Allen & Wheelock · Pistol
Allen & Wheelock Sidehammer Revolver
Revolving · .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · introduced 1858
Also known as Allen & Wheelock Side Hammer Navy, Allen & Wheelock Sidehammer .36 Navy, Allen & Wheelock Side-Hammer Percussion Revolver
About the Allen & Wheelock Sidehammer Revolver
The Allen & Wheelock Sidehammer Revolver is a six-shot, single-action .36 caliber percussion revolver produced in Worcester, Massachusetts by Ethan Allen and Thomas Wheelock. Its defining feature is the hammer mounted on the right side of the frame, paired with a trigger guard that pivots to double as the bullet-loading lever. Introduced soon after the Colt revolver patent expired, the side-hammer Navy model marked a major improvement over the firm's earlier bar-hammer designs and saw service with several Massachusetts units during the early American Civil War.
Ethan Allen, among the most prolific American gunmakers of the 19th century, partnered with his brother-in-law Thomas Wheelock in Worcester to build these distinctive side-hammer revolvers. The hammer's offset placement kept the shooter's sight line clear, while the cleverly hinged trigger guard rammed each ball home, an elegant solution to ramming a cap-and-ball cylinder without a separate Colt-style loading lever.
Allen & Wheelock Sidehammer 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
- 135 mm (5.3 in)
- Overall length
- 274 mm (10.8 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 1.04 kg (2.30 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
- 40 m
History
- Introduced
- 1858
- Discontinued
- 1861
- Production status
- Discontinued
- Country of origin
- US
- Designer
- Ethan Allen
Features
- Octagonal barrel
- Side hammer
- Single action
- Six shot cylinder
- Trigger guard loading lever
- Scroll engraved cylinder
Safety
- Hammer safety notches
Octagonal barrels were offered roughly 5.3 to 8 inches; the 5.3-inch Navy is common. Cylinders are scroll-engraved with forest animal scenes that differ by caliber. Approximately 750 Navy-caliber examples were produced.
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 Navy Revolver
Revolving · .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball)
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)