Article: Colt model 1849 pocket pistol.

By the late 1840s, Samuel Colt's revolvers had demonstrated their utility on the Texas Frontier and in the war with Mexico. Colt's experiences with military contracts had convinced him that his business would have to serve a much larger and more stable market in order to survive and grow. In 1847, he announced plans to produce a revolver of manageable size and simple construction that would be useful to the general public.

The design that emerged was the .31 caliber Baby Dragoon. This small-framed revolver used fewer action parts than the earlier martial revolvers. The size made it suitable for comfortable and discrete carry. The time was ripe, as the Mexican War ...

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