Robbins & Lawrence Pepperbox
Robbins & Lawrence · Revolver · Discontinued · 1851
Also known as: Robbins & Lawrence Ring-Trigger Pepperbox, Robbins & Lawrence Pepperbox Pistol, R&L Pepperbox
Overview
The Robbins & Lawrence Pepperbox is a five-shot .28 caliber percussion pepperbox revolver produced in Windsor, Vermont in the early 1850s. Unlike the rotating-barrel pepperboxes common to the era, it used a cluster of five stationary rifled barrels fired in turn by a rotating internal striker, actuated by a ring trigger that self-cocked and dropped the concealed hammer with each pull. The barrel cluster was hinged with a spring latch so it could tip forward for capping, and the forward barrel section unscrewed for loading powder and ball, giving the little pocket pistol an unusually low bore axis for natural pointing.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 340 g (12.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 165 mm (6.50") |
| Barrel Length | 76 mm (2.99") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Double Action Only |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 180 m/s (591 fps) |
| Effective Range | 10 m (11 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Rifled |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Rosewood |
| Finish | Color Case-Hardened Frame With Blued Barrel Cluster |
Calibers
- .28 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .28 cal, .28 percussion, 7.1mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Muzzle-Loaded Percussion Cap And Ball
- Features: Five Stationary Rifled Barrels, Ring Trigger Self-Cocking Action, Concealed Hammer / Rotating Internal Striker, Spring-Latch Barrel Cluster Tips Forward For Capping, Removable Brass Front Bead Sight, De-Cocking Capability
Production
Estimated total produced: 7,000 · Production years: 1851-1854
Approximately 7,000 produced with sequential serial numbering, in both .28 and .31 caliber.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Samuel E. Robbins, Richard S. Lawrence
Discontinued: 1854
Notes
Produced circa 1851-1854; also offered in a larger .31 caliber version. Built on improvements to George Leonard's 1849 patent.
Background
Marketed during the height of Robbins & Lawrence's success as an innovative alternative to the rotating-barrel pepperboxes of the 1840s-50s, the ring-trigger design and stationary rifled barrels made it a compact, easily concealed pocket defense arm popular in the years surrounding the California Gold Rush.