Gun Digest 2011. Dan Shideler
were stamped onto the left-hand side of the barrel.
A second version of the spur trigger Bulldog dispensed with the removable ejection rod feature but otherwise remained much the same in general appearance. The only difference was the addition of a third patent date at the left-hand side of the barrel referring to a hammer rebound feature, although this was not incorporated onto that particular weapon. The additional design featured a mechanism to remove the hammer nose from contact with the cartridge primer while the cylinder remained held by the stop lever, an arrangement patented by Messrs. Forehand & Wadsworth in 1875 (U.S. Patent 162 162).
Forehand & Wadsworth were also the first to produce an American duplicate of the original British model with a swivel ejector, although it differed slightly in having a “saw-handle” grip as opposed to the usual “parrot beak” shape and was provided with a fluted cylinder in place of the initial plain variety. These were almost indistinguishable from other European versions and bore the marking BRITISH BULL-DOG on the top strap, plus a manufacturer identification on the upper surface of the barrel. (For some reason, the Bull Dog name used previously on the spur trigger models had now become hyphenated). An improvement had also been added to the lock mechanism to permit a rebound of the hammer after firing, in order to prevent it from making contact with the cartridge primer.
It has been reported that introduction of the American-made version occurred during the late 1870s, when it was available in three sizes: a seven-shot .32 model, a six-shot .38 S&W model and a five-shot model for the .44 Webley cartridge. Of those three calibres, the latter appears to have been the most popular.
Revolvers of that pattern were advertised by the manufacturers Forehand &Wadsworth in their catalogue of c. 1880. They were eventually listed by the San Francisco gun dealers N. Curry & Brother in 1884 and also appeared in a catalogue of that same year by E.C. Meacham, St. Louis. In order to distinguish the American model from others, it was claimed that only genuine examples were marked with the Forehand & Wadsworth trade mark (depicting the head of a Bulldog stamped onto the left side of the frame). However, not all examples were marked thus, as some were without the trade mark but displayed the company name on the barrel flat and so it seems that mainly the earliest examples had the “dog’s head” stamp.
Grip plates were normally of hard rubber cut with an overall chequered pattern and shaped to suit an additional lump at the top of the grip.
The F&W British Bull-Dog appeared in the 1886 catalogues of New York gun dealers G. W. Caflin and John P. Moore‘s Sons and continued to be offered in the J. H. Johnston gun lists of 1888.
Due to the increasing popularity of hinged frame self-extracting models on the American market, most solid frame revolvers had become somewhat outdated and, as a result, prices for the little Bull Dog were being seriously reduced. In the 1889 catalogue of Folsom, it was offered at just $2.77. Despite this, Clabrough & Golcher of San Francisco continued to list the Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog in 1890, while J. H. Johnston also listed it in their 1895 catalogue.
Forehand & Wadsworth’s Firearms Manufactory continued in operation at Worcester until 1890, when Henry Wadsworth retired from the partnership and the business was reformed as the Forehand Arms Company. Concurrent with manufacture of the BRITISH BULLDOG, a similar type of revolver was produced by Forehand & Wadsworth during the 1880s and marked with the alternative title of INDIAN BULLDOG. (Note: This time the latter name was without hyphen.) Both these American models followed much the same con-figuration as those made in Belgium by Joseph Tholet.
Those revolvers that departed most radically from the original Bull Dog concept were undoubtedly the models manufactured in the United States with the purpose of introducing a more patriotic version for the domestic market.
Early entrants to the scene with a revised design were the gunmakers Iver Johnson & Martin Bye of Worcester, Massachusetts, where the first American version was produced. It differed mainly from its British counterpart in not being provided with a swivel case ejector but, instead, having a quickly removable cylinder to make ejection and loading more convenient. A large-diameter extension of the cylinder spindle had been cross-knurled for this purpose. The method used was virtually identical to that employed on the earlier spur trigger model and most other American pocket revolvers at that time.
A further change also occurred in the lock mechanism with an elimination of the Webley double-limb mainspring and its replacement by a single-leaf component. In other respects, the double-action lock arrangement was much the same as on the Webley Bull Dog with the exception of pins, rather than screws, being used for the trigger and sear pivots. The latter item also served to retain the trigger guard. Although the guard itself still remained as a separate unit from the frame, it had been extended to form the front grip strap and was held at its base to the butt. Stock plates were of hardened rubber with a chequered pattern.
Manufactured versions had the title BRITISH BULLDOG stamped onto the top strap, which did not have a sighting groove but was provided with a small recess at the rear for the hammer rest. Lettering in this instance was quite small and positioned centrally, reading from muzzle to breech.
The weapon was available in either .44 Webley or .38 S&W calibre, the larger version being the only one provided with a hinged loading gate behind the cylinder at the right-hand side of the frame. In calibre .38 it had a 2.5-inch barrel and weighed 16 ounces, while in calibre .44 it featured a 2.75-inch barrel and was three ounces heavier.
According to official sources, production was apparently quite brief, beginning in 1881 and terminating just over one year later, when the original partnership with Martin Bye was dissolved and the Iver Johnson Arms Company formed. As a consequence, serial numbers are reported to have reached no more than five digits.
Under a somewhat incongruous heading of American “British Bull-Dog,” the weapon was still being advertised for sale in the 1884 catalogue of E. C. Meacham, St. Louis, Missouri. It was then available in nickel plated finish and either calibre could be purchased for $3 each. By that time, the Iver Johnson company had commenced manufacture of an improved model with the more acceptable title of AMERICAN BULL-DOG.
While still retaining the same basic features of the British Bull-Dog, subsequent American models employed an extended frame section at the rear to give improved handing qualities. A change in the grip contour also introduced a new style of grip plate moulded in hard rubber with a symbolic American eagle design. Standard finish was nickel-plating.
There has been some reports of early production examples of this pattern fitted with wooden grip plates and marked as BRITISH BULL-DOG. The 1882 catalogue of Philadelphia gun dealer Joseph C. Grubb & Company quoted the American Bulldog in six calibres ranging from .22 short rimfire to .44 Webley centre fire and prices from $8 to $10.
American British Bull-dog: Calibre .44 Centre-fire, five-shot model manufactured by Johnson and Bye Gunsmiths. BRITISH BULLDOG is stamped onto top strap. Barrel measures 2.5 inches but this example has no rifling grooves, only supplementary rifling notches at muzzle. Courtesy Homer Ficken.
American Bull-Dog: Calibre .44 five-shot First Model made by Iver Johnson Arms Company with Bull Dog title stamped on top strap. Lock mechanism remained similar to previous version made by Johnson & Bye.
Cylinder spindle is held to front of frame by its own spring catch. Note: Subsequent variation of First Model American Bull Dog was also available with octagonal barrel section.
American Bull Dog: Calibre .44 five-shot Second Model by Iver Johnson with title stamped onto barrel