The Guns and Legacy of
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen stands as a significant figure in the history of American arms. Over the course of four decades, he designed and manufactured an impressive range of firearms. The legacy of Ethan Allen is both fascinating and complex for collectors. Each of his firearms exists in numerous variations, and reliable documentation about them is often scarce- making research both challenging and rewarding.
This website provides an accessible and reliable source of information for anyone interested in Ethan Allen's legacy. If you are a collector or enthusiast, I invite you to get in touch through the contact form. Sharing knowledge, experiences, and insights within this community is highly valued.
Ethan Allen
Explore his journey from a humble beginning to becoming a well respected citizen and a name in the arms history. A brief overview of his life, career, production locations and trade names
Pepperboxes
Ethan Allen’s pepperbox stands out as one of the most recognized weapons among his creations. An introduction to the fascinating world of Allen pepperboxes.
Pistols & Revolvers
Besides the pepperboxes, Ethan Allen has designed and produced an incredible variety of pistols and revolvers, both percussion and cartridge . An overview of all the principle models.
Rifles & Shotguns
Although rifles have never been a major concern for Ethan Allen, he has nevertheless designed and produced a substantial number of models. An overview of all the principle models.
Patents
The genius mind of Ethan Allen can be observed by the large number of patents on his name. An overview of all the patents on gun inventions and the development of machinery for gun and cartridge making.
civil war photographs
Although none of Ethan Allen's guns were officially adopted by the US army, many have seen action on the battle field as private side-arms or arms bought by militias. A collection of photographs from the Civil War- and the Gold rush era.
Below a selection of direct links to pages of special interest
From the early "Dainty" model to the final pepperboxes manufactured in the 1860s, Ethan Allen and his partners produced an extraordinary variety of pepperbox designs. If you're trying to identify a specific Allen pepperbox, this page is an essential resource, featuring a complete guide to all 37 primary pepperbox models manufactured by Ethan Allen and his business partners.
Very little documentation has survived to show how Ethan Allen's firearms business actually operated. Fortunately, one remarkable record remains: a single Day Book covering the operations of Allen & Thurber from 1846 to 1848. This unique ledger provides invaluable insights into the company's daily activities, revealing information about its business partners, employees, production figures, suppliers, customers, and manufacturing practices. It offers a rare glimpse behind the scenes.
Few collectors realize that Ethan Allen was not only a pioneering firearms manufacturer but also an important producer of early metallic cartridges. During the 1860s, he established a major cartridge manufacturing operation and developed several patented innovations that improved the production of metallic ammunition. This page provides a comprehensive overview of every known cartridge produced by Ethan Allen's cartridge factory, along with original cartridge boxes and packaging where available.
It is generally accepted that Ethan Allen marked the vast majority of his firearms with assembly, or batch, numbers rather than true serial numbers. However, Allen may have anticipated securing government contracts for certain revolvers, particularly the Center-Hammer Army and Navy models. This may have prompted the adoption of true serial numbers on these specific models. Presented here is a database of known serial numbers for Ethan Allen's side-hammer percussion revolvers, center-hammer percussion revolvers, and center-hammer lipfire revolvers.
The 1840's and 1850's were booming days for the firearms business. Many tried to benefit from this opportunity. Since Ethan Allen was one of the leading figure in the production of double action pepperboxes and pistols, many copied his designs and produced firearms that closely replicated Allen’s pepperboxes and bar-hammer pistols, while others introduced minor modifications to the original designs.