Wesson & Leavitt Revolving Rifle

/ forgottenweapons
The Wesson & Leavitt is one of the scarcest revolving rifles made in the US, with no more than 50 made (some sources say only 16). The reason for this is that the Dragoon revolver which Wesson & Leavitt based the rifle on was found to be in violation of several Colt patents. Most importantly, when the Wesson & Leavitt Dragoon was introduced in 1850, Colt had a patent on the feature of having the cylinder index automatically when the hammer is cocked. They filed suit against Wesson & Leavitt, and won the case in 1851, before very many of the revolvers had been made.

[@bitbrace]

I may have said it before but, I think your videos are great, 3/4 of the time I look up old guns I see in war movies and documentary's or whatever it's your videos. They are well made, some history, great explaining function the variety of weapons. It's too bad you can't shoot them, that must be hard for you, just lucky to handle them I guess. I inherited a Remington whitmore model 1878 kind of got interested in old guns after that. I hope you keep doing this for a long time. thanks

[@C861986]

How did they make something so precise such a long time ago? I'd love to see the lathes and tools they used.

[@andrewsuryali8540]

For some strange reason whenever I open a Forgotten Weapons clip, KZbin gives me children's education clips in the suggested videos section. I'm talking match the bus colors stuff here. Is anyone else experiencing this? Feels damn weird....

[@1959Edsel]

Taurus uses blast shields on their revolving rifles. Simple solution but it works surprisingly well.

[@PieterBreda]

It just looks like a revolver with a glued on stock and bigger barrel

[@Sen_Kanashimi]

I wonder if a revolving rifle using a Nagant gas seal would be popular today for anyone who likes revolving rifles but doesn't like the fact they can't hold it like a rifle.

[@Goztamoz]

Great stuff. Any chance of doing a video on the Browning M2 .50 cal?

[@andymac4883]

I'm not going to lie, the pistol itself (as I imagine it, mentally removing the stock and barrel) looks like it would be a pretty interesting one. Aesthetically similar to older single-shot flint and hammerlock pistols, with a low bore axis... Shame about the lack of an integral loading level, though.

[@JesusvonNazaret]

I pity that so many interesting guns were turned down due to some patents :(

[@RichardGoth]

Thanks for this...I have a book on Wesson and Leavitt but I never really understood how they worked until now!

[@gustavgnoettgen]

Ah yessss. Make it bigger and heavier please!

[@yuryyanin7967]

Both patents: 1. granted to Samuel Colt 25 February 1836

[@therugburnz]

Revolving yesss!

[@hiimkaiki7508]

Were there any notable attempts to have a revolver with an easily removable cylinder that could act as a magazine? It just seems like such an apparent improvement, especially after cartridges were widely available.

[@TheGarry91]

thanks for what you are doing..

[@crazyfvck]

Awesome gun. Love the action and breakdown :)

[@drmaudio]

I like the breakdown. Simple and elegant solution.

[@KOROZEC1]

It's around

[@rlbadger1698]

Have I said it before? I love your stuff. Rare and unusual guns that I can never own. I wish I could collect a few of the most unusual. Unfortunately my taste is very, very expensive. Every gun I see that I find interesting is in the five figure range (usually the high end). Your doing Rock Island a solid. I'll just look-e-loo and wish...... Thank You for the show.

[@pommel47]

Very interesting cylinder rotating system to circumvent other patents. Also keeps cylinder stop (Colt type) from scratching side of cylinder. Is stock detachable or one piece integral with the pistol grips. Would be easy to change barrel lengths if available, and easy to exchange extra loaded cylinder for spent one. Love seeing old firearms I am not familiar with.