Handling and Shooting Characteristics
To fire the Paterson, the shooter thumbed the hammer back and the action rotated a chamber in line with the barrel and locked the cylinder in place. This also caused the folding trigger to drop down from the frame into firing position. The sight picture consists of a front blade and a notch in the tip of the hammer. This sequence is repeated for each of the five shots in the cylinder (although the safety-conscious shooter will load only four, leaving the hammer down on an empty chamber for routine handling and carry.)
Compared to the later Colt Percussion Revolver designs, the Paterson is ergonomically flawed but, even with the odd bell-shaped grip and jutting trigger, the revolver points reasonably well and delivers useful accuracy. That Samuel Colt intended the revolver to be accurate is evident because of the rifled barrel and the extra long accessory barrels present in some cased sets. Using modern-day Uberti replicas, the usual expectation is that careful, one-handed shooting will produce groups of 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) at 60 ft (18 m).
The Number 5 Belt Revolver would be an effective weapon to 50 yd (46 m) with ideal shooting conditions though, from a moving horse, the useful range would be measured in feet.
The available power is comparable to a modern .380 pistol cartridge. The .375-.380-inch round ball weighs a near-identical 83 grains (5.4 g) and the velocity is also essentially the same.
The cylinder is somewhat shorter than that found on the later Colt Navy .36 revolvers but will hold 22 gr (1.4 g) of FFFg black powder while allowing full seating of the ball.
Paterson With Loading Lever
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