Pond Pocket Revolver
Lucius W. Pond · Pistol · Discontinued · 1863
Also known as: Pond Separate Chamber Revolver, Lucius W. Pond Pocket Revolver, Pond Front-Loading Revolver
Overview
The Pond Pocket Revolver is a single-action, spur-trigger rimfire revolver designed by Lucius W. Pond of Worcester, Massachusetts, during the American Civil War. To circumvent the Rollin White bored-through-cylinder patent held by Smith & Wesson, Pond chambered the cartridges in removable steel chamber inserts that were loaded from the front of the cylinder, allowing a percussion-style frame to fire self-contained metallic rounds. The .22-caliber pocket model featured a tip-up octagonal barrel, a seven-shot cylinder, a silver-plated brass frame, and two-piece wood grips.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 280 g (9.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 175 mm (6.89") |
| Barrel Length | 89 mm (3.50") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 300 m/s (984 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 85 J (63 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 15 m (16 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Brass |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Silver Plated |
Calibers
- .22 Short · primary — also known as .22 Short
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Cylinder
- Features: Spur Trigger, Octagonal Barrel, Tip Up Barrel, Removable Steel Chambers, Front Loading Cylinder
Service history
Operators
- Union Army (private purchase) · adopted 1863
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 2,000 · Production years: 1863-1870
Approximately 2,000 produced in .22 caliber; about 5,000 additional made in .32 rimfire.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Lucius W. Pond
Discontinued: 1870
Notes
Smith & Wesson successfully sued Pond for patent infringement; surviving Pond revolvers are often marked with the Smith & Wesson stamp, indicating guns S&W seized and re-sold after the litigation. A larger .32 rimfire belt/pocket model was produced in greater numbers (approximately 5,000).
Background
Pond's removable-chamber design was one of many ingenious workarounds American gunmakers devised to evade Smith & Wesson's lucrative bored-through-cylinder monopoly during the Civil War; the gamble failed in court, and S&W marked and re-sold the confiscated revolvers as its own.