Allen & Wheelock Barhammer Revolvers
General information
The barhammer percussion revolvers were the very first revolvers designed and produced by Ethan Allen. These are also called transition revolvers due to the fact that there is a strong resemblance to the pepperboxes. The DA mechanism and the cylinder locking is identical to the pepperboxes using the US3998 patent of 1845. It looks like Ethan Allen was still hanging on to the idea that speed of fire was of much more importance than any accuracy. In all, the revolver isn’t much more than pepperboxes with a single barrel.
The revolvers came standard with a blued frame, barrel and trigger guard. The cylinders, hammer and trigger are casehardened. The grips were of varnished walnut but ivory grips could be ordered as an option.
The revolvers were produced in 3 distinctive frame and cylinder sizes (large, medium and small).
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.All frame sizes have a first variation where the cylinder pin could only be removed by unscrewing the barrel from the frame! Obviously, this is very unpractical, and a second variation was quickly introduced having a more classical cylinder pin.
All first variations and the early production of the second variation are marked ALLEN & WHEELOCK either on the top flat of the barrel or on the top frame strap, and the patent date on the left side of the hammer. Later production have the maker’s name and patent information on the left side of the barrel.
The small frame revolver has a cylinder length of 1,25″ and is in .30 caliber. The medium and large frame revolvers are both in .32 caliber with cylinder lengths of 1,5″ and 1,625″ respectively.
Some cylinders have hammer rests (as can be seen on picture of the large frame cylinder) while others have not.
It is not known when production exactly started and ended but it is generally believed that the production period ran from 1856/57 to 1861/62 with an estimated production of around 1000 units of each frame size.
All frame sizes have 5 shot cylinders that are beautifully scroll engraved with a scene of animals in a forest.
Medium frame 2nd variation early production
This is a second variation of early production (makers marking on the top strap).
