Col. Harney helped Colt promote the rifles, though no further major military contracts materialized.
In total, around 200 First Model and 500 Second Model Ring Lever rifles were produced, making them quite rare today. Though the design was flawed, the rifles represented Colt’s first steps in establishing his renowned revolver technology. The later Model 1839 Carbine, a more conventional design, sold better to the military, but Colt’s overall lack of sales still led to the closure of the Paterson factory in 1842.
“Colt Paterson No.1 Ring Lever rifle manufactured by the Patent Arms Mfg. Co. in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1837. The Colt Paterson No. 1 Ring Lever rifle was the first firearm produced by Samuel Colt. Only 200 No. 1 Ring Lever rifles were manufactured. Surviving examples are extremely rare. This rifle, serial no. 73, is illustrated and described in detail on pages 92-95 of “Magnificent Colts, Volume 1″ by R.L. Wilson and Robert Lee. This standard model No.1 Ring Lever rifle has a 32 1/2-inch, .40 caliber, octagon barrel and eight-shot cylinder. The rifle has the frame top strap which identifies it as a No. 1 rifle. The barrel has a dovetail mounted, German silver front sight and a dovetail mounted, blued steel rear sight.”
Lot 1107: Fine Colt Paterson No. 1 Ring Lever Percussion Revolving Rifle. (n.d.-d). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/69/1107/fine-colt-paterson-no-1-ring-lever-percussion-revolving-rifle.
