Pettengill Army Revolver
Rogers, Spencer & Co. · Pistol · Discontinued · 1862
Also known as: Pettengill Army Model, Pettengill Self-Cocking Revolver, Pettengill Hammerless Revolver
Overview
The Pettengill Army Revolver is a .44 caliber cap-and-ball percussion revolver and the only hammerless revolver issued during the American Civil War. Built around a fully enclosed internal hammer and a double-action-only mechanism, it fired a six-shot unfluted cylinder through a 7.5-inch octagonal barrel. The U.S. government contracted for the revolver in 1862, but blackpowder fouling repeatedly jammed its complex internal action, and nearly all examples were withdrawn from service within a year.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1360 g (48.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 356 mm (14.02") |
| Barrel Length | 191 mm (7.52") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Double Action Only |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 270 m/s (886 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 340 J (251 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .44 Caliber Percussion · primary — also known as .44 cal, .454 round ball, .44 ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Features: Internal Hammer, Octagonal Barrel, Six Shot Unfluted Cylinder, Self Cocking Double Action
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1862
- 3rd Michigan Cavalry · adopted 1862
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 3,400 · Production years: 1862-1863
Approximately 3,400 Army Model revolvers produced. Original 1861 U.S. order of 5,000 units at $20 each was reduced to 2,000, delivered October 1862 to January 1863.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Charles S. Pettengill
Discontinued: 1863
Notes
More than 15 percent of contract guns were rejected by government inspectors. The intricate hammerless lockwork that distinguished the design proved its undoing, as powder residue seized the mechanism in field use.
Background
Patented by Charles S. Pettengill in 1856 with later improvements by Charles Robitaille and Edward A. Raymond, the revolver was manufactured by Rogers, Spencer & Co. of Willowvale, New York. The 3rd Michigan Cavalry received 500 of them, about a quarter of total production, making it the largest single user.