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NICE ALLEN AND WHEELOCK NAVY LIPFIRE REVOLVER

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This is a very nice example of the rare .36cal "Navy" version of the rare "Lip Fire" Revolvers made by Ethan Allen and his brother-in-law Thomas Wheelock in Worcester, Mass. In 1856 the two formed a partnership that lasted until Wheelock's death in 1865, and were most known for their Pepperbox Percussion revolvers, however they also did make many other types of firearms, including the "Side Hammer" rimfire revolvers. These were produced from 1859 to 1862, when litigation from Smith Wesson brought production to a halt. They had purchased exclusive rights to the Rollin White patent, which governed bored through cylinders, and defended it actively.

In an effort to get around this, Allen & Wheelock introduced a revolutionary "Lip Fire" cartridge-based revolver, which utilized a small "lip" on the edge of the cartridge base, where the primer would be stored, as opposed to having a rim going all the way around. This also included such luxuries as a hinged trigger guard that actuated the ejector, a loading gate on the cylinder, and an easily removable arbor pin. Allen also went to a "center hammer" design, instead of the earlier side hammer, which improved the frame strength and ease of loading.

Unfortunately, the Lip Fire revolvers also was found to infringe on the Rollin White Patent, and saw a much shorter production life, with the guns being introduced in late 1860 or early 1861 and being put out of production by the November 1863 court order. Despite these setbacks, Allen persevered, continuing to manufacture percussion revolvers, and long arms, including a drop-breech cartridge rifle and double-barreled shotguns with metal wrists. Allen also produced a successful line of single shot, cartridge derringers that did not infringe upon the Rollin White patent.

This fine example is a .36 caliber “Navy” model, differentiating itself from the “Army” model in caliber, size, and the extended octagonal barrel (the Army had a barrel that was round toward the muzzle to accommodate the larger .44 caliber round).  Walnut grips are in nice condition with only minor cosmetic wear.  The original varnish is still present and is not cracking or flaking. The timing and lockup are both tight, while the bore of the 6” barrel is a bit dull but retains strong rifling.  The original bluing is mostly gone but all metal surfaces are smooth, with only minor oxidation in localized areas. The barrel is stamped ALLEN & WHEELOCK. WORCESTER. MASS. US. ALLEN’S PATS SEPT 7 NOV 9 1858 – but a section of the stamp is worn and illegible.

Though not serialized, this pistol likely falls within the 1861-1862 manufacturing and delivery records with only 500 made and delivered to the Federal Government or privately purchased during this time.

The Civil War spurred an unprecedented level of innovation, with this pistol being a case in point.  Any collection of Civil War weaponry and memorabilia needs an example of the very rare Allen and Wheelock revolver with its unique, progressive “lipfire” system.  [cm][ph:L]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!

 

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