Slocum revolver

Lore & Background

The Slocum revolver was patented on January 27, 1863 (Patent No. 37,551), with a subsequent patent on April 14, 1863 (Patent No. 38,204) covering a modification of the cartridge ejector system, granted to Frank P. Slocum. This design circumvented the Rollin White 'bored through cylinder' patent owned by Smith & Wesson. Many caliber .32 rimfire Slocum revolvers were used as backup weapons for self-defense by soldiers and officers during the American Civil War, similar to the Smith & Wesson Model 1 1/2 and Model No. 2 Army revolvers.

The revolver features a brass frame originally silver plated, a blued 3-inch round or octagonal barrel, and two-piece rosewood grips. The cylinder has five individual chambers in the form of sliding tubes (each chamber length 1.24 inches) within cutouts of the cylinder. To remove spent cartridge cases and reload, the chambers slide forward one at a time over an ejector rod fixed on the right side parallel to the barrel.

Reader's Guide

The Slocum revolver holds significance as a notable attempt to legally circumvent the Rollin White patent, which gave Smith & Wesson a monopoly on bored-through cylinders for metallic cartridges. By using sliding chambers that moved forward over an ejector rod, the design avoided infringing on the patent while still allowing the use of self-contained .32 rimfire cartridges. Produced in quantities estimated at more than 10,000 units, the revolver saw practical use during the American Civil War as a backup weapon for soldiers and officers. Its unique mechanical solution to a legal restriction makes it a point of interest in the history of firearms innovation. The revolver's construction—with a silver-plated brass frame, blued barrel, and rosewood grips—reflects the typical pocket revolver aesthetics of the mid-1860s. The sliding chamber system, while functional, was a distinctive departure from conventional cylinder designs of the period.

Did You Know?

• A second patent (No. 38,204) was granted on April 14, 1863 for a modification of the cartridge ejector system.
• The revolver's cylinder chambers are sliding tubes that move forward over an ejector rod to reload.
• More than 10,000 Slocum revolvers were produced by the Brooklyn Arms Co. in 1864.