Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! In the late 1800s, René Galand invented a peculiar pocket revolver originally marketed for cyclists to defend against aggressive dogs. Dubbed the “Velo-Dog” by combining the French words for “bicycle” and “dog”, it featured a shrouded hammer for double-action fire only. Many later models lacked a trigger guard entirely, with the trigger folding flush into the frame when not in use. Early Velo-Dogs were chambered in a proprietary 5.75mm cartridge slightly less powerful than .22LR, though .22LR and .25ACP became common options after 1900. The compact size and availability of less-lethal ammunition like pepper cartridges made the Velo-Dog popular for self-defense. As the concept caught on, a cottage gunmaking industry blossomed across Europe, especially in Belgium’s Liège region, producing a vast array of cloned and copied “Velo-Dog” style pocket revolvers up until WWI. Over 90 different manufacturers are known to have made these tiny handguns in that era.
“Manufacturer: European
Model: Double Action
Type: Revolver
Gauge: 22
Barrel: 1 5/8 inch round
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grip: plastic”
Lot 203: Two Velo-Dog Style Double Action Revolvers – A) European Velo-Dog Revolver – B) Belgium “Velo-Dog” Revolver. (n.d.-a). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved April 22, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2085/203/two-velodog-style-double-action-revolvers.
