Kerr's Patent Revolver
London Armoury Company · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1859
Also known as: Kerr revolver, London Armoury Kerr
Overview
Kerr's Patent Revolver was a five-shot single-action percussion revolver designed by James Kerr in 1855 and manufactured by the London Armoury Company from 1859 to 1866. Most were made in .44 caliber (54 bore). Its distinctive feature was a side-mounted hammer on a back-action lockplate identical to those of contemporary percussion rifles, making the action simple and field-repairable without model-specific spares. Roughly 7,500 were run through the Union blockade to the Confederacy, where they were prized as some of the best revolvers the South received.
Specifications
| Overall Length | 311 mm (12.24") |
| Barrel Length | 130 mm (5.12") |
| Action Type | Single Action Revolver |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Rotary |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 70 m (77 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .44 Caliber Ball (54 Bore) · primary — also known as 54 bore, 44 cal round ball, 11.2mm ball
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Features: Five Shot Cylinder, Side Mounted Hammer, Back Action Lock, Loading Lever, Percussion Cap, Field Repairable, Muzzle Loader
Variants
- Kerr's Patent Revolver (.36 / 80 Bore) — Smaller Caliber
Service history
Operators
- Confederate States Army · adopted 1861
- British Army
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 11,000 · Production years: 1859-1866
Approximately 11,000 produced; about 7,500 imported by the Confederacy (serial range ~3000-10000)
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: James Kerr
Discontinued: 1866
Notes
The interchangeable back-action lock was the design's selling point for armies far from gunsmiths. A small number were made in .36 caliber (80 bore). The London Armoury Company became dependent on Confederate sales and dissolved in spring 1866, a year after the war ended.
Background
Confederate officers reportedly rated the London Armoury's Kerr revolvers as the finest sidearms reaching the South, and the firm exported more revolvers to the Confederacy than all Southern revolver makers combined produced at home.