Original Item: Only One Available. This is a really cute example of a small just post Civil War Moore's Patent revolver with a six shot cylinder in .32 Teat-fire caliber. The frame is brass, though removing the grips shows that it was once originally nickel plated. It is beautifully scroll engraved all over the frame and still has very nice aged walnut grips. The steel portions of the revolver do show wear to the finish, now displaying a peppered gray patina overall.

The underside of the barrel is marked with serial number 11834, which we estimate puts production around 1867. Additionally, the rear of the barrel, cylinder arbor pin, and rear of the cylinder are marked with assembly number DK 34. The screw for removing the grips is unfortunately rust seized, so we were not able to check the frame and inside o the grips, and the barrel wedge is a fabricated replacement with no markings.

The 3 1/4" barrel is still faintly marked on the top :-

The back of the cylinder is also marked with patent information:

The revolver properly breaks down when the barrel wedge is removed, and the sheet metal loading gate is still present on the right side of the barrel. The brass frame still has traces of the original plating in areas near the trigger and cylinder, while the rest has a lovely mustard patina. The matching original "birds head" grips are in nice service used condition, with some of the original finish still remaining.

The revolver still cycles well, with good indexing, firm cylinder lockup, and crisp dry fire. We did not experience any of the usual finicky behavior revolvers of this age often have. There is however a bit of wobble in the barrel frame connection, which shows no signs of post manufacture alteration. The bore is in very good condition, with clear lands and grooves and a mostly bright finish. There is just a bit of oxidation and fouling near the muzzle.

A lovely just post Civil War early cartridge revolver, using a very interesting method to get around the White Patent. Ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Years of Manufacture: 1864-1870
Caliber: .32 cal Teat-fire
Ammunition Type: Teat-Fire cartridge
Barrel Length: 3 1/4 inches
Overall Length: 7 inches
Action: Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

The Teat-fire cartridge was a .32 caliber pistol cartridge designed by Daniel Moore and manufactured by Moore and his partner David Williamson for their Pocket Revolver and was produced under both the Moore and National Arms marques by the National Arms Company of Brooklyn, New York in the mid-19th century.

The Moore Caliber .32 Teat-fire, which used a unique cartridge to get around the Rollin White patent owned by Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson, proved very popular during the Civil War, with both soldiers and civilians. The "Teat-fire" cartridges did not have a rim at the back like conventional cartridges, but were rounded at the rear, with a small "teat" that would protrude through a tiny opening in the rear of the cylinder. The priming mixture was contained in the "teat" and when the hammer struck it, the cartridge would fire. Thus, it was akin to a rimfire cartridge, but instead of having priming all the way around the edge of the rim, it is centrally located in the teat. This also meant that the revolver cylinder was loaded from the front, which is why there is a loading gate at the front of the frame, and not the rear.

Moore's Caliber .32 Teat-fire Pocket Revolver proved very popular during the American Civil War, with both soldiers and civilians. National Arms produced about 30,000 of the revolvers from 1864 to 1870, when it was acquired by Colt's Manufacturing Company.

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