Revolver Revolution

At the outbreak of the Mexican War, Samuel Walker became a lieutenant colonel of the First Regiment, Texas Mounted Riflemen. He subsequently went to Washington, D.C., on a recruitment drive. While there he visited Samuel Colt and suggested improvements to the Paterson, Colt’s first revolver. Walker suggested adding a stationary trigger and guard, using a heavier caliber, and making the gun a six shooter. It would be called the Colt Walker. This order by Walker is considered the key reason Colt's firearms company survived. These guns are extremely rare, if you locate one today, the value will be around $1 million . . . or more!

Samuel Colt

Inventor and industrialist Samuel Colt founded Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company and began mass producing revolvers. He used interchangeable parts and this helped him develop assembly line production of his revolver. His business venture might have ended in failure had not Samuel Walker and the Texas Rangers ordered 1,000 of his Colt revolvers for use in the Mexican-American War. Colt's personal pair of Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers is at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.