What Am I, And What Were My Descendants?

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

No hints.

[Capt. Jack McQuesten]

I believe that is a Smith and Wesson "Volcanic" lever action pistol that was the basis for the Henry Rifle and then ultimatley the Winchester rifles that followed which used the toggle lick action, the 66 & the 73. Wasn't the ammunition a .44 rim fire or pin fire?

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

You're right on, Kid.  Nice goin'.

More from http://www.conntact.com/archive_index/archive_pages/4027_Business_New_Haven.html

"Winchester entered the firearms business only gradually. In 1854 Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson had patented an improved loading mechanism, a toggle-link lever action, for the repeating rifle. Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. was formed in 1855 in Norwich, with Winchester and 39 others as initial investors. In 1856 the company's offices were moved to New Haven and the name changed to New Haven Arms Co. In spite of the apparent promise of this new innovation, the company was poorly managed and in February 1857, failed. Winchester faced the loss of his initial investment.

"Buying out the other investors, Winchester reorganized the company under the name the New Haven Arms Co. Winchester obtained all patents of the Volcanic Firearms as well as Horace Smith's and Daniel Wesson's agreement concerning rights on future inventions and improvements regarding firearms and ammunition.

"In 1866, the Connecticut legislature granted Winchester a charter to incorporate under the name the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. The first gun to bear the Winchester name was the Model 1866, a "Yellow Boy" lever-action model. Winchester claimed that the rifle could fire two shots a second with no compromise of aim."