Colt Emerges
In 1836, Sam Colt made forays into the firearms industry when he came up with designs of the .28 and .36 caliber pocket guns. Later on, the weapons were given the name Paterson because of the strategic location of the production factory in Paterson, New Jersey.
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When quizzed on what prompted him to come up with the design for the Paterson, Colt went on record that he took inspiration from the locking mechanism he had witnessed on a sailing ship. He was fascinated in the manner the wheel could be held in place.