Make: Eagle Arms Co. for Plant's Mfg.
Model: Front Loading Pocket
Serial Number: 651
Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1860s
Caliber: .30 Caliber, Cup-Primed
Action Type: Single Action Front-Loading 6-Shot Revolver
Barrel Length: 3 1/2"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to the barrel's solid rib. The rear sight is a "V"-notch integral to the topstrap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth wood. The inside of each panel is stamped "6 / 51". The grips have even handling wear with some scattered light nicks and scratches. The right panel has tiny losses at the bottom corners. There are no cracks, but there are some open grain-lines. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue & Silver Plated Brass
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark with well defined rifling. There is scattered erosion and pitting in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 4/10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 25% of its metal finish. There is a little finish remaining in the barrel flutes. The frame has scattered remaining silver plate, most worn on the sideplate and grip areas. Some areas of the sliver plate have gone to a dark tarnish. The cylinder has worn to white. There is scattered surface oxidation and erosion. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear including wear on the rear face of the cylinder. There is some peening on the firing pin. The cylinder pin is a replacement made from bar stock. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in Fair condition as Antique, see Mechanics.
Mechanics: The cylinder pin has been replaced with a piece of bar stock, it is not retained and can be pulled free. The hand is missing, the cylinder does not advance when the hammer is pulled back. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: It's hard to imagine today, but during the transition from percussion cap, muzzle-loading revolvers to cartridge revolvers, there was one man in the United States who held the patent on bored-through cylinders, Rollin White. Smith & Wesson was clever enough to obtain an exclusive license for White's patent, but left the legal defense of the patent up to Rollin himself. It is a conundrum to create a revolver which accepts self-contained cartridges which is not open on both ends, but some ingenious inventors came up with workarounds. In attempting to defend his patent, Rollin White would nearly see an Act of Congress passed to renew his patent, but it was vetoed by Ulysses S. Grant on the advice of his Chief of Ordnance, who apparently felt that White had been a hindrance to the war effort during the Civil War by his ceaseless litigation. White would ultimately spend a large portion of the money he made from his patent on such legal defense, and Smith & Wesson made out like bandits. Not only did they make huge amounts of money selling revolvers which legally utilized White’s patent, they would also frequently purchase existing inventory of the violators to help While recoup some of his legal expenses.
Plant's Mfg. Co. patented a cup-loading cartridge revolver which loaded from the front. Larger framed "Army" revolvers were produced by Plant's in Connecticut, but the smaller Pocket models were made by Eagle Arms in New York. This Pocket model is in fair condition for its age, having had the cylinder pin replaced and missing its hand. It will display well with its "been there, done that" appearance, and is a neat example of a Rollin White's patent workaround design. Please see our photos and good luck!
