Hopkins & Allen Dictator
Hopkins & Allen Manufacturing Company · Revolver · Discontinued · 1869
Also known as: H&A Dictator, Dictator Pocket Revolver
Overview
The Hopkins & Allen Dictator is a five-shot, single-action pocket revolver produced in Norwich, Connecticut between roughly 1869 and 1872. Derived from a Thomas Bacon-designed .36 caliber percussion pocket revolver acquired by Hopkins & Allen, the great majority of Dictators were converted at the factory to fire the self-contained .38 rimfire metallic cartridge before shipping. Marked 'Dictator' on the barrel and typically fitted with a nickel-plated finish and walnut grips, it was a typical inexpensive civilian self-defense arm of the early metallic-cartridge era. The Dictator trade name was later reused on an unrelated .32 rimfire spur-trigger 'suicide special' in the 1880s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 370 g (13.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 216 mm (8.50") |
| Barrel Length | 102 mm (4.02") |
| Action Type | Single Action Revolver |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 230 m/s (755 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 257 J (190 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 18 m (20 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 90 m (98 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Nickel |
Calibers
- .38 Rimfire · primary — also known as .38 RF, .38 Long Rimfire
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: 5 Round Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Quarter Cock Hammer Notch
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Spur Trigger, Rebated Cylinder, Factory Metallic Cartridge Conversion
Production
Estimated total produced: 5,100 · Production years: 1869-1872
Single-action percussion pocket revolver, most converted to .38 rimfire at the factory.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Thomas Bacon
Discontinued: 1872
Notes
Estimated 5,100 examples produced; over 80 percent left the factory already converted from .36 percussion to .38 rimfire. Dimensions are approximate, derived from the typical 4-inch (102 mm) barrel pocket-revolver configuration.
Background
The Dictator belonged to the wave of cheap, mass-produced pocket revolvers that flooded the American market after the Civil War, sold under a parade of grand trade names to civilians seeking affordable personal protection.