Whitney Pocket Revolver
Whitney Arms Company · Pistol · Discontinued · 1860
Also known as: Whitney New Model Pocket Revolver, Whitney New Pocket Revolver
Overview
The Whitney Pocket Revolver is a .28-caliber, six-shot single-action cap-and-ball percussion revolver produced by the Whitney Arms Company of Whitneyville, Connecticut. Introduced around 1860 as the firm's 'New Model' pocket revolver, it was a compact concealable sidearm built to compete with Samuel Colt's Model 1855 pocket revolvers. Fewer than 2,000 examples are believed to have been made between 1860 and 1867. It featured an octagonal barrel, a brass cone front sight, a top-strap groove rear sight, a casehardened hammer, and varnished walnut grips.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 400 g (14.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 210 mm (8.27") |
| Barrel Length | 89 mm (3.50") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 190 m/s (623 fps) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .28 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .28 cal, .28 percussion, 7.1mm
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Notches
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Brass Cone Front Sight, Top Strap Groove Rear Sight, Loading Lever, Varnished Walnut Grips
Service history
Operators
- American civilian market · adopted 1860
Production
Estimated total produced: 2,000 · Production years: 1860-1867
Fewer than 2,000 .28-caliber New Model pocket revolvers are believed to have been produced.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Eli Whitney Jr.
Discontinued: 1867
Notes
Whitney produced several pocket revolver patterns in .28 and .31 caliber; the .28-caliber New Model is among the scarcer variants. The line was superseded by Whitney's rimfire breechloading pocket revolvers from the early 1870s.
Background
The Whitney Arms Company traced its roots to the Whitneyville Armory founded by cotton-gin inventor Eli Whitney. Under his son Eli Whitney Jr., the firm became a significant 19th-century arms maker, and its compact pocket revolvers competed directly with Colt's small-frame percussion handguns of the same era.