Colt Paterson No. 2 Pocket Model
Patent Arms Manufacturing Company · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1837
Also known as: Paterson No. 2, Paterson Belt Model No. 2, Colt Model 1836 Pocket, .31 Paterson
Overview
The Colt Paterson No. 2 Pocket Model is a single-action, five-shot percussion revolver, one of the smaller members of the Colt Paterson family built by the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company in Paterson, New Jersey. Chambered in .31 caliber cap-and-ball, it used a medium-size frame with a straight grip, an octagonal barrel, and Samuel Colt's signature folding trigger that dropped down only when the hammer was cocked. Like all early Patersons it was originally supplied without an attached loading lever, the powder and ball being seated with a separate tool.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 570 g (20.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 229 mm (9.02") |
| Barrel Length | 102 mm (4.02") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 200 m/s (656 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 60 J (44 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 11 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .31 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .31 cal, .31 percussion, .31 ball, 7.9mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Revolving Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Pins Between Nipples
- Features: Revolving Cylinder, Folding Trigger, Single Action Only, Percussion Cap Ignition, Octagonal Barrel
Base model
Service history
Operators
- United States (frontier civilians)
- Republic of Texas
Conflicts
- Comanche Wars (1836-1875)
Production
Estimated total produced: 400 · Production years: 1837-1840
Approximately 400 No. 2 revolvers were made, serial numbered 1 through 850 (a range shared with the No. 2 Belt Model). Total Paterson production across all models was roughly 2,350 revolving pistols before the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company went bankrupt in 1842, plus several hundred more assembled from parts by creditor John Ehlers.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Samuel Colt
Discontinued: 1840
Notes
Colt Paterson model numbering is inconsistent in period and collector sources; the .31 No. 2 is variously catalogued as a 'Pocket' or 'Belt' model, sitting between the .28 No. 1 (Baby Paterson) and the .36 No. 5 (Texas) holster model. Octagonal barrels were offered in lengths from roughly 2.5 to 6 inches; a 4-inch barrel is representative. Only a few hundred were made before the company failed in 1842.
Background
The compact .31 Patersons were the affordable, concealable end of Colt's first revolver line, but the company's commercial failure meant it was the larger .36 Texas Paterson that earned the design its reputation on the frontier, paving the way for the later Walker and Dragoon revolvers.