the 1850s. A patent dated 1857 shows that the four-shot barrel assembly attached to the frame in a different manner than the six-shot and five-shot pepperboxes. Standard caliber was .34. All of the pictures this author has seen do not show a nipple shield. 5 barrel pepperbox pistols It was during the Worcester period that the five-shot pepperbox was introduced. Percussion nipples were integrated to the barrels. It would have been expensive to make the machining, but likely reduced production cost significantly. Made with a bar hammer and standard trigger, models have been encountered with or without an integral nipple shield. .32 Was the most common caliber. The five barrel is relatively rare compared to the six barrel models 6 barrel pepperbox pistols Only six barrel pepperbox pistols were produced during the Grafton and Norwich periods (1837–1847), and all had smooth barrel external contours until the later Worcester and Allen and Wheelock period, when fluted barrels became the norm. Six-barrel pepperboxes usually had a standard trigger, but some examples have a ring trigger. Most were double-action with the iconic 'bar hammer', but some were single-action with standard hammers. While simplifying shooting (no manual cocking of the hammer), the bar hammer did preclude the inclusion of usable sights. However, this early example of a double-action pistol must have been quite a selling point. As these were considered 'point and shoot' short range defensive weapons or 'belly guns', the market did not seem to object to the limitation of not having sights. Barrel length varied between three and six inches. There were four frame sizes, accommodating various calibers. Most common were .32 and .34 caliber, though the .28 and .30 caliber 'pocket size' have been reported. The 'Dragoon' model was the king, typically sporting six-inch barrels and .36 caliber. Except for early models and later Allen and Wheelock era production, most have beautiful engraving on the frame. Percussion revolvers Bar-Hammer percussion revolver The bar-hammer revolver is an interested type. It is uncertain when production began or ended. The 1845 patent on the bar-hammer is the same as on the pepperbox and some single shot pistol models. It is likely some number of years after 1845 before this type was produced. A patent for (oddly enough) Rollin White was issued in 1858 that pictured a modified Allen bar-hammer revolver. This would seem to indicate that production started no later than 1856–1857. However, it