A Gambler's Fifth Ace
The small 1849 Colt Pocket "five shooter" put famed gunmaker Sam Colt in business for keeps.
Categories: Shooting from the Hip
By: Phil Spangenberger 09/01/2007
Many '49 Colts made their way overseas. Thanks mostly to Colt's British agency, the pistol reached ports in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, India and Australia. The demand "down under" was particularly strong due to the Australian Gold Rush of 1853-54. During the American Civil War, soldiers on both sides purchased the pistols with their own funds. They carried the 1849 Pocket models for close combat situations. For decades during the mid-19th century, adventurers worldwide praised these little Colts in the highest terms.
The '49er was so well-regarded that many expressed their admiration for it by embellishing the Pocket Colt with custom stocks, special finishes, engravings and special gun sights. More non-standard Pocket '49ers exist than any other model in the world, writes Robert M. Jordan and Darrow M. Watt in Colt's Pocket '49, Its Evolution, Including The Baby Dragoon & Wells Fargo. Jordan's research shows at least 26,000 of the 1849 Pocket models were factory engraved and that more Pocket '49ers are found in presentation cases than any other gun in the world.
The 1849 Pocket Model Colt may have outshot the competition, but it actually didn't deliver much of a punch. Fortunately, it didn't need to. The sidearm was perfect as leverage against a touchy situation. A misdealt card, a mining claim dispute, a defense of a lady's honor or perhaps an expedited bank withdrawal might all be eased along through the use of a '49er. The simple brandishing of the firearm could even elicit the desired reaction.
If fired, the Pocket Colt's efficacy varied at the whim of several factors not necessarily tied to its load. A .31 caliber round ball, or pointed (conical) bullet, weighs in at around 45 grains of pure, soft lead. With a standard charge of about 15 grains of FFFg (3Fg) blackpowder, this loading is capable of traveling at around 590 feet per second (fps) and hitting with a bit under 35 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. In comparison, a little modern .32 Smith & Wesson, when fired from a short-barreled revolver, develops approximately 680 fps and delivers almost 90 foot-pounds of muzzle thump.
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