Merwin Hulbert

Merwin, Hulbert, and Co. or Merwin Hulbert was an American firearms manufacturer and marketer based in New York City which made revolvers and rifles from 1876 until 1916. The guns, themselves, were manufactured by a subsidiary company: Hopkins & Allen of Norwich, Connecticut.^[1] The first Merwin Hulbert revolver was produced in 1876 and the company's designs influenced the designs of other gunmakers of the time such as Meriden Firearms Co., Harrington & Richardson, Forehand & Wadsworth, and Iver Johnson.^[2]

Merwin Hulbert revolvers were used by police departments of many eastern cities in the US in the 19th Century.^[3]

History

Joseph Merwin was involved with marketing revolvers as early as 1856 and first formed an arms company known as Merwin & Bray. This company was folded by 1874. In 1876 Merwin formed a partnership with the William and Milan Hulbert, who owned 50% interest in Hopkins & Allen. After Merwin's death in 1888, the company became known as "Hulbert Brothers & Company". Hulbert Brothers declared bankruptcy in 1894 and in 1896 it was liquidated. Hopkins & Allen continued to manufacture Merwin Hulbert marked guns until 1916 when it went bankrupt and was bought the following year by Marlin Firearms.^[3]

In 2010 it was announced that the name of the company had been purchased as well as all of the designs and patents by Gunmaker Michael Blank. Blank plans to reintroduce the revolvers made on modern machinery with modern materials.^[4]

Models

Merwin Hulbert manufactured both single action and double action revolvers. Merwin Hulbert's innovation was a rotating barrel design which allowed the user to rotate the barrel 90 degrees in order to pull the barrel and cylinder forward to remove the fired cartridge cases.^[5][6]

References

1. ^ Flayderman, Norm (2001), Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and their Values, Krause Publications, pp. 396–397, ISBN 9780873493130 
2. ^ Taffin, John (2005). The Gun Digest Book of Cowboy Action Shooting: Guns · Gear · Tactics. Gun Digest Books. pp. 256. ISBN 978-0896891401. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Walter, John (2006), The Guns That Won the West: Firearms on the American Frontier, 1848-1898, pp. 206–207, ISBN 9781853676925 
4. ^ Shideler, Dan (2010). Guns Illustrated: The Latest Guns, Specs & Prices. p. 37. ISBN 9781440213922. 
5. ^ James, Frank (2004). Effective Handgun Defense. Krause. p. 27. ISBN 9780873498999. 
6. ^ Gould, Arthur Corbin (1888). The modern American pistol and revolver: Including a description of modern pistols and revolvers of American make; ammunition used in these arms; results accomplished; and shooting-rules followed by American marksmen. A. C. Gould & co.. pp. 36–41. 

External links

• Merwin's patent for a revolver cylinder
• Official Website