Samuel Colt made a huge contribution to world history and the history of firearms. As a child of we althy parents, he achieved everything completely on his own, except for the intellect and entrepreneurial streak that he inherited genetically. For 47 years of his life, Colt managed a lot, went through a lot and left a lot behind. There is a well-known expression that characterizes his invention in the best possible way: "God created people different, strong and weak, and Samuel Colt made them equal."
The birth of passion
Colt Samuel was born in 1814 Hartford, in a quite prosperous aristocratic family, his father was a successful owner of a textile factory. For the fourth anniversary, the future "great equalizer" received a bronze toy pistol as a gift. This gift became fatal, awakening in the kid an unshakable love for weapons. The next day the boy had already obtained some gunpowder somewhere. And by a small explosion, the parents realized: this is forever, the passion for mechanisms and firearms cannot be suppressed in their child by anything.
Samuel Colt gushed not only with the desire to deal with weapons, but also with new ideas. So, at the age of 14, he had already designed a four-barreled pistol andmade it at his father's factory. Tests of this model did not bring the expected results to the young gunsmith, but he did not stop there, continuing his path to creating the perfect weapon. As a result of one of the experiments, Colt met the mechanic Elisha Ruth, later this meeting will play an important role in his biography.
Building character
S. Colt, at the request of his father, was sent to study at a university in another city. Maybe this desire was due to fear for his factory (after all, Samuel constantly broke something and blew up), or maybe the man wanted the best for his son, so that he would get a good education. Be that as it may, he did not work out with his studies, because, having gained access to the university laboratory, he, of course, blew something up there.
Samuel spends the next stage of his life as a sailor on a merchant ship. There he did not just enjoy the delights of freedom and the sea wind in his face, but studied ship mechanisms. They inspired Colt to create the first locking drum, the basis of any revolver in existence today. S. Colt's innovation was also cylindrical bullets. He, despite the fact that his friends did not believe in the invention, patented it, insisting on his own.
First patent and company
Samuel Colt invented the revolver and patented it on February 25, 1836 in America and in 1835 in France. A very important quality of this person was the ability to continue to go towards his dream no matter what.circumstances. Only those who believed in themselves and their invention could achieve a patent. Thus, the belief in what he does has become the most important distinguishing quality of S. Colt, which allowed his biography to now look like this, and not otherwise.
A little later, Colt founded his arms company called Patent Arms Manufacturing in Paterson. Here appeared Colt Paterson - the first revolver that was tested in combat. The company lasted exactly until it went bankrupt.
Fateful meeting
Sometimes, in order for fate to show us a sharp turn, perseverance and diligence in work alone is not enough, and a meeting with a certain person is needed. That person in Colt's life was Samuel Walker, an officer in the Texas Ranger Corps. He tested the Colt revolver in a fight with the Indians and ordered a batch of a thousand pieces for the government. In 1846, Colt and Walker became colleagues, jointly releasing the latest model of the Colt-Walker revolver. It was at this time that the production of weapons under the leadership of Colt takes on an industrial scale.
Costs
Freshly established business required investment. Samuel Colt understood the urgent need to expand. And in 1852, he buys land in the outskirts of Hartford, spending a huge amount on it. But still it was necessary to build an arms factory on this land that would meet all the requirements for the production of ideal revolvers.
The construction of an ultra-modern, state-of-the-art plant requiredthree years, the Colt company is still there. Colt Samuel (inventor) made this investment of time and money, and for good reason. Subsequently, they all paid off. This speaks of his gift not only as an inventor, but also as a businessman and entrepreneur. Over 150 years, this factory has produced more than 30 million revolvers proudly bearing the Colt engraving.
Marked as spam
It would seem that the concept of spam appeared only after the advent of the Internet. In fact, Samuel Colt had already started doing something similar - sending out samples of his revolvers. He did good advertising for himself on tours with a popular science show with "laughing gas", he also traded in various inventions. Colt did not shun gifts: he personally presented beautifully and richly decorated copies of his revolvers to the heads of state, which caused grandiose bursts of orders. Samuel Colt, whose biography is rich and interesting, also paid people to write stories about his weapons.
Already at that time, he understood that the business needed to move, not only by making a quality product, but also by constantly telling people about it. And even if you pass for a spammer, they will find out about you and, perhaps, will be interested.
I will build my factory…
At the Colt factory there were strict rules. Although he himself didn't mind a drink or two, the workers had to be like glass. For being late, they were suspended from work, and the day at the plant began at 7 in the morning. In production, Colt was guided by some innovative principles.
Wo-First, this is the principle of specialization: on one machine, the worker performed one operation, for example, cutting or drilling.
Secondly, the principle of interchangeability: to speed up production, weapon parts must be as versatile as possible. This made it possible to assemble a sample very quickly from any parts.
Third, this is machine production. Of course, human resources were used (for example, Colt invited the same E. Ruth, who was then considered one of the best mechanics in the country, to work as a manager), but automatic machines played the main role in production.
All these principles were a big novelty at that time, so guests and journalists often came to the plant just to admire the "giant iron monsters".
Elizabeth is the beloved wife of the inventor
Samuel's wife Elizabeth was the daughter of a priest, born in Connecticut in October 1826. They met Samuel Colt in 1851 in Rhode Island, married 5 years later. They had four children, but all died, some earlier, some later. When Samuel died, the plant was inherited by Elizabeth. She managed not only not to ruin her husband's enterprise, but also to achieve his successful work.
The company exists to this day, continuing to produce a wide range of high-end firearms. Thus, Colt was destined to become successful only in work, leaving no heir, except for the Colt revolver.
Gone but not forgotten
Samuel Colt died from complications related towith gout. He became, without exaggeration, a legend: myths and fables are composed about him, he is remembered, and his compatriots are proud of him. This man holds the rank of colonel, although he did not serve a day in the army, he got it for his services and help to the state. They escorted Samuel Colt on his last journey with the whole city, along with the governor, the mayor and the 12th Infantry Regiment. They saw him off according to his life - with a grandiose salvo from the guns he made.
Interesting facts
- Samuel Colt, whose photo, or rather a portrait, you see in the article, visited Russia three times and even presented a beautiful revolver to Nicholas I.
- He was expelled from school for trying to show fireworks to his friends.
- His name appears in an episode of Supernatural.
- Inducted into the US Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.
- S. Colt was self-taught.
