Frank Wesson Medium Frame Pocket Rifle
Frank Wesson · Rifle · Discontinued · 1870
Also known as: Frank Wesson Model 1870 Pocket Rifle, Frank Wesson Sportsman's Jewel, Frank Wesson Medium Frame Single Shot Pocket Rifle
Overview
The Frank Wesson Medium Frame Pocket Rifle is a single-shot, rimfire pocket rifle built on a pistol-sized frame and chambered for the .22 rimfire family of cartridges. Patented in 1870 and produced in Worcester, Massachusetts, it uses a rotating-barrel breech action: with the hammer drawn back slightly and a side safety pushed in, a button beneath the action releases the long octagonal barrel to swing aside for loading. A dovetail at the base of the grip accepts a detachable skeletal shoulder stock that converts the compact handgun into a light carbine, and a folding rear peep sight made it a popular small-game and target arm marketed as the 'Sportsman's Jewel.'
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 510 g (18.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 464 mm (18.27") |
| Barrel Length | 381 mm (15.00") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 329 m/s (1079 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 102 J (75 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Iron |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Nickel Plated |
Calibers
- .22 Short · primary — also known as .22 Short, .22 Rimfire, .22 RF
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch, Manual Safety
- Features: Rotating Barrel, Single Shot, Octagonal Barrel, Detachable Shoulder Stock, Peep Sight, Spur Trigger
Service history
Operators
- Civilian market
Production
Estimated total produced: 5,000 · Production years: 1870-1899
The medium frame .22 Model 1870 pocket rifle is reported as roughly 1 of 5,000 produced; exact figures are not well documented.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Frank Wesson
Discontinued: 1899
Notes
Offered with barrel lengths from roughly 10 to 22 inches in both .22 and .32 rimfire; the medium frame .22 examples typically carried a 15-inch octagonal barrel. Barrels are marked 'FRANK WESSON WORCESTER MASS. PATENTED MAY 31.1870.'
Background
Frank Wesson, younger brother of Daniel B. Wesson of Smith & Wesson, ran his own firearms shop in Worcester, Massachusetts and was best known for single-shot rifles and these convertible 'pocket rifles' that bridged the gap between handgun and carbine for sportsmen of the 1870s.