The Colt Model 1849 Pocket was one of the most successful and widely carried handguns of the 19th century. Introduced in 1849, it was designed by Samuel Colt as a lightweight, .31 caliber revolver that a man could carry every day without the bulk of a larger belt pistol. It was essentially a refinement of the earlier Baby Dragoon, with the addition of a loading lever and improvements in frame and cylinder design.

It was built for civilians—travelers, tradesmen, lawmen, and anyone heading West who needed a reliable sidearm for personal defense. In an era before modern police forces, carrying your own protection was just part of daily life. The 1849 Pocket was small enough to slip into a coat or vest pocket but still packed enough punch to stop a threat at close range.

From the early 1850s through the 1870s, this revolver was everywhere. It was the go-to concealed carry gun of its day. Colt’s factory churned them out in massive numbers—over 325,000 were made—making it the best-selling percussion revolver of all time. And despite those high numbers, early production examples still draw strong interest from collectors today.

An 1849 Pocket made in 1856, for example, is particularly desirable for a few reasons. First, it falls right into the “sweet spot” of pre–Civil War production—when quality control, craftsmanship, and factory polish were at their peak. Second, this was a time when Colt was growing fast, and demand was high, especially from folks heading West during the Gold Rush. A gun from this period often has a rich history, possibly carried by someone on a wagon train, riverboat, or stagecoach.

And lastly, early 1850s guns feature subtle variations like a small trigger guards, early-style grips and early style finish. All of which this gun has and collectors love. When you find one that’s untouched and all original, it tells a real story of America in motion and this is a wonderful example of a desirable early revolver.