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BRASS AND IRON FRAME MODELS OF THE E.A. PRESCOTT SINGLE ACTION .38 CALIBER "NAVY" REVOLVER
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Edwin A. Prescott of Worcester, Massachusetts and Norwich, Connecticut,
an ex-employee of Ethan Allen, was the patentee and maker of these
.38 caliber rimfire cartridge revolvers. His design was granted
patent #30,245 on October 2, 1860. The Prescott was distributed
by Merwin & Bray. Due to it's being an infringement upon
the Rollin White patent, which was assigned to Smith & Wesson,
production was stopped in 1863. It is thought that these .38 caliber
Navy-sized revolvers, produced in Prescott's Worcester, Massachusetts
armory, were manufactured in hope of a government contract. No records
exist indicating that any were ever bought or issued by the federal
government. They were good looking, strong and well made revolvers.
Some are known to have been carried and used by Union officers and
enlisted men during the Civil War. The number of these revolvers
produced is not known but the consensus seems to be that it did
not exceed several hundred. Of that amount about 25% had iron frames
and 75% brass frames. Whether or not this could be determined by
examining the serial numbers of remaining specimens is doubtful.
The brass frame model is apparently serial number 86 (or 98) which
appears on the bottom rear barrel flat, on the butt, front of the
cylinder, in the brass frame under the grips and on the inside of
each of the polished rosewood grips. Yet the number "110" is stamped
on the rear of the cylinder while the cylinder arbor pin, which
may be either a replacement or an assembly error, has the number
"154" stamped into it. The rarer iron frame model has the number
1700 on the front of the cylinder, no number on the bottom of the
grip, 1700 on the frame under the grip, "77" on the inside of both
grips, 1700 on the cylinder arbor pin and a mis-stamp? of "17000"
on the bottom rear barrel flat. The rear of the cylinder is stamped
with a "3". So which are the serial numbers and which are the assembly
numbers?
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BOTTOM VIEW OF BOTH REVOLVERS
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TOP VIEW OF BOTH REVOLVERS
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FRONT SIGHT VIEWS
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MUZZLE VIEWS
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REAR OBLIQUE VIEWS
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Both guns are six-shot single action caliber .38 rimfire with 5
groove rifling. Overall length is 12-3/4" (measured diagonally from
center of muzzle to rear lower tip of grip). The weight is approximately
1 pound, 12 ounces. The octagonal, noticeably crowned, blued barrel
is 7-1/8" in length. The barrel markings read "E. A. PRESCOTT .
WORCESTER . MASS." over "PAT'D . OCT. 2 . 1860 ." These markings
are partially double stamped on the barrel of the brass frame model
pictured here. The front German silver 3/16" high by 3/8" long blade
sight is 3/8" from the muzzle. The integral rear "V" notched sight
is located at the upper rear of the frame. There is an access panel
on the left side of the otherwise solid frame. Except for the recoil
shields on both sides the frame is basically flat sided with rounded
upper and lower surfaces at the front and rear. The iron and brass
frames are identical in shape. The almost round brass trigger guard
narrows to a "V" at the front and rear juncture with the frame.
The grip straps are integral to the frame. The outside of the 1-1/4"
long cylinder is unmarked. There are six 3/16" long narrow rectangular
stop slots at the very rear of the cylinder. The 3-3/4" long cylinder
arbor extends through the front of the frame 1-3/8" where it's flat
semi-button head snugs into a thin slot cut widthwise in the bottom
barrel flat. There is a spring release lug on the arbor which must
be depressed to withdraw the arbor and remove the cylinder. The
arbor doubles as a hand held extractor for spent cartridges.
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THE BRASS AND IRON FRAME MODELS WITH CYLINDER ARBOR PIN AND CYLINDER REMOVED
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BARREL MARKING - BRASS FRAME ARM
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BARREL MARKING - IRON FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "86" (98) REAR BOTTOM BARREL FLAT - BRASS FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "17000" REAR BOTTOM BARREL FLAT - IRON FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "86" (98) ON BRASS FRAME ARM AT BUTT
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NO NUMBER ON IRON FRAME AT BUTT
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NUMBER
"86" (98) ON FRONT OF CYLINDER BRASS FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "1700" ON FRONT OF CYLINDER IRON FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "110" ON REAR OF CYLINDER BRASS FRAME ARM
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NUMBER
"3" ON REAR OF CYLINDER IRON FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "154" ON CYLINDER ARBOR PIN BRASS FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "1700" ON CYLINDER ARBOR PIN IRON FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "89" (98)? ON FRAME UNDER GRIP BRASS FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "1700" ON FRAME UNDER GRIP IRON FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "86" (98) INSIDE BOTH GRIPS BRASS FRAME ARM
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NUMBER "77" INSIDE BOTH GRIPS IRON FRAME ARM
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Reference credits go to "SMALL ARMS MAKERS" by Colonel Robert E.
Gardner, "REVOLVING ARMS" by A.W.F. Taylerson, "U.S. MILITARY SMALL
ARMS 1816-1865" by Reilly, and "FLAYDERMAN'S GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AMERICAN
FIREARMS... AND THEIR VALUES by Norm Flayderman.
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Reed Radcliffe, my son and web master gets the credit for arranging
and posting this web page. Credit for all pictures, this write-up,
errors in spelling and syntax is mine.
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For Rollin White Patent Infringement detail and how it affected
the manufacture and distribution of revolving cartridge arms in
the United States, go to http://www.dallasarms.com/54stor10.htm.
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| Dave
Radcliffe
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