Allen & Wheelock · Pistol
Allen & Wheelock Navy Revolver
Revolving · .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · introduced 1862
Also known as Allen & Wheelock Center Hammer Navy, Allen & Wheelock .36 Navy
About the Allen & Wheelock Navy Revolver
The Allen & Wheelock Navy Revolver is a six-shot, single-action .36 caliber percussion revolver produced in Worcester, Massachusetts during the American Civil War. Built with a fully octagonal barrel and a center-hammer mechanism, it served as a secondary martial sidearm after patent disputes forced the company to discontinue its earlier lipfire models. Roughly 500 examples were made between 1862 and 1864, making it a scarce and collectible cap-and-ball revolver of the period.
Ethan Allen, one of America's most prolific 19th-century gunmakers, partnered with his brother-in-law Thomas Wheelock to produce these revolvers in Worcester. The center-hammer Navy was their answer after Smith & Wesson and Rollin White patent litigation closed off the company's lipfire cartridge designs.
Allen & Wheelock Navy Revolver specifications
General
- Type
- Pistol
- Action
- Revolving
- Firing mechanism
- Percussion
- Trigger
- Single action
- Calibres
- .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball)
- Magazine capacity
- 6 rounds
- Magazine
- Revolving cylinder
Dimensions
- Barrel length
- 178 mm (7.0 in)
- Overall length
- 330 mm (13.0 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 1.18 kg (2.60 lb)
Barrel
- Rifling
- Right hand
Materials
- Barrel
- Steel
- Receiver / frame
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- blued
Performance
- Muzzle velocity (typical)
- 229 m/s (751 fps)
- Effective range
- 45 m
History
- Introduced
- 1862
- Discontinued
- 1864
- Production status
- Discontinued
- Country of origin
- US
- Designer
- Ethan Allen
Features
- Octagonal barrel
- Single action
- Six shot cylinder
- Center hammer
- Loading lever
Safety
- Hammer safety notches
Marked on the left side of the barrel ALLEN & WHEELOCK / WORCESTER, MASS. with patent dates of JAN. 13 and DEC. 15, 1857. Barrels were offered in 5, 6, 7 and 8 inch lengths, with the 7-inch being most common.
Similar models
Allen & Wheelock .36 Lipfire Revolver
Revolving · .36 Allen Lipfire
Allen & Wheelock Army Revolver
Revolving · .44 Caliber Percussion
Allen & Wheelock Belt Model Side-Hammer Revolver
Revolving · .32 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball)
Allen & Wheelock Lipfire Army Revolver
Revolving · .44 Allen Lipfire
Allen & Wheelock Pocket Model Side-Hammer Revolver
Revolving · .28 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball)
Allen & Wheelock Pocket Revolver
Revolving · .31 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball)
Allen & Wheelock Sidehammer Revolver
Revolving · .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball)