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NOT TO BE MISTAKEN FOR THE STANDARD .54 BEUMONT ADAMS WITH LATER FRAME. AN ULTRA RARE BRITISH ARMY ISSUE 1ST PATTERN BEUMONT-ADAMS DOUBLE ACTION IN .38 BORE (DRAGOON CALIBRE) REVOLVER. THE FIRST EVER DOUBLE ACTION REVOLVER, THE IMPROVED LONGER FRAME AND CYLINDER OF THE 1851 PATT ADAMS, WHICH MAKES FOR A VERY LARGE REVOLVER IN .38 BORE. SERIAL NUMBER 16115R, WITH BEAUMONT PATENT NUMBER OF B352, ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN EXAMPLES.

AMONGST THE RAREST OF ALL BRITISH MILITARY FIREARMS, THE LARGEST REVOLVER IN BRITISH MILITARY HISTORY. PURCHASED FOR BRITISH ARMY TRIALS IN 1855,  THEN THE PURCHASED EXAMPLES ISSUE FOR THE CRIMEAN WAR, NUMBERS OF .38 BORE DRAGOON REVOLVERS WAS IN BRITISH MILITARY SERVICE WAS JUST 300, MOST LIKELY ISSUED TO JUST ONE OR TWO DRAGOON REGIMENTS TO AID ISSUE OF THE CORRECT CALIBRE AMMUNITION. THE DRAGOON CALIBRE AIMED FOR MILITARY SERVICE BY DESIGN, THE ARMY LATER DECIDING TO GO FOR THE .54 BORE. PART OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT ORDER OF C-307, 31ST AUGUST 1855, ONE OF THE 300 REVOLVERS FOR THIS CONTRACT. THE LARGE CALIBRE IDEAL FOR CAVALRY USE, JUST LIKE THE COLT DRAGOON REVOLVER IN THE STATES.  ENGRAVED “W.D.” TO THE FRAME. THE LOW SERIAL NUMBER OF THIS PIECE CONFIRMS IT IS THE CORRECT TIME ZONE FOR THE CONTRACT. ANOTHER EXAMPLE FROM THIS CONTRACT SOLD AT AUCTION A FEW YEARS AGO WAS NUMBERED 16547R / B651.

THE REVOLVER IS IN PERFECT MECHANICAL FUNCTION. SHOWS LITTLE SIGNS OF USE, THE NIPPLES NOT FLATTENED OR PITTED, THE RIFLED BORE, NEAR MINT. MOST OF ITS ORIGINAL CHARCOAL - BLUE FACTORY FINISH REMAINING. A FEW KNOCKS AND SCRATCHES AS ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A MILITARY ARM. FITTED WITH THE EARLY RIGBY PATENT LOADING RAMMER TO THE LEFT HAND SIDE. WITH THE EARLY FEATURE OF TWO SAFETIES, THE SLIDING CYLINDER LOCK, AND THE, AND THE SPRUNG LOADED ONE TO THE LEFT OF THE FRAME. CRISP COMPLETE ONE PIECE GRIP WITH NO SHRINKAGE.