Born on July 19 1814 in Hartford Connecticut Samuel Colt played a vital role in American culture and folklore. The inventor and creator of the first handheld revolver Sam Colt made it possible to have a handgun that could fire rapidly without needing to be reloaded after every shot. Known as the great equalizer its been said that Abe Lincoln may have freed all men but Sam Colt made them equal."
Colts knack for inventing and his passion for firearms paved the way for the American fascination with guns. Some would argue that its because of Samuel Colt (and his shrewd business and advertising sense) that Colt became a household name both during his lifetime and now 200 years after his birth.
Sam Colt: From Tinkerer to Inventor
From the time he was a boy Sam Colt liked to
tinker with mechanics. Hed take things apart just to learn how theyd work. After studying the mechanics hed attempt to rebuild them. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldnt.
But young Sam had perseverance and he wasnt one to be discouraged by a little failure a trait that would suit him well throughout his life. Although his interest in mechanics was soon coupled with explosives Sam joined his fathers textile company at 15 but he didnt last long. After exploding a raft during a Fourth of July party his father sent him away to boarding school where Sam studied navigation.
During the following year in 1830 Colt was expelled again over a Fourth of July incident. This time the young man demonstrated self-made explosives for his classmates much to the dismay of the schools administrators.
At his wits end Sams father decided to give him a real lesson in navigation and sent him to become a seaman. It was this decision that led to the revolver and forever changed not only Sams life but also the culture of America.
Continue reading
Sam Colt: The Forgotten History of Americas Legendary Firearms Inventor and Manufacturer at
Ammo.com.
