Cooper Pocket Revolver
Cooper Firearms Manufacturing Co. · Pistol · Discontinued · 1864
Also known as: Cooper Pocket Model, J.M. Cooper Pocket Revolver, Cooper Double Action Pocket Revolver
Overview
The Cooper Pocket Revolver is a .31 caliber double-action percussion revolver produced by Cooper Firearms Manufacturing Co. of Philadelphia and Frankford, Pennsylvania. Introduced during the American Civil War as a direct competitor to the Colt 1849 Pocket, it used an open-top frame and a 5-shot cap-and-ball cylinder loaded from the muzzle with loose powder, ball, and percussion caps. Its defining feature was a double-action lockwork at a time when most American pocket revolvers were single-action, allowing the hammer to be cocked and dropped by a single pull of the trigger. Roughly 15,000 were built, making it an uncommon collector's piece today.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 510 g (18.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Barrel Length | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 200 m/s (656 fps) |
| Effective Range | 18 m (20 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 5 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .31 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .31 cal, .31 percussion, 7.9mm
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Notches
- Features: Open Top Frame, Octagonal Barrel, Double Action Trigger, Muzzle Loading Cylinder
Service history
Operators
- Union Army (private purchase)
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 15,000 · Production years: 1864-1869
Approximately 15,000 produced; the firm operated from circa 1850 in Philadelphia and Frankford, Pennsylvania, with pocket-revolver production concentrated in the mid-to-late 1860s.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: James Maslin Cooper
Discontinued: 1869
Notes
Barrels were marked 'COOPER FIRE ARMS MFG. CO. FRANKFORD PHIA.' and were offered in 4-, 5-, and 6-inch octagonal lengths. The design closely mimicked the lines of the Colt 1849 Pocket but added a double-action mechanism.
Background
Cooper marketed its double-action pocket revolver as a more sophisticated alternative to Samuel Colt's single-action 1849 Pocket, betting that Civil War-era buyers would pay for the faster trigger-cocking action despite the firm's far smaller output.