Obscure and Rare Handguns
by: Kerry Barlow

Dance & Park Brothers Revolver

  Designed in 1863 by several brothers: James Henry Dance, James P. Dance, David Dance, and Claudia Dance along with the Parks brothers Jesse and Anderson Parks. The gun was labeled "Dance and Park Brothers Revolver". Constructed in Columbia, Texas. This handgun was both .36 and .44 caliber 14 inches long with an 8 & 3/16 " barrel. Approximately 350 of these handguns were produced. Being an obscure weapon it was still possible that this weapon was used by some of the Confederate forces.

Harpers Ferry Horse pistol

Leech and Rigdon

Manufactured in Columbus,Mississippi & Greensboro Georgia in 1863-64 around 1500 produced.

Rogers and Spencer

Manufactured in Albany, NY towards the end of the war this was reportedly a highly accurate handgun. It saw service as late as the Spanish-American war.

Savage

Smith and Wesson

  Horace Smith and Daniel B.Wesson formed a partnership in 1852 thereby starting the Smith and Wesson company. In 1856 they developed a handgun chambered for a .22 caliber rim fire cartridge known as the Model 1. This revolver was immediately in demand, obviously owing to a huge advantage over other revolvers, pistols and rifles of the day, insofar as it possessed an easily loaded rim fire cartridge. This revolver was probably not used much in the Civil War because of it's small caliber. It certainly was, however, available and in demand throughout the era.

Spiller and Burr

  The Spiller and Burr .36 caliber revolver was originally produced in Atlanta, Georgia between 1862 and 1864. The Confederacy ordered 15,000 of such revolvers,only 1451 were ever produced. The Atlanta company was unable to make delivery and the company was then moved to the Macon Armory for further production.

Whitney

This was an all steel percussion revolver of .36 caliber originally made in 1861.