Simplified Warner Revolving Rifle: Caught by Colt’s Patent

Available from Morphy’s here:
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_A__RARE_WARNER_S_PATENT_OPEN_FRAME_GROOVED_CYLIND-LOT665548.aspx

James Warner was a gunsmith and owner of the Springfield Arms Company. In the 1850s he produced a series of revolving rifle designs which are interesting, but poorly documented. Only a few hundred of each were made (at most) and they appear to have begun as with a design intended to sell when Colt’s patent was supposed to expire. This used a single-action mechanism with an open frame, and had to be changed when Colt was able to extend his patent. A new model followed which was much simpler, probably trying to compete on price since the patented elements remained protected.

This simpler system was manually indexed and used a simpler receiver and side plate design than before. It also eliminated extraneous features like the loading lever. These are all roughly .40 caliber, six-shot guns and usually have 22-23 inch barrels (this example was shortened at some point).

A final change in design took place around 1856 when Warner moved to an enclosed frame design, before moving away from revolving rifle designs entirely. There are a few records of Warner revolver rifles in the Civil War, and these were most likely the latter enclosed frame type.

Video on Warner’s single-shot breechloading carbine from the Civil War: