William Tranter - His Increasing Success

His Increasing Success

Tranter continued to produce percussion revolvers well after the introduction of cartridge revolvers since many shooters were more comfortable with the old system, which was also cheaper. However in 1863 Tranter secured patents for revolvers using the rimfire system, some of the first in Britain. Tranter's rim-fire revolvers ranged from small caliber single- and double-action revolvers to the large solid frame model 1863 revolver in .442 in (11.2 mm) caliber. Tranter began manufacturing center fire revolvers in 1868.

In late 1867 Tranter constructed a new, larger facility on Lichfield Road in Aston Cross, called "The Tranter Gun and Pistol Factory", although business continued to be conducted at the old location for some time. At that time Tranter's was the most extensive pistol-making business in the Midlands. Tranter produced over 20 different pistols of his own design, together with other designers' guns under contract. He had government contracts for the official British Snider Rifle, and in 1878 was granted a government contract for a solid frame .450 centre fire revolver for use by the British army. He supplied weapons of every kind to the gun trade in general, including overseas markets.

Between 1849 and 1888 Tranter made 24 patent applications. Nineteen of those were for cartridge weapons including bolt-action rifles and machine guns, as well as his famous revolvers. "Tranter was certainly in the very forefront of rook rifle development and production."

Tranter was a substantial property owner and a founding member of the Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd., of which he was a director in its early years. As a prominent member of the Birmingham small arms trade he was called as a witness before a parliamentary committee on small arms in 1854.