ALLEN & WHEELOCK CENTER HAMMER ARMY REVOLVER

ALLEN & WHEELOCK CENTER HAMMER ARMY REVOLVER

Hover to zoom

Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 Image 5 Image 6 Image 7 Image 8 Image 9

$2,500.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-2065

Shipping: Determined by Method & Location of buyer

To Order:
Call 717-334-0347,
Fax 717-334-5016, or E-mail

Typically manufactured from 1861 through 1862, these six-shot, .44 caliber revolvers were intended to be improvements on the Allen and Wheelock side-hammer revolvers. They use a 7-1/2-inch octagon-to-round barrel and an ingenious combination trigger guard and rachet loading lever. This is the version with the hammer secured by a screw entering the side plate and the cylinder using nipples screwed in from the inside of the chambers. Only 536 Allen and Wheelock revolvers are known to have been purchased by the US Army of these only 198, purchased at the end of December 1861, were .44 caliber center-hammer Army pistols and the remainder were .36 cal. side-hammer versions; some of those .44 caliber revolvers going to the 2nd and 3rd Michigan Cavalry and the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

The only serial number visible is stamped on the bottom front of the iron backstrap; this is "2384". This revolver was refinished a long time ago. The barrel has a deep hot blue refinish. The front sight appears to be bronze. The cylinder is like the barrel re-blued. The trigger guard and loading mechanism, once case hardened, now show mostly as gun metal gray. The hammer also once case-hardened is gun metal color. The back strap and frame are now an iodine reddish brown color; a later redone finish; certainly old, but redone. The nipples are not battered. Normally the guns are marked in two lines, on the left octagon barrel flat: “ALLEN & WHEELOCK. WORCESTER, MASS. U.S." over "ALLEN’S PT’S. JAN. 13. 1857. DEC. 15, 1857, SEPT. 7, 1858” but this gun does not bear this marking, nor does it appear to have been cleaned or polished off. Allen & Wheelock markings are notoriously light, but there is absolutely no indication that this revolver was ever marked. The oddly high serial number "2384" and lack of markings suggest that maybe the gun was assembled at the very end of production, or possibly during the 1864-1865 period after the death of Thomas Wheelock when Ethan Allen was reorganizing the company as E Allen & Co. Others seen in this serial range are also unmarked. The bore is good. The 2-piece grips have some small bumps on the sides. The mechanics are strong. An interesting Civil War gun that is a bit enigmatic but highly collectable.   [pe][ph:L]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!

Inquire »

Inquire About ALLEN & WHEELOCK CENTER HAMMER ARMY REVOLVER

should be empty