Colt M1889
Encyclopedia
The Colt Model 1889 was a revolver type pistol produced by the Colt Manufacturing Company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
and Carl J. Ehbets. William Mason left Colt in 1882 to work for Winchester, but Ehbets remained at Colt, and continued to refine the design that they had collaborated on. These refinements led to the Model 1889.
Colt was the first manufacturer to produce a revolver using a swing-out cylinder. Smith & Wesson followed suit 7 years later with the Hand Ejector, Model 1896 in .32 S&W Long caliber. This was an improvement over the Colt 1889 design in that it used a combined center-pin and ejector rod to lock the cylinder in position. The 1889 did not use a center pin and was prone to move out of alignment.
that was manufactured using a swing-out cylinder. This design had two advantages over previous designs, in that it allowed for fast loading but also maintained the strength of a solid frame. The Model 1889 was chambered for the .41 Long Colt
, .38 Long Colt
and .38 Short Colt
cartridges.
The Navy version was blued, and had a six inch barrel. It was manufactured with walnut grips. Civilian versions had either a blue or nickel finish, and had hard rubber grips.
The Model 1889 differed from earlier Colt revolvers in that its cylinder rotated counterclockwise instead of clockwise. This seems to have originated with U.S. Navy requirements, but the direction of rotation works against the cylinder lock and tends to force the cylinder out of alignment with the barrel. This weakness allowed the cylinder to rotate while holstered or even while the shooter was pulling the trigger. For this reason, the M1889 was replaced by the Colt M1892
Army & Navy revolver.
A Model 1889 revolver was recovered from the USS Maine
after it exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898. It was presented to then Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, who would later become President of the United States. Roosevelt brandished this pistol to rally his Rough Riders during the famed charge up San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898. This revolver was on display at Sagamore Hill and was stolen from there in 1963, recovered and then stolen again in 1990. It was recovered in 2006 and returned to Sagamore Hill on June 14, 2006.
Samuel Colt
's son, Caldwell, and famed lawman Heck Thomas
were both known to carry the Model 1889.
History
In the mid 19th century, Colt manufactured revolving pistols for the Army and Navy that were based on a design by William MasonWilliam Mason (Colt)
William Mason was an engineer and inventor who worked for Remington Arms, Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, and Winchester Repeating Arms Company in the 19th century.-Remington:...
and Carl J. Ehbets. William Mason left Colt in 1882 to work for Winchester, but Ehbets remained at Colt, and continued to refine the design that they had collaborated on. These refinements led to the Model 1889.
Colt was the first manufacturer to produce a revolver using a swing-out cylinder. Smith & Wesson followed suit 7 years later with the Hand Ejector, Model 1896 in .32 S&W Long caliber. This was an improvement over the Colt 1889 design in that it used a combined center-pin and ejector rod to lock the cylinder in position. The 1889 did not use a center pin and was prone to move out of alignment.
Design Features
The Colt Model 1889 was the first double-action revolverRevolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
that was manufactured using a swing-out cylinder. This design had two advantages over previous designs, in that it allowed for fast loading but also maintained the strength of a solid frame. The Model 1889 was chambered for the .41 Long Colt
.41 Long Colt
The .41 Long Colt cartridge was created in 1877 for Colt's double-action "Thunderer" revolver. It was a lengthened version of the earlier centerfire .41 Short Colt, which was made to duplicate the dimensions of the even earlier .41 Rimfire. The front of the bullet was about 0.406"-0.408”OD, the...
, .38 Long Colt
.38 Long Colt
The .38 Long Colt is a cartridge introduced by Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1875, and was adopted as a standard military pistol cartridge by the United States Army in 1892 for the Colt New Army M1892 Revolver. It is slightly more powerful than the .38 Short Colt, or .38 SC. The .38 Long Colt...
and .38 Short Colt
.38 Short Colt
The .38 short colt was originally a heeled bullet cartridge intended for cartridge conversions of the .36 cal cap & ball revolvers from the American Civil War-era.Later, this cartridge was fitted with an inside-lubricated bullet in the 125–135 grains range....
cartridges.
The Navy version was blued, and had a six inch barrel. It was manufactured with walnut grips. Civilian versions had either a blue or nickel finish, and had hard rubber grips.
The Model 1889 differed from earlier Colt revolvers in that its cylinder rotated counterclockwise instead of clockwise. This seems to have originated with U.S. Navy requirements, but the direction of rotation works against the cylinder lock and tends to force the cylinder out of alignment with the barrel. This weakness allowed the cylinder to rotate while holstered or even while the shooter was pulling the trigger. For this reason, the M1889 was replaced by the Colt M1892
Colt M1892
The M1892 Colt Army & Navy was the first general issue double-action with a swing-out cylinder revolver used by the U.S. military.-Overview:In 1892 the gun was adopted by the Army in .38 Long Colt caliber, and the revolver was given the appellation New Army and Navy. Initial experience with the gun...
Army & Navy revolver.
Use
The Model 1889 and variants were adopted by the United States Military and used prior to the introduction of the M1911 pistol. The Model 1889 was also sold commercially as the Colt New Army and Navy. Approximately 5,000 Colt Model 1889 revolvers were produced.A Model 1889 revolver was recovered from the USS Maine
USS Maine (ACR-1)
USS Maine was the United States Navy's second commissioned pre-dreadnought battleship, although she was originally classified as an armored cruiser. She is best known for her catastrophic loss in Havana harbor. Maine had been sent to Havana, Cuba to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt...
after it exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898. It was presented to then Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, who would later become President of the United States. Roosevelt brandished this pistol to rally his Rough Riders during the famed charge up San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898. This revolver was on display at Sagamore Hill and was stolen from there in 1963, recovered and then stolen again in 1990. It was recovered in 2006 and returned to Sagamore Hill on June 14, 2006.
Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt was an American inventor and industrialist. He was the founder of Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company , and is widely credited with popularizing the revolver. Colt's innovative contributions to the weapons industry have been described by arms historian James E...
's son, Caldwell, and famed lawman Heck Thomas
Heck Thomas
Henry Andrew "Heck" Thomas was a lawman on theAmerican frontier, most notably in Oklahoma.-Biography:Thomas was born in 1850 in Athens, Georgia, the youngest of five children of Lovick Pierce Thomas, I and Martha Fulwood Bedell.At the beginning of the American Civil War, at age 12, he accompanied...
were both known to carry the Model 1889.