How powerful were the pepperbox revolver?

I fired mine just last month, and the .31 caliber lead round ball bounced off the soft body armor... we did, however, manage to capture much awesome slow-motion video (17,000 frames per second) of the patched round ball exiting the muzzle with all the smoke and flame as well

I will post my own video soon; otherwise it is scheduled to air on network TV (Fox Nation) 12 August 2021

George Bemis . . . wore in his belt an old original "Allen" revolver, such as irreverent people called a "pepper-box." Simply drawing the trigger back, cocked and fired the pistol. As the trigger came back, the hammer would begin to rise and the barrel to turn over, and presently down would drop the hammer, and away would speed the ball. To aim along the turning barrel and hit the thing aimed at was a feat which was probably never done with an "Allen" in the world. But George's was a reliable weapon, nevertheless, because, as one of the stage-drivers afterward said, "If she didn't get what she went after, she would fetch something else." And so she did. She went after a deuce of spades nailed against a tree, once, and fetched a mule standing about thirty yards to the left of it. Bemis did not want the mule; but the owner came out with a double-barreled shotgun and persuaded him to buy it, anyhow. It was a cheerful weapon--the "Allen." Sometimes all its six barrels would go off at once, and then there was no safe place in all the region round about, but behind it.

'Roughing It' S. Clemens

Revolver.45 said:

...how powerful was it?

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A lot would depend on how it was loaded.
Some folks might have been too cheap to waste a full load of powder on one shot.

Revolver.45 said:

The pepperbox revolver was a very popular firearm used for self defence back in the days. But how powerful was it?

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Well a .36 caliber revolver of the Colt type, loses some of the gas when the ball jumps from the cylinder to the barrel, due to the gap... then after the ball exits the cylinder and enters the forcing cone to be swaged onto the rifling, which causes friction and would slow down that ball just a tad.

While the Allen pistol each shot has it's own barrel for each shot to move to the muzzle. So it's likely that with identical loads..., the Allen type pistol would deliver higher muzzle velocity (all other things being equal). Would this advantage be significant? One might want to chrono the two to see.

THEN you have the double action aspect. One might tear though a full cylinder, launching the contents into an opponent very fast, compared to the same when using one hand on a Colt Style revolver, and thus at close quarters, putting six shots into an opponent in four seconds or three shots each into two assailants up lose in the same amount of time, might be quite powerful indeed.

On the other hand, Mr. Hickok demonstrated on at least one occasion, if my memory serves, that the gap from the cylinder to the barrel not very significant while he launched a lethal, aimed shot across a large intersection in a town, dispatching his opponent with the shot. So aiming and longer range might make some consider the Allen & Thurber pistol not that powerful compared to a Colt style.

I'd suggest that one carry both. The double-action Allen and Thurber for up close and personal fast shooting situations (like at 7 feet or less), and a Colt .36 Navy for encounters at a distance OR if one emptied the A&T inside the saloon, and exited, followed into the street by the adversary's friends. AND one could start with the Colt style if out in the countryside and engaged at a longer range.

LD

What was the common or max powder charge for these?

The pepperbox shoots ~.350” balls whereas the “revolvers” use a .375-.380” ball. Not much, but I’m a caliber guy. To me a .36 would be a backup, though I often drool a little when I see pics of the little Colt Police, but were there a 4-5 shot .40-something I’d likely soon forget all about it. I can certainly see the advantage of the pepperbox while ordering a beer in the local saloon. Depending on just how good I was would determine whether I set my mug down or drew my .44 , oh, and I’d have a cigarillo in my mouth like Clint sans pancho.

I forgot to mention that a member of another forum had modified an 1851 to the prototype .40 cal they gave to the government along with what they chose. Apparently the .36 won. How cool would a .40 cal Colt 1851 be? Might not have been a .44 cal. After reading a little about the .40 cal and knowing that the ‘51’s grip is supposedly the best it seems it would be the one I’d want.

Well there is also this from Pietta in .36....



Likely better performance from a .375 ball than one gets from a snub nosed .36 revolver like a sheriff's or police or snubnose AND...,
One could have the cylinder reamed (I'm guessing) and use a .390 ball normally used for a .40 rifle.

Now I've heard of revolvers having had the barrel assembly removed and the "cylinder axel" being threaded for a nut to hold a normal cylinder on the gun, but again the cylinder is standard sized, not extended as the above "fantasy" revolver is.

Capable for the tech of the time, however.

LD

Nah. The pepperboxes never appealed to me. I’d be tempted to try double balling it.

For myself, I’ve always felt a 4” revolver was ideal for sidearm duty (5” for an auto). I’d want something between 4-5.5” as anything much longer is what’s used as a primary hunting gun.

rodwha said:

Nah. The pepperboxes never appealed to me. I’d be tempted to try double balling it.

For myself, I’ve always felt a 4” revolver was ideal for sidearm duty (5” for an auto). I’d want something between 4-5.5” as anything much longer is what’s used as a primary hunting gun.

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I actually like 3" in some modern revolvers..., bur for only 3, rather formidable cartridges. It's funny that for SA cap-n-ball revolvers I like a 5.5" barrel, like a shortened Remington 1858, or the sheriff/police models in the Colt repros.

Double ball in a .36 pepperbox..., now that would be interesting too.

LD

Loyalist Dave said:

I actually like 3" in some modern revolvers..., bur for only 3, rather formidable cartridges. It's funny that for SA cap-n-ball revolvers I like a 5.5" barrel, like a shortened Remington 1858, or the sheriff/police models in the Colt repros.

Double ball in a .36 pepperbox..., now that would be interesting too.

LD

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Yeah, I’ve come to be fond of my 5.5” NMA’s length. But I keep thinking it might be even better if it were 4 1/3” instead.

Hovey Smith had even tested 3 balls.

Very likely the Judge/Governor of its day. Performance far less capable than more conventional firearms of its day but not something you can convince its fans of, no matter what.