In addition to the revolving handguns for which he is most well-known, Colt designed and patented several revolving rifles and shotguns, starting in the 1830s.
The Colt Model 1855 revolving shotgun was based on a handgun with the same model’s name, nicknamed the “Root” after Colt designer Elisha K. Root. This shotgun was produced between 1855 and 1863. It featured a revolving cylinder, chambered in 10 or 20 gauge. Though mechanically similar to Colt’s revolver pistols, the design posed practical issues. The major drawback was the danger of cylinder chain fire— when multiple chambers ignited at once—posing serious risk to the shooter’s hand. Due to safety concerns and the complexity of production, it was eventually overshadowed by more reliable slide and lever action designs. Today, the Colt Model 1855 shotgun is a rare and collectible piece of firearms history.
For further history on Colt’s revolving shotgun, check out this post from Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons, who has graciously permitted us to repost his historical content. Ian McCollum is the founder, editor, and presenter of Forgotten Weapons, a decade-old online web site and video archive dedicated to preserving firearms history.
In 1855, Colt introduced a new revolver unlike the others in their lineup – it was a side-hammer design with the cylinder stops built into the axis pin instead of the cylinder. They then proceeded to scale the design up into revolving rifles and shoguns in several calibers. The revolving shotgun model was the least-produced, with only about 1300 made between 1860 and 1863.