Allen & Wheelock Navy Revolver
Allen & Wheelock · Pistol · Discontinued · 1862
Also known as: Allen & Wheelock Center Hammer Navy, Allen & Wheelock .36 Navy
Overview
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.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1180 g (41.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 330 mm (12.99") |
| Barrel Length | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 229 m/s (751 fps) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .36 cal, .36 percussion, 9.1mm
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Percussion Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety Notches
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Single Action, Six Shot Cylinder, Center Hammer, Loading Lever
Service history
Operators
- Union Army · adopted 1862
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 500 · Production years: 1862-1864
Approximately 500 produced; Flayderman's lists 1861-1862 but production likely ran 1862 to early 1864.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ethan Allen
Discontinued: 1864
Notes
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.
Background
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.