In the March 2020 CWN, we looked at John Walch’s superimposed load, 10-shot pocket revolver; a gun that almost bankrupted Oliver Winchester and the New Haven Arms Company. This month, we will look at the Walch’s first revolver, his 12-shot “Navy” revolver.
On February 8, 1859, John Walch of New York City received U.S. Patent #22,905 for a somewhat unique revolver that fired superimposed loads from its cylinder, thus doubling the number of times the revolver could be fired before it was reloaded. Walch’s patent application, describing his Improvement in Revolving Firearms, read in part: “The nature of my said invention consists in constructing a revolving chamber with two ranges of nipples connecting to the middle and rear part of the breeches, in combination with double hammers so fitted and acting that upon pulling the trigger the hammers fall, the one before the other, and explode caps on the aforesaid nipples that fire in succession charges contained in the forward and rear parts of each breech, so that two charges are fired out of one breech and the breech revolved each time the two hammers are cocked.”
As mid-19th century percussion revolvers were prone to chain fires, the simultaneous detonation of chambers other than the one intended as a result of pulling the trigger, it would seem that Walch’s double loaded chambers would raise a few eyebrows and cause concern among potential users. However, Walch explained
clearly in his patent application that there was nothing to fear, as his revolvers would also use a new type of projectile. He notes that this new type of bullet was “made either by attaching a tin plate to a half ball by means of a very thin piece, or by connecting two half-round balls by means of a very small piece, in such a manner as to have a recess all round. This recess is filled with a composition consisting of three-fourths part of soap and one-quarter of oil.” While the description may not really bring to mind what the inventor intended, the patent drawings that he references can best be described as miniature “bar shot,” essentially a lead ball cut in half and joined by a thin piece between the flat sides that resulted in an incredibly deep groove.
This groove also gave the projectile a more oval than round silhouette. The purpose of the groove was to contain the greaselike composition described, that would ooze out of the groove when the ball was compressed during loading and the space between the two halves suitably squeezed. This grease would then, in the words of the Walch, have the effect that “…every danger is likewise prevented by which the after-charge might be ignited when the forward charge is fired off….” Walch further notes that this rather slippery arrangement with the heavily greased balls would have the effect that “the chamber will be well greased and the barrel by each discharge will be there by cleaned.” He goes on to further state the advantages of the arrangement were that “as this forms a perfect air-tight packing for the ball the powder will have more force (and) be able to send the ball a greater distance.” It is interesting to note that while Walch appears to have, at least in his mind, removed the possibility of the rear charge igniting as a result of the front charge being fired, he does not address the possibility that the front charge might misfire, and when the rear charge was fired into the blocked chamber, a catastrophic failure would almost certainly occur.
Walch knew that the notion of a superimposing two or more loads in a single chamber was not a new idea and did not claim that design in his patent. In fact, the U.S. military had experimented with the concept circa 1829 with the Ellis-Jennings repeating rifle, that was produced in both fourand ten-shot variants. Rather his claim ran specifically to the arrangement of two rows of nipples on the rear of revolving cylinder allowing double loads to be fired from each cylinder chamber. His other claim referred to his trigger, which as he notes, “is on its upper end made in two parts.” Thus, based upon his description, a single conventional trigger would be in the triggerguard. The trigger had two operating parts in the frame, allowing the release of the right, and then the left, hammer with two separate pulls. In Walch’s initial production revolvers, however, it was two individual triggers that were used.
John Parker Lindsay received a similar patent, #30,332 on October 9, 1860, that allowed a single trigger mechanism to release two or more hammers in sequence. This was a more elegant solution to the single trigger and double hammer firing mechanism. Eventually the two men would design a refined version of the Walch revolver together. The revolver conceived by these two New Yorkers would eventually be brought to Oliver Winchester and the New Haven Arms Company for manufacture; the Walch Pocket revolver almost prevented the Winchester Firearms Company from existing; but we are getting slightly ahead of our story.
Like many designers and patent holders during the 19th century, Walch had plenty of ideas but no manufacturing facilities. To that end he entered into an agreement with the Union Knife Company of Naugatuck, Conn., to manufacture the first of his double-load revolver designs, the Walch “Navy” Revolver. This was a .36 caliber, six-shot chambered revolver that was capable of firing twelve shots from the double loaded cylinder chambers. The revolver was roughly 12 ¼ inches overall length with a nominally 6 inch octagonal barrel and utilized two triggers rather than the convoluted single trigger with two upper sections, as shown and described in Walch’s patent application. Standard markings were the patent date information on the left side of the barrel and WALCH FIREARMS CO over NEW YORK in two lines on the top of the barrel.
September 2020
The production of the Walch Navy revolver at the Union Knife Company was supervised by John Parker Lindsay, who would become famous (or infamous) for his Lindsay Model 1863 Rifle Musket that used a double loaded chamber incorporated into a U.S. Model 1863 pattern musket with double hammers and a single trigger. While Flayderman’s Guide To Antique American Arms suggests that Lindsay was already producing his “Young America” pistols based upon the single trigger, double-hammer, double-loaded concept at the Union Knife Company before Walch came to the company, it seems more likely that the former Springfield Armory employee was initially engaged to produce the Walch “Navy” contract revolvers at the Union Knife Company, more than a year and half prior to starting to produce his own “Young America” pattern pistols at the same facility. The Walch patent pre-dates Lindsay’s by some nineteen months, so it seems likely that Walch was already promoting his firearms prior to meeting Lindsay. In fact, the pocket version of the Lindsay “Young America” pistol bears the February 8, 1859, patent date of Walch’s bifurcated bullet design, along with the October 9, 1860, date of Lindsay’s design under its barrel.
Despite producing a small number of the .36 caliber Walch Navy revolvers at Union Knife Company circa 1860, they met with little commercial success. While exact production figures are not known, most references suggest that between 200 and 300 of the 12-Shot Walch Navy revolvers were produced. Most of these guns were blued with smooth walnut grips, but a small number were lightly engraved and featured checkered grips. It would not be unreasonable to think that some pistols might have had higher grade finishes as well, possibly silver or tin plating or even early nickel plating, then being experimented with by some New York retailers circa 1860. During the same basic period, Lindsay produced nearly double the number, possibly as many as 400-500, of his “Young America” pocket pistols and approximately 100 of his larger sized belt model pistols; both of which also appear to have been commercial failures. By early 1861, the Union Knife Company seems to have separated themselves from both Walch and Lindsay and returned to producing the knives that were the heart and soul of their business, rather than speculating in the production of odd ball handguns.
deterred. He proceeded to design a new pocket version of the revolver in collaboration with Lindsay. It was this gun, as produced by Oliver Winchester’s New Haven Arms Company, that we discussed a few months ago.
Today the Walch Navy revolver remains one of the “Holy Grails” of U.S. percussion revolvers on the collector market. Surviving examples are very scarce and are often the centerpiece of an advanced collection of “large frame” or “military sized” American percussion revolvers from the Civil War era. In fact, despite the lack of evidence that any of these guns were ever acquired for military use, they are considered a “Secondary Martial Revolver” due to their size and caliber. These scarce guns rarely appear on the market and are always coveted additions to advanced collections.
The example pictured here is one of the very scarce factory engraved examples with checkered wood grips. While the gun retains no finish to speak of, there are some traces in protected areas that suggest the gun was originally plated during the period, possibly in silver, but more likely in tin or nickel. This example was formerly part of a major firearms museum collection, but now resides in a private collection.
Tim Prince is a full-time dealer in fine & collectible military arms from the Colonial Period through WWII. He operates College Hill Arsenal, a web-based antique arms retail site. A long time collector & researcher, Tim has been a contributing author to two major book projects about Civil War era arms including The English Connection and a new book on southern retailer marked and Confederate used shotguns. Tim is also a featured Arms & Militaria appraiser on the PBS Series Antiques Roadshow.
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Overall reverse view of Walch Revolver #53, inset shows the patent date information that is roll marked on the left side of the barrel, referring to Walch’s February 8, 1859, patent #22,905.
Detail oblique view of the Walch cylinder’s rear, showing the double rows of nipples, double hammers, and the raised flash channels that communicated the ignition flame to the forward charge in the cylinder.
Obverse overall view of Walch Navy Revolver #53. This is one of the rarer factory engraved examples with checkered grips. All photos by Tim Prince.
Top view of Walch Navy revolver #53, showing the double hammer arrangement and double rows of percussion nipples. Inset shows the detail of the barrel markings.