Rare Maynard Revolver

Edward Maynard was a prolific inventor and introduced his tape primer system to the USA army very successfully from a commercial point of view. He later went on the design a carbine which realistically was the first breech firearm to use a reloadable brass cartridge case. This developed quickly into the centre fire case we are familiar with today. This is a Maynard Automatic revolved cylinder revolver made in 28 calibre with a 3.5" barrel and is tape primed. The back strap is marked Patent/Jan 2 1855 and the primer door is marked Maynard's Patent 1845. Less than 2000 of these revolvers are known to have been made and the Massachusetts Arms Company that manufactured them was in dispute with Colt and had previously manufactured a hand revolving cylinder to avoid Colts patent. Interestingly the tape primer has only one nipple which fires each of the cylinder chambers in turn which had a firing hole large enough to allow the flame from the nipple to fire the cylinder chamber but small enough to stop the powder from exiting at the rear of the chamber. There is much original finish on the revolver and altogether this is a very interesting and uncommon revolver to be encountered.
John Brown of "John Brown's Body" etc fame purchased several hundred Maymard revolvers.

Code: 50038