POTD: Hit The Deck! – Ethan Allen Drop Breech Rifle
Sam.S 09.26.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have the Ethan Allen Drop Breech Rifle. Ethan Allen became a major US firearms maker during the percussion era. In 1860 his firm patented the Allen carbine, a short-barreled rifle with a drop breech loading system. Allen carbines saw some Civil War use by scouts, spies, and citizens with privately purchased guns. After the war, several Northern states adopted the Ethan Allen carbine for their mounted militia units. Firing .22 to .44 rimfire rounds, Ethan Allen’s fast breech system gave horsemen an edge over muzzleloaders. Though never officially purchased by the US government, Allen carbines filled a niche as privately bought saddle guns and for state cavalry units. The innovative breech mechanism of Allen’s 1860 patent highlights his important contributions to American firearms development.
“Manufacturer: Allen Ethan
Model: Drop Breech-Rifle
Type: Rifle
Gauge: 38
Barrel: 26 inch half octagon
Finish: blue
Stock: walnut”
Lot 218: Two Long Guns – B) Ethan Allan Drop Breech Single Shot Rifle. (n.d.-d). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved September 25, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2027/218/two-long-guns.
