Revolvers

Weapons, including firearms, have consistently been desired and used throughout the world for wars, safety, and protection. Each of these weapons has their strengths and weaknesses, including that of the modern revolver. The revolver, although invented much later than other firearm models, provided the ability to shoot without the need to reload directly after it was fired. Other weapons required constant reloading, and the time it took to reload a weapon made the user vulnerable to outside attacks Therefore, the use of a multi-barreled weapon would eliminate this reloading period by allowing multiple shots to be fired before the need to add more bullets.

The first revolver created with this design was invented in the late 16^th century in Germany. However, at the time this construction remained bulky and required significant effort to properly operate. Therefore these early revolvers were not distributed widely.

By 1836, the need for an effective revolver was strong, and therefore Samuel Colt stepped up to the challenge. Born American, Samuel was the first to patent a revolver mechanism that far outstripped the 16^th century version. His revolvers were high quality, and easy to use, which resulted in their widespread distribution.

These revolvers were created as "cap and ball" revolvers, which used caps and hammers, similar to that of a single-shot muzzle, to allow for multiple shots to be fired from a single loading. This model was used extensively throughout the American Civil War.

By 1873 Samuel Colt invented the most famous model of revolvers, which is still known today as the "Colt .45". This gun originally was offered with 6 cartridges, 30 calibers, and numerous barrel lengths. Currently, the Colt revolver remains in production, offering numerous other models available for purchase.

Although the past two hundred years has brought a number of advancements, changes, and developments to the original design of the revolver, it's purpose and form remains generally the same as the original version. It continues to be one of the most popular weapons owned by civilians and military persons alike and will continue to reign as the most famous weapon of the past two hundred years.