POTD: Collier Flintlock Revolving Rifle – The Gun Before Colt
Sam.S 05.12.25
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This incredibly rare Collier revolving pistol-carbine represents one of the most significant “missing links” in firearms development – the bridge between single-shot flintlocks and Colt’s later percussion revolvers. Elisha Haydon Collier, a Boston inventor who took his design to England after the War of 1812, created what was essentially the world’s first commercially successful revolving firearm nearly two decades before Samuel Colt patented his famous revolvers. This rifled example with detachable stock is among the rarest configurations, with only a handful believed to have been produced. What makes the Collier mechanism particularly ingenious is its self-priming system. The frizzen (the steel piece struck by the flint) contains a small powder magazine that automatically primes the pan each time the cylinder rotates to a new chamber – a brilliant solution to one of the major drawbacks of flintlock firearms. This late production example (likely from the early 1820s) features a rifled Damascus barrel, making it far more accurate than most contemporary firearms. The detachable skeleton buttstock allowed it to function as both pistol and carbine – a versatility that would have appealed to wealthy sportsmen and military officers.
Unlike Colt’s later revolvers which used percussion caps, Collier’s design retained the flintlock ignition system but added the rotating cylinder. These guns were expensive, intricate, and never gained widespread adoption, but they established the fundamental concept that Colt would later perfect. The elaborate engraving, silver star inlay, and checkered grip reflect its status as a luxury item produced for wealthy clientele. Though a commercial disappointment, Collier’s patent laid crucial groundwork for the revolving firearms revolution that followed.
“Engraved E.H. Collier Flintlock Revolving Pistol-Carbine.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/1207/engraved-eh-collier-flintlock-revolving-pistolcarbine. Accessed 5 May 2025.
