Slocum Sliding Cylinder Revolver

The "Slocum" revolver manufactured by the Brooklyn Arms company was an interesting revolver developed to avoid the Smith & Wesson Rollin White patent on bored through cylinders. In advertisements of the time it was advertised as being "easier than any other revolver to load in the dark". I think this takes a little imagination to believe!. Brooklyn Arms seemed to specialise in oddball revolvers to avoid patent litigation and this is probably the oddest of them all but yet an interesting design that sold in thousands.
Less than 10,000 Slocum revolvers were manufactured from 1863 to 1864. It is a 5 shot, .32 caliber, rim fire front (side) loader. It has a 3" round barrel, a brass frame with a blued barrel and cylinder. It is 9½" overall. It has a spur trigger, irregularly shaped bag-like handle with 2 piece walnut grips, much original varnish remaining. It is of unique design with individual chambers in the form of sliding tubes within cut-outs on the cylinder. At half cock the cylinder rotates freely and on moving a small lever, the chambers slide forward, one at a time, over a fixed rod on the right side to expose, load and eject.
The barrel marking is "B. A. Co. PATENT APRIL 14, 1863", on the top, in a single line. The serial number "8421" is stamped on the bottom front of the frame. Slocum revolvers are found silver and nickel plated, plain brass and with a variety of engraving which would indicate that "specials" were made to order. This particular revolver has superb bluing and this appears to be original, the top barrel engraving showing crisp and clear.
There is an up and coming article on these revolvers in the next few months in a collectors journal.
A fine revolver.

Code: 50069