Allen & Wheelock Center Hammer Army .44 Lipfire Revolver

Joined
May 1, 2015
Location
Upstate N.Y.
Recent purchase of a rarely seen revolver. Allen & Wheelock created and patented many firearms. This was 1860-1862 approx.. The .44 only had a production of about 250 pieces till both Allen & Wheelock and Smith & Wesson both ran into the Rollins infringement. It was also made in .36 caliber (Navy) version. They were for the most part converted to percussion to resolve the problem. Starting life as a cartridge firearm and ending up a percussion. So original in Lipfire are few. All matching numbers. The Federal government purchased 536 from the factory and 198 from Wm. Read & Sons , Boston on the open market. The purchase was a mix of the different versions. A well thought out piece with a ratchet type ejector. The trigger guard lowers to function the ejector. A few photos. Permission to post photos obtained from Shiloh Relics

Lipfire .44.jpg


Allen & Wheelock Lipfire Army Ser.#141   #1.jpg


Allen & Wheelock Lipfire Army Ser.#141  #2.jpg


Allen & Wheelock Lipfire Army Ser.#141  #6.jpg


Allen & Wheelock Lipfire Army Ser.#141  #11.jpg


Allen & Wheelock Lipfire Army Ser.#141  #13.jpg
 
Last edited:
Recent purchase of a rarely seen revolver. Allen & Wheelock created and patented many firearms. This was 1860-1862 approx.. The .44 only had a production of about 250 pieces till both Allen & Wheelock and Smith & Wesson both ran into the Rollins infringement. It was also made in .36 caliber (Navy) version. They were for the most part converted to percussion to resolve the problem. Starting life as a cartridge firearm and ending up a percussion. So original in Lipfire are few.The Federal government purchased 536 from the factory and 198 from Wm. Read & Sons , Boston on the open market. The purchase was a mix of the different versions. A well thought out piece with a ratchet type ejector. The trigger guard lowers to function the ejector. A few photos. Permission to post photos obtained from Shiloh Relics

View attachment 379392

View attachment 379394

View attachment 379395

View attachment 379396

View attachment 379397

View attachment 379398


Nice piece.
 
These are likely the prettiest weapons I have seen. If someone could give a data sheet of lbs., length, FPS, and kick, as well as it's efficiency I would appreciate it. How come the metal appears raw and yet in great condition?
Lubliner.
 
Nice! I've got one too! They are interesting pieces and it's one of the jewels of my collection. Mine seems to be configured for some type of detachable stock but I can't find any information about that.

View attachment 379441View attachment 379442View attachment 379443View attachment 379444
Very nice. Mine is #141. I saw yours was #139. So they are brothers. Guessing that modification was done at a later date. So little info available. Cartridge is not easy to find.
 
Last edited:
These are likely the prettiest weapons I have seen. If someone could give a data sheet of lbs., length, FPS, and kick, as well as it's efficiency I would appreciate it. How come the metal appears raw and yet in great condition?
Lubliner.
Allen & Wheelock made a lot of variation with little published info except for photos that often do not match the item. "The Story of Allen and WheelocK" by H.H. Thomas offers little info. John McAulay's "Civil War Pistols of The Union" gives a little info on usage. Even this one in .44 had two versions. First having the loading gate hinged at top instead of bottom and grips with a flared bottom and a straighter one. Previous were with side hammer instead of center hammer. I have seen a few that still maintain there original finish, but a lot more bucks. It is 13 " OAL., barrel is 7.5" , grips were original varnish. The .36 cal. had from 5 to 8" barrel. Most of the photos show it as percussion in stead of original lipfire. The metal finish is smooth, can only guess whatever method of bluing they used was not really great. The trigger guard acts as the operating arm of the ejector with a smoothly operated ratchet. This being much stronger then a sliding type. The cylinder is easily removed by hand without tools by pushing up on a small lever and sliding the arbor forward. No removing screws or beating on wedges. I believe there were later conversions to rim fire by milling the back face of the cylinder. Markings are only the name and patent info. There is no serial number per say, but an assembly number on butt frame under grips, inside of grips, on cylinder, on ejector and on loading gate. There are no cartouches, but record of government purchases during the war from factory and open market as mentioned above. McAulay mentions small usage by 2nd & 3rd Michigan Cavalry units and 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Anyone with cartridge they want to sell, PM me.
 
Last edited:
I've never seen any technical data for trigger pull or muzzle velocity regarding these revolvers. I don't shoot any guns in my modest collection so I have no experience with their trigger pull. I don't ever dry fire my guns for fear of cracking the hammers.
 
Back
Top