cased pair of Marlin XXX Standard 1872 Single Action Pockets

When the name Marlin is discussed in the field of firearms, the initial though it typically of their lever action rifles with brilliantly cased hardened receivers that competed with Winchester during the peak of western expansion during the 1880s. The second thought is typically of their Marlin-Ballard single shot rifles that developed a reputation for accuracy and ruggedness during the latter half of the 19th century. However, it was small handguns, that were the genesis of the company, and were its primary product line during its first decade in business. John Marlin was born on May 6, 1836 in Boston Neck (near Windsor Locks, Hartford, CT). He went to work for the Hartford based Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company sometime during the 1850s and 1863 he left the firm to start his own firearms manufacturing business. The first products offered by Marlin were small, single shot, derringers offered in a variety of rimfire cartridge chambering. The guns were brass framed pocket weapons with barrels that pivoted sideways for loading and unloading, similar to the Colt 3rd Model (Thuer) derringer that would be offered several years after Marlin’s guns had been on the market. They also produced a percussion alarm gun in rather limited quantities during their first 2-3 years in business. In 1869, with the expiration of the Rollin White patent on the bored through cylinder, Marlin introduced the “O.K.” Pocket Revolver in .22 rimfire short, followed quickly by the Marlin “Little Joker”. Both were solid-frame, seven-shot, single-action, spur-trigger pocket revolvers with bird’s head grips. Both models were produced in relatively small quantities (about 2,000 and 1,100 respectively) and were gone from the product line by the mid-1870s. In 1872 Marlin introduced his first really successful handgun, the XXX Standard 1872. The XXX (which was a reference to the .30 caliber chambering) was a tip-up revolver (similar in design to the Smith & Wesson #1 and #2 revolvers) and was chambered for .30 rimfire. The revolver was a five-shot single action gun with a spur-trigger bird’s head grips. The standard barrel length was 3”, although custom lengths (both shorter and longer) were available by special order. As originally produced the revolver had a ribbed octagon barrel, and an unfluted cylinder. Like most handguns of the era the standard finish was nickel plating with wood grips. However, half-plate finish (silver frame & blue barrel) were offered for extra cost, as well as fancy grips like pearl or ivory. Only about 500 of these earliest XXX revolvers were produced, before the Marlin company changed over to a ribbed round barrel, but retained the unfluted cylinder. Again, about 500 units were produced and another change took place, replacing the plain cylinder with a short fluted one. These guns sold extremely well, with about 10,000 being produced between 1873 and 1876. The final change came not long after, with the cylinder and frame lengthened about 3/16” and the length of the flutes extended as well. About 15,000 of these guns were also produced, through 1876 when the XXX was dropped from the product line, to be replaced by the newly designed Models 1875, 1878 and eventually 1887 revolvers. However, the end of XXX (and its sister revolver the .22 caliber XX) coincided with a new direction for the Marlin company, where it would have its greatest success. In 1873 the assets of the Brown Manufacturing Company were sold at auction due to foreclosure. Brown had held the patent rights to the Ballard patent breech loading rifle and these rights, along with the machinery to produce the rifles (along with many parts finished and unfinished) were acquired by New York arm dealer and investor Charles Daly. Daly approached John Marlin about taking over the machinery, parts and production of the Ballard rifle, with the arrangement that Daly’s company Schoverling & Daly would hold the exclusive distribution rights for the guns. Daly also invested in the Marlin company and eventually became president of the firm. In 1881 the firm was reorganized as the Marlin Firearms Company and that same year they introduced their first lever action rifle, the Model 1881. Over the next twenty years a variety of successful lever action competitors to the various Winchester designs would be launched, and while the company never reached the sales and production output of Winchester, they certainly earned a reputation for manufacturing quality firearms. As the last decade of the 19th century approached, interest in single shot rifles waned, and the Ballard line of single shot rifles was dropped around 1890-1891. In 1893 John Marlin bought back Daly’s investment, and retained sole ownership of the company. In 1899 handgun manufacturing was discontinued to focus on the production of lever action rifles and pump action shotguns. In 1901 John Marlin died, but his two sons continued the company and expanded it by acquiring the Ideal Cartridge Reloading Company. In 1915 the company was sold to a New York based investment syndicate and became Marlin-Rockwell. During the First World War the company concentrated its manufacturing efforts on machine guns. At the end of the war the company did not return the manufacture of sporting arms and sort of withered and died, relying on its service department and reloading tool division to carry it. The company was reorganized in 1921 as the Marlin Firearms Corporation but failed and was sold at auction in 1923. This time the company was purchased by Frank Kenna and production of sporting arms soon resumed. The firm divested themselves of the Ideal Reloading division in 1925, selling it off to Lyman and invested the funds in upgraded production lines for firearms. Today the company remains in business as one of America’s longest running firearms manufacturers and is still owned by the Kenna family. 5,000 XXX Standard revolvers were manufactured by Marlin between 1872 and 1887.   John Mahlon Marlin was born on May 6, 1836 near Windsor Locks, Connecticut. At the age of 18, he became an apprentice machinist with the American Machine Works. He later served as a machinist with Colt Patent Firearms of Hartford. In 1863, he started his own pistol manufacturing business in New Haven, concentrating on production of a small single-shot .22 caliber derringer.   Marlin expanded his efforts to include revolvers in 1870, after the expiration of Rollin White's cylinder patents. The Marlin story later became intertwined with the Ballard breechloading rifle. These single-shot arms were invented by Charles H. Ballard of Worcester, Massachusetts, who received his original patent in 1861. Approximately 24,000 sporting and military rifles, carbines, and shotguns were manufactured between 1862 and 1873; Civil War sales account for half of this total. Five different New England companies produced various Ballard designs, with the New York firm of Merwin & Bray acting as sales agents throughout Ballard's brief history.   Economic depression came to the United States in 1873, and diminishing sales forced Ballard into bankruptcy. All patent rights, equipment, parts inventories, and properties were purchased by New York arms dealers Schoverling and Daly, who handled sales and distribution of Ballard rifles after reaching an agreement with John Marlin to continue production. This partnership would prove to be highly successful for all parties involved.   In 1881, the Marlin Firearms Company was incorporated, and production of Ballard rifles continuing under the Marlin banner until they were eventually discontinued circa 1891 due to the rising popularity of repeating rifles. Marlin-Ballard rifles were and are well-known for their accuracy and workmanship, and fancy-grade long-range rifles are eagerly sought after by modern collectors. Marlin continued to expand his product line, introducing his Model 1881 lever-action tubular magazine repeating rifle in that year. Many key features had been patented by Andrew Burgess and others, but John Marlin incorporated these into a single functional firearm. This rifle was available in a variety of calibers ranging from .32-40 to 45-70 Government, a feature that would not be duplicated by competing Winchesters for several more years.   Marlin also produced several other lever action designs, concluding with the Model 1897, which remained in production until 1922. 

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The service revolver model 1873 Chamelot-Delvigne was the first double-action revolver used by the French Army It was produced by Manufacture D'armes de Saint Etienne from 1873 to 1887 in about 337,000 copies. Although replaced by the Modele 1892 revolver, it was nevertheless widely used during the First World War and issued to reserve units in 1940. The Resistance made widespread use of it during the Occupation.

The model 1874, of which 35,000 were made, was an officer's version. It differs from the model 1873 by having a lighter structure and a darker finish. Many copies for civilian sale were made in France and Belgium.

Both the 1873 and the 1874 use an 11mm cartridge which proved to have insufficient velocity. The weapons themselves were very reliable and resistant to damage.  A Navy version was also produced. A more powerful cartridge was produced for this version, but production ceased and they turned to the regular ammunition when the stocks were depleted.

The Franco Prussian War in 1870 clearly demonstrated the need for up-to-date equipment in war time. A great military tradition and esprit de corps can be defeated by superior training, and in the case of that war, artillery. After the war, both Germany and France continued to improve their military technology. However, neither side was convinced of the importance of pistols for field officers. The sword continued to be the symbol of authority for an officer on the battlefield all the way into WW1. European general staffs at that time were extremely conservative and pistols were sometimes grudgingly adopted as personal defense weapons with no practical offensive use. Even as pistols became more of a symbol of the officer, most preferred to privately purchase a smaller and more comfortable handgun instead of using a large standard issue revolver.

The Chamelot-Delvigne 11mm Modele 1873 was adopted by the French army as a service revolver for non-commissioned officers. The Modele 1874 Revolver d'Officier was the version issued to officers. The differences between the two models included the following: the 1873 was finished in the white, whereas the 1874 had a fluted cylinder and a blued finish. The 1873 and 1874 were the first centerfire cartridge revolvers adopted by the French army. They had solid-frame, side-ejection, double-action mechanisms. The pistols were manufactured by the St. Etienne arsenal, which still continues to manufacture fine sporting arms.

The design of the Chamelot-Delvigne revolvers became so popular that versions were adopted by the Belgian in 1871, Italian, and 1872 in Switzerland with the Model 1872 Revolver.

The caliber of these French pistols was 11x17.8mmR. The French round was actually 0.47 mm larger than its German counterpart. The German round could be loaded and used in the French pistol, but French rounds would not chamber in the German pistol. The cartridge had a pointed lead bullet weighing 11 grams. The case length was 17.8 mm, which was rather on the short side. Reloading this cartridge could take some patience due to the shortness of the case. Military specifications called for black powder loads, replaced by a mild smokeless powder in the early twentieth century. Standard muzzle velocity was around 550 feet per second.

The cylinder had a side-loading gate which pulled straight to the rear. The sight picture was a ball and v type and is easy to align. It could be difficult to stay on target when shooting double-action due to the stiffness of the action. There was certainly no danger of accidentally pulling the trigger double-action. Cleaning and disassembly were easy as the cylinder pin doubled as a screwdriver and all-purpose tool. Internal parts were finely machined and finished. The trigger, hammer, and several of the internal springs were straw-finished, a type of case-hardening hot oil finish.

The French pistols began their service with the French army in the late 19th century and saw service all over the globe in French colonies. Many saw service in World War I when European armies finally realized how important pistols were in the trenches. The Chamelot-Delvigne finally ended its venerable service as a police sidearm in World War II.

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