Horace Smith (inventor)

Lore & Background

Horace Smith was born in Cheshire, Massachusetts. He worked for the U.S. Armory service from 1824 to 1842, then moved to Newtown, Connecticut, and later to Norwich, Connecticut, where he became a partner in Cranston & Smith. In Norwich, he manufactured whaling guns.

In 1852, Smith partnered with Daniel B. Wesson to develop magazine arms. They founded the Smith & Wesson Company in Norwich in 1854, with Cortlandt Palmer, to develop magazine firearms and the Volcanic rifle, the first repeating rifle. Smith patented a new Volcanic Cartridge in 1854. The company was renamed Volcanic Repeating Arms in 1855, financed largely by Oliver Winchester. In 1856, Smith and Wesson left to start a new company, and Volcanic Repeating Arms was reorganized into the New Haven Arms Company and eventually the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

In 1857, Smith and Wesson formed another Smith & Wesson company to produce a pistol with interchangeable parts, a repeating action, a revolving magazine, metallic cartridges, and an open cylinder. Smith sold his interest to Wesson in 1873 and retired. He was married three times and died on January 15, 1893. His will established the Horace Smith Fund in 1899 to fund scholarships for graduates in Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Reader's Guide

Horace Smith's significance lies in his foundational role in the American firearms industry. His partnership with Daniel B. Wesson produced two companies that shaped firearm development: the first evolved into the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, famous for lever-action rifles, and the second became the enduring Smith & Wesson brand, known for revolvers and pistols. Smith's invention of the explosive bullet for whaling and his work on the Volcanic rifle and cartridge demonstrate his innovative contributions to both hunting and military arms. His legacy extends beyond manufacturing through the Horace Smith Fund, which provides scholarships in Massachusetts. Smith's career illustrates the transition from individual gunsmithing to large-scale industrial firearm production in the 19th century.

Did You Know?

• He patented a new Volcanic Cartridge in 1854.
• The Volcanic Repeating Arms Company was reorganized into the New Haven Arms Company and later became the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
• Smith sold his interest in the second Smith & Wesson company to Daniel B. Wesson in 1873.