Working the Forehand & Wadsworth Old Model Army

This unusual single action revolver was manufactured in Worcester, Massachusetts from about the mid-1870’sup to as late as the early 1880’s by the firm of Forehand & Wadsworth. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit to learn that you’ve never seen anything this big with the F&W name on it before, especially since that company is more commonly known for its small caliber revolvers.

The fact is Forehand & Wadsworth made very few of these largeframed or Army-size revolvers which were similar in size to the .44 Smith & Wesson Model 3 top-break revolvers, with totals numbering perhaps under 2000 guns in all. The Forehand & Wadsworth company was formed by Henry C. Wadsworth and Sullivan Forehand. Both of these men had been employees of Ethan Allen and both men, incidentally, had also married daughters of Ethan Allen.

In addition, both men also worked at the Allen & Whee lock arms company, giving us the idea that perhaps "keeping it in the 44 Army, also known as the "Old Model Army" used a flimsy ejector rod mounted on a rotating barrel sleeve that fits into the hollow base pin. The ejector’s operation is similar to the British Webley RIC revolvers. Steve Parsons collection and photo. family" is nothing new at all!

Noted for having made several varieties of single and double action, pocketsized revolvers that were chambered in .22, .32 and 38 calibers, the F&W company also produced a couple of .22 single-shot derringers and a dropping-block, single-shot rifle. However, what this firm has become best known for are the socalled "British Bull-Dog" revolvers they manufactured from about 1879 F&W alone made over 100,000. This hard-used little pocket-sized Bulldog revolver was made in Belgium but is very typical of the breed.

It has five shots and is chambered in .38 Smith & Wesson caliber. Author photo. through about 1890. F&W’s Bulldogs were almost clones of the English Webley Bull-Dog revolvers. While most of the F&W Bull-Dogs were chambered in .32 S&Wor .38 S&W calibers, quite a few were also made like their British uncle, that is, as a slightly larger five-shot which was chambered in .44 Webley. According to some sources, Forehand & Wadsworth produced roughly 114,000 of those popular little Bull-Dog style re

44 Army used a much more robust ejector system that was quite unique, giving the revolver a very different silhouette than the O/M. At first glance, the New Model’s ejector looks like the Remington 1875 but the ejector housing is actually cast as one-piece along with the revolver frame. Steve Parsons collection and photo.

Here, we see an old model with the loading gate opened and the hammer set at half-cock, a situation where the cylinder may be rotated to where you can physically see into each cylinder chamber. volvers though we have never seen a break-down showing the exact numbers of each caliber manufactured. One can only surmise that F&W revolvers must have played a much larger part in the history of the American west (and east!) than has been portrayed.

For all that and as interesting as all of these late Nineteenth Century firearms designs might be, most of the small size Forehand & Wadsworth revolvers just don’t bring the high prices nor do they command the collector interest that the Army size, large-framed .44 caliber single actions have. Two models of large framed .44 Single Action Army revolvers are known to have been manufactured at F&W.

These often-overlooked F&W single actions were very simply constructed revolvers making use of a triggeractuated cylinder stop in a similar arrangement to that used in most the popular single action Smith & Wesson revolvers manufactured during that same time period. The first of the big F&W revolvers is now known is as the "Old Model Army." Sporting a 7-½" barrel, the Old Model used a center-mounted ejector rod that looked and operated in much the same fashion as the Webley Bull- Dog and R. I. C. revolvers.

This frail ejector rod was fastened to a loose, rotating barrel sleeve and was located just forward of the barrel’s junction with the frame. Two Old Model F&W’s were subjected to US The ejector rod is now pulled all the way forward, then rotated to the side. You may now pull the base pin latch forward, freeing the base pin so it can be pulled forward, out of the frame. Note the disassembly differences in the text between the Old and New models.

The ejector rod is now pulled all the way forward, then rotated to the side. You may now pull the base pin latch forward, freeing the base pin so it can be pulled forward, out of the frame. Note the disassembly differences in the text between the Old and New models. Army tests in December of 1874 and although they came through the tests reasonably well, the F&W was apparently not seen to offer any special advantage over the Colt and it was not recommended for military service.

The second type of F&W Single Action Army, also known as the "New Model Army" was very nearly A

Notice how the handspring is placed so it is wrapped around the hammer stud, thus its lower leg bears on the rear face of the hand to supply it with tension. The cylinder stop is, like most of the single action Smith & Wesson top-break revolvers, trigger actuated. identical to the Old Model mechanically, with the noted addition of a safety notch added to the hammer.

Both models of these big F&W revolvers used cylinders that held six shots and were most commonly chambered in .44 S&W Russian caliber, though a few are known to have been produced in .44 S&W American. The Old and New Models are almost identical from the cylinder back, but up front externally some major changes took place with the introduction of the New Model. Its barrel was shortened to a 6-½" length, but the big change is that the fragile Webley-like barrel-sleeve ejector was dropped.

Instead, F&W adopted an entirely new and much more rigid rod-ejector system, making use of full-length base pin that was also quite stout. The New Model F&W ejector system worked in identical fashion with those in use on the more common Remington and Colt Single Action Army models, having an appearance closer to the 1875 Remington.

However, in a unique departure from tradition, the F&W’s New Model ejector housing was made as one-piece and integral with the frame Notice the shouldered screw the loading gate mounts on. We have to look on the opposite side of the frame to see the gate spring. ) The heavy leaf-type spring is pinned into place and as long as it is not broken, its removal is not suggested. Note also the portion of its pin that protrudes into the opening.

This also acts as the seat for the top leg of the handspring. instead of being a separate part fastened to the barrel like better-known rod-ejector revolvers. Both Old and New Models of the Forehand & Wadsworth Army are quite rare. It has been suggested that less than 1000 of

each model were manufactured during the mid to late 1870s or 1880. Disassembly Instructions Safety first, unload! When working with any firearm we must first be certain the weapon is unloaded before handling it for any purpose. Pick up the revolver by the grip, all the while being thoughtful to keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and to avoid contact with the trigger (#22.) Using your thumb, pull the hammer (#14) to the rear until you hear one click.

This should place the hammer in the loading position and the cylinder should be free to rotate. Pivot open the loading gate (#10) and slowly revolve the cylinder to assure your Forehand & Wadsworth Old Model Army (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 1 frame 2 barrel 3 barrel sleeve 3a ejector rod pin (not shown) 4 cylinder 5 base pin 6 ejector rod assembly 6a ejector rod 6b ejector head self no cartridges are present. If the cylinder has cartridges in it you have a loaded gun and we must unload it now.

Pull the head of the ejector rod (#6) forward until it stops. Now pivot the rod and barrel sleeve (#3) to the right, the rod is now in a position where you may push it to the rear to eject a cartridge. Revolve the cylinder so each chamber lines up with the loading gate opening and repeat this until the cylinder is empty. To remove the cylinder, leave the loading gate open with the hammer at the loading position and the ejector rod pulled forward and rotated off to the right.

With the Old Model, use your thumbnail to grasp the bottom of the base pin latch (#7) and pull it for 7 base pin latch 8 base pin latch spring 9 base pin latch pin 10 loading gate 11 loading gate screw 12 loading gate spring (not shown) 13 loading gate spring pin (not shown) 14 hammer 15 hammer stud 16 hand 17 hand spring 18 mainspring 19 stirrup 20 sideplate 21 sideplate screws (3) 22 trigger 23 trigger pin 24 trigger spring ward, holding it there.

Now pull the base pin (#5) forward and out of the frame (#1), the cylinder may be rolled out to the right side of the frame. If working with the New Model, unscrew and remove the base pin screw (un-numbered) from the left side of the frame, located just forward of the cylinder. Pull the base pin out toward the front until the cylinder is free. The cylinder is now rolled out to the right side of the frame. Next, remove the grips, sideplate and mainspring.

Unscrew and remove the grip screw (#34), then lift off the grip panels (#33.) Unscrew and remove the three sideplate screws (#21.) Use a wooden or plastic mallet to strike the grip frame a few sharp 25 trigger spring screw 26 cylinder stop 27 cylinder stop pin 28 cylinder stop spring 29 trigger guard 30 guard screw, rear 31 guard screw, front 32 strain screw 33 grips (not shown)

blows. This will cause the sideplate (#20) to be shocked up out of its seat with the frame, allowing you to lift off the sideplate. Never attempt to pry off a sideplate because doing this may seriously damage it or the frame. Using a pair of spreader-type pliers, compress the mainspring (#18) near the top and use a small tool or screwdriver to disengage the stirrup (#19) from its seat with the spring by pushing the stirrup forward.

Once the mainspring is disengaged from the stirrup, release tension on the pliers, back off tension on the strain screw (#32) located at the lower part of the front grip strap, then remove the mainspring through the grip opening. Remove the guard and hammer. Unscrew and remove the front (#31) and rear (#30) guard screws. With the hammer placed in the loading position, the trigger guard (#29) may be removed by pulling it down and out of the frame.

Notice as you remove the guard that the cylinder stop spring (#28) is loose and will come off with the guard. Be sure you make note of the position of this spring for later re-assembly. The hand spring (#19) is wrapped around the hammer stud (#15). Using a small screwdriver, carefully pry the back side out of engagement with the hammer stud while being careful to control the spring with your other hand.

Ease the spring toward the rear to remove, noting while you do how the spring seats in the frame and in the hand for later re-assembly. The hand (#16) is now pivoted to the rear, then lifted off the hammer (#14.) Holding the trigger to the rear, the hammer is rotated slightly to the rear while at the same time it is lifted up off of the hammer stud and out of the frame. Note: Look at the shaft of the hand and you will notice a flat. This is what the handspring bears on.

The handspring must be lifted up slightly in order to clear the hand shaft during re-assembly. The stirrup (#19) is fastened to the hammer by a straight cross-pin. If you remove the stirrup pay attention to it’s orientation for reassembly. The arc faces "up". Remove the remaining piece. Unscrew and remove the trigger spring screw (#25), located in the upper portion of the front grip-strap. The trigger spring (#24) is now loose and may be lifted out of the frame.

Using a cuptipped pin punch and small hammer, drive out the trigger pin (#23) and lift out the trigger (#22.) Next drive out the cylinder stop pin (#27) again using a cup-tipped pin punch and small hammer. The cylinder stop (#26) is now free to be pulled out the bottom of the frame. Unscrew and remove the loading gate screw (#11) and the loading gate (#10) may be pulled out the front.

You probably will have no need to remove this part but as you will note from the photos, the loading gate spring (#12) is retained inside the frame by across pin (#13) that runs through the frame. On Old Models the base pin latch (#7) may be removed by using a small cup tipped pin punch and hammer to drive out the base pin latch pin (#9) then pulling the latch forward.

Use a small pick or a pair of tweezers to reach inside the latch opening in the front of the frame to pull out the base pin latch spring(#8.) The ejector head screws onto the ejector rod with a conventional right-hand thread. The ejector rod itself may be removed from the sleeve by driving out its pin (not shown) which passes through the barrel sleeve. The barrel sleeve (#3) is not readily removable without removing the barrel itself.

With New Models the base pin may be withdrawn out the front of the frame/ejector housing. To remove the ejector, push the ejector head to the rear and grasp the rod with a pair of padded pliers. Unscrew the rod from the head. Using a small screwdriver placed through the opening in the ejector housing, hold the spring from moving, slide the ejector head to the front and pull it out of the ejector housing.

Gently ease tension on the ejector spring and remove it from the front while the ejector rod is pulled out toward the rear. The revolver may be re-assembled in reverse order. AG American Gunsmithing Association