1855 Sidehammer Root original & reproduction

[kh54]

I'm not normally a braggart (God knows I don't have much to brag about) so let's just call it sharing. OK, so I admit it - I just want to share these two guns. I don't know why I'm so enamored of the pocket-size revolvers, but I've always loved small gadgets and these sort of fit that. The first gun pictured is my only original Colt, an 1855 Root in .28 caliber (1st model), manufactured in 1860, that I picked up about a year ago. The accoutrements are also all original, with the exception of the cleaning rod, and I'm not sure about the wrench - I just don't remember. The round and conical balls I cast with the original mold. The case is from Bill Shumate, who makes the most beautiful cases that I've seen. I bought this gun to round out my Colt collection because I couldn't find a reproduction. Although I believe it's shootable, I am fearful of breaking parts. So, I continued to look for a reproduction to shoot but rarely have I seen any available - once only on this forum and once or twice on GB.

The second gun pictured is a Palmetto reproduction that I recently bought from forum member @johnh (thanks again John!) Yes! My patience paid off! But the gun is so pretty (unfired I think, like new in box, with papers - a dream!) I can't bring myself to shoot it either. So I decided to put together a cased set with reproduction accoutrements. The case is an "antique" repurposed to fit this gun by an ebay seller in Great Britain. I should have held out for a Bill Shumate case. Looking at all the glue spills on the otherwise nice blue velvet fabric is all you need to know about the quality. The case isn't bad, just not as nice as one of Bill's.

The Palmetto reproduction is a bit of a fantasy gun, I believe. It appears to represent a 5th or 6th model (.31 caliber, round barrel) but the barrel is the same length (3-7/16-inch) as the 1st model and not the 3-inch barrels of the Model 5 and Model 6, or the 4-inch barrels of the Model 5A and Model 6A. It also has no engraving on the cylinder, and I understand that all Root cylinders were engraved, with the exception of the few fluted cylinders Colt made for the Root. (I got this information from College Hill Arsenal, so feel free to offer corrections if their information is incorrect.) I also wish that Palmetto had hidden their modern stamps (serial number, proof marks, warning, advertising, etc.) like Uberti has learned to do. They really show up on this small gun.

Anyway, I love both guns!

 

[wiscoaster]

Pretty cool guns. The boxes & contents, too.

 

[VA Hawken]

Very nice. I love the boxed pistols.

 

[Mousegunguy]

Mouse guns are the bomb!!!

 

[smokeum54]

Anyone with an original root has the right to say hey...look what I got, in my book.

 

[kh54]

Ah gosh, thanks fellers! I like collecting, not just the guns but also the accessories to put together cased sets that approach historic cased sets. I have to spend my kids' inheritance some way - may as well be this as another expensive hobby. But then I haven't yet tried collecting classic cars...

 

[wiscoaster]

.... But then I haven't yet tried collecting classic cars...

Cars you have to buy insurance, get licensed, have a place to keep them out of the weather, routine maintence, repairs (not to mention finding a garage knows how to fix them) etc etc etc ... no end of expenses. This hobby is way better, IMO.

- from another with the collector sickness -

 

[Whitworth]

Ah gosh, thanks fellers! I like collecting, not just the guns but also the accessories to put together cased sets that approach historic cased sets. I have to spend my kids' inheritance some way - may as well be this as another expensive hobby. But then I haven't yet tried collecting classic cars...

You're not bragging, you're sharing what a lot of us wouldn't normally see. Chasing down rare accessories can be venturing into a big buck collecting field of it's own. Well done cased sets are classily and always a treat to see. Thanks for the tip about the cases from across the pond, I've seen them listed and been tempted.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

Ah gosh, thanks fellers! I like collecting, not just the guns but also the accessories to put together cased sets that approach historic cased sets. I have to spend my kids' inheritance some way - may as well be this as another expensive hobby. But then I haven't yet tried collecting classic cars...

those are very nice.i never hsve seen them before. thank you for sharing

 

[tomas-p1]

I'm not normally a braggart (God knows I don't have much to brag about) so let's just call it sharing. OK, so I admit it - I just want to share these two guns. I don't know why I'm so enamored of the pocket-size revolvers, but I've always loved small gadgets and these sort of fit that. The first gun pictured is my only original Colt, an 1855 Root in .28 caliber (1st model), manufactured in 1860, that I picked up about a year ago. The accoutrements are also all original, with the exception of the cleaning rod, and I'm not sure about the wrench - I just don't remember. The round and conical balls I cast with the original mold. The case is from Bill Shumate, who makes the most beautiful cases that I've seen. I bought this gun to round out my Colt collection because I couldn't find a reproduction. Although I believe it's shootable, I am fearful of breaking parts. So, I continued to look for a reproduction to shoot but rarely have I seen any available - once only on this forum and once or twice on GB.

The second gun pictured is a Palmetto reproduction that I recently bought from forum member @johnh (thanks again John!) Yes! My patience paid off! But the gun is so pretty (unfired I think, like new in box, with papers - a dream!) I can't bring myself to shoot it either. So I decided to put together a cased set with reproduction accoutrements. The case is an "antique" repurposed to fit this gun by an ebay seller in Great Britain. I should have held out for a Bill Shumate case. Looking at all the glue spills on the otherwise nice blue velvet fabric is all you need to know about the quality. The case isn't bad, just not as nice as one of Bill's.

The Palmetto reproduction is a bit of a fantasy gun, I believe. It appears to represent a 5th or 6th model (.31 caliber, round barrel) but the barrel is the same length (3-7/16-inch) as the 1st model and not the 3-inch barrels of the Model 5 and Model 6, or the 4-inch barrels of the Model 5A and Model 6A. It also has no engraving on the cylinder, and I understand that all Root cylinders were engraved, with the exception of the few fluted cylinders Colt made for the Root. (I got this information from College Hill Arsenal, so feel free to offer corrections if their information is incorrect.) I also wish that Palmetto had hidden their modern stamps (serial number, proof marks, warning, advertising, etc.) like Uberti has learned to do. They really show up on this small gun.

Anyway, I love both guns!

Very nice! I also got one in model 7, its in absolute mint! looks brand new on both outside and inside! the case hardening on the hammer is the most beautiful i ever seen . At the first glance i thought it was a brand new replica but after checking stamps and machine works i now its an antique.

 

[tomas-p1]

I'm not normally a braggart (God knows I don't have much to brag about) so let's just call it sharing. OK, so I admit it - I just want to share these two guns. I don't know why I'm so enamored of the pocket-size revolvers, but I've always loved small gadgets and these sort of fit that. The first gun pictured is my only original Colt, an 1855 Root in .28 caliber (1st model), manufactured in 1860, that I picked up about a year ago. The accoutrements are also all original, with the exception of the cleaning rod, and I'm not sure about the wrench - I just don't remember. The round and conical balls I cast with the original mold. The case is from Bill Shumate, who makes the most beautiful cases that I've seen. I bought this gun to round out my Colt collection because I couldn't find a reproduction. Although I believe it's shootable, I am fearful of breaking parts. So, I continued to look for a reproduction to shoot but rarely have I seen any available - once only on this forum and once or twice on GB.

The second gun pictured is a Palmetto reproduction that I recently bought from forum member @johnh (thanks again John!) Yes! My patience paid off! But the gun is so pretty (unfired I think, like new in box, with papers - a dream!) I can't bring myself to shoot it either. So I decided to put together a cased set with reproduction accoutrements. The case is an "antique" repurposed to fit this gun by an ebay seller in Great Britain. I should have held out for a Bill Shumate case. Looking at all the glue spills on the otherwise nice blue velvet fabric is all you need to know about the quality. The case isn't bad, just not as nice as one of Bill's.

The Palmetto reproduction is a bit of a fantasy gun, I believe. It appears to represent a 5th or 6th model (.31 caliber, round barrel) but the barrel is the same length (3-7/16-inch) as the 1st model and not the 3-inch barrels of the Model 5 and Model 6, or the 4-inch barrels of the Model 5A and Model 6A. It also has no engraving on the cylinder, and I understand that all Root cylinders were engraved, with the exception of the few fluted cylinders Colt made for the Root. (I got this information from College Hill Arsenal, so feel free to offer corrections if their information is incorrect.) I also wish that Palmetto had hidden their modern stamps (serial number, proof marks, warning, advertising, etc.) like Uberti has learned to do. They really show up on this small gun.

Anyway, I love both guns!

Very nice! I also got one in model 7, its in absolute mint! looks brand new on both outside and inside! the case hardening on the hammer is the most beautiful i ever seen . At the first glance i thought it was a brand new replica but after checking stamps and machine works i now its an antique.

 

[kh54]

Just gorgeous! Where did you find something so rare as a mint Root? The only reproductions I’ve seen have been by Palmetto and unengraved - you may be correct about it being original. Could it have been reblued? Did you buy it as a cased set? I hope you’ll share more info and more pics!

 

[bpalbee]

I'm not normally a braggart (God knows I don't have much to brag about) so let's just call it sharing. OK, so I admit it - I just want to share these two guns. I don't know why I'm so enamored of the pocket-size revolvers, but I've always loved small gadgets and these sort of fit that. The first gun pictured is my only original Colt, an 1855 Root in .28 caliber (1st model), manufactured in 1860, that I picked up about a year ago. The accoutrements are also all original, with the exception of the cleaning rod, and I'm not sure about the wrench - I just don't remember. The round and conical balls I cast with the original mold. The case is from Bill Shumate, who makes the most beautiful cases that I've seen. I bought this gun to round out my Colt collection because I couldn't find a reproduction. Although I believe it's shootable, I am fearful of breaking parts. So, I continued to look for a reproduction to shoot but rarely have I seen any available - once only on this forum and once or twice on GB.

The second gun pictured is a Palmetto reproduction that I recently bought from forum member @johnh (thanks again John!) Yes! My patience paid off! But the gun is so pretty (unfired I think, like new in box, with papers - a dream!) I can't bring myself to shoot it either. So I decided to put together a cased set with reproduction accoutrements. The case is an "antique" repurposed to fit this gun by an ebay seller in Great Britain. I should have held out for a Bill Shumate case. Looking at all the glue spills on the otherwise nice blue velvet fabric is all you need to know about the quality. The case isn't bad, just not as nice as one of Bill's.

The Palmetto reproduction is a bit of a fantasy gun, I believe. It appears to represent a 5th or 6th model (.31 caliber, round barrel) but the barrel is the same length (3-7/16-inch) as the 1st model and not the 3-inch barrels of the Model 5 and Model 6, or the 4-inch barrels of the Model 5A and Model 6A. It also has no engraving on the cylinder, and I understand that all Root cylinders were engraved, with the exception of the few fluted cylinders Colt made for the Root. (I got this information from College Hill Arsenal, so feel free to offer corrections if their information is incorrect.) I also wish that Palmetto had hidden their modern stamps (serial number, proof marks, warning, advertising, etc.) like Uberti has learned to do. They really show up on this small gun.

Anyway, I love both guns!

Thanks for posting these, I've always loved Roots and the Colt revolving rifles based on them! A fluted root style rifle would be a dream find for me.