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.
The objective of this website is to provide 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
Click on the image or title to open a new window
If you are looking to identify a specific Allen pepperbox, don't miss this page where you can find a complete listing of all 37 pepperbox models that have been produced by Ethan Allen and his partners.
A Look at the everyday activities of the Allen & Thurber business between 1846 and 1848
An Overview of the wide variety of cartridges that has been produced by Allen's cartridge production facility.
A collection of advertisements and letterheads from Ethan Allen and his retail agents.
Database of know serial numbers for the side-hammer percussion revolvers, the center-hammer percussion revolvers and the centre-hammer lipfire revolvers.
An Overview of Allen's principal competitors during the heyday of the pepperbox.
