Location: Norwich, Connecticut 1868-1915

Hopkins & Allen was best known for inexpensive pocket revolvers. Firms like H&A, H&R and Iver Johnson have been called “Armorers to the Nation’s Nightstands” in recognition of the common use of their products. At its peak, H&A was one of the largest American firearms manufacturers with production quantities approaching those of firms like Colt and Winchester. When H&A was formed in 1868, it took over production of Bacon Manufacturing Co. revolvers. Later, it acquired other makers such as Davenport Firearms (1901) and Forehand & Wadsworth (1902). The high-quality Merwin Hulbert & Co. (q.v.) revolvers produced in the 1870s and 1880s are usually found marked with the Hopkins & Allen name on the barrels. Trade names used by H&A on revolvers included Acme, Allen 22, American Eagle, Americus, Aristocrat, Black Prince, Blue Jacket, Blue Whistler, Buckeye, Bulldog, Captain Jack, Creedmoor, Czar, Dictator, Double Action No., Dreadnaught, Duchess, Duke, Encore, Essex, Excelsior, Expert, Forehand Model, Hinsdale, Imperial Arms, Life Guard, Metropolitan Police, Monarch, Morley, Mountain Eagle, Non XL, Old Hickory, Pointer, Range Model, Ranger, Red Jacket, Safety Police, Scott, Swamp Angel, Terror, The Challenge, Toledo Firearms, Towers Police Safety, Tramps Terror, Universal, Wolverine, XL, XLCR, and Xpert. Often these guns would not have the H&A name on them. Other firms also used some of these names for their products. Trade names reported on H&A long guns included Chichester, Cannon Breech, Douglas Arms, Dreadnought, King Nitro, KK, Seminole, and Worlds Fair. This is a recently revised and expanded section. Readers with comments and suggestions are invited to contact the editor.