The Colt Six-Shooter

The colt six shooter will always be a legend to Texas.   Whether you know


  it as an accurate, cowboy, Texas Ranger, gun-slinging, out West, corral gun, or


  as a little protection, the colt   will never be forgotten in Texas.  


               


        Sam Colt is known as the inventor of the first revolving firearm. Sam's


  mother died when he was six and his father owned a silk mill in Ware,


  Massachusetts. When Sam Colt was seven, he was fascinated by guns.   He took


  apart his father's gun in a field and was able to successfully rebuild it.  


  Science, adventures of an active life, and mechanics were all the favorite


  passions of young Samuel Colt.


 


        During 1830 - 1831, Sam Colt was abroad at sea.   It was during these


  years that Samuel first conceived the idea of a revolving firearm.   Some think


  it may have come from watching the revolving wheel of the ship, turning and


  locking.   While on board ship,   Sam must have seen other revolving firearms in


  London or   India.   Sam carved a wooden model of his ideal gun while he was at


  sea.   None of what Sam may have previously seen on revolving guns could have


  led to his invention. His ideas were not copied from any source, even though


  the revolving idea was not unique.


 


        When Sam arrived   home from sea, he showed   the   wooden model to his


  father and a family friend.   This friend was Henry Ellsworth, Commissioner of


  the United States Patent   Office.   Both Sam's father and Mr. Ellsworth were


  greatly impressed by the model.   They encouraged Sam to file for a patent for


  his revolving firearm.


 


        On February of the 25, in the year 1835, the first United States patent


  was granted for a colt revolver. The patent that Samuel received covered eight


  basic...