The old saw “never bring a knife to a gun fight” is somewhat moot when one is armed with a Rodgers knife pistol—a clever percussion-fired defensive arm composed of both blades and barrel.

Derek Landers explores how 19th-century American gunmakers produced cartridge revolvers while avoiding Smith & Wesson's ...

38 Colt. The post-Civil War era saw the end of the cap-and-ball revolver, although they would be found in the belts of many long after, since surplus percussion pistols were very inexpensive.