Shot the Merwin Hulbert, calibre 1873 Winchester.

[M. M. Wright]

Shot this group at 9 yards resting off the corner of the pickup bed. Darn thing looks like it fell apart when emptying the cylinder.

[Daisyman]

Boy, that's different! :When was that made? It looks pretty good and not a bad group, either.

[plowboy 45]

That's just to cool

[JerryB]

Good looking old pistol, what caliber is it? That must have been some fun.

[Buck Elliott]

"Caliber 1873 Winchester"
Take a guess.. Which cartridge was introduced with that rifle..?

[JohndeFresno]

Neat gun and action; an early speedloader! Can you get their New York factory to redo the nickel finish?

[gamekeeper]

COOL I'd love to own a shootable old revolver like that, all I have is a couple of .32 rimfires...

[Dusty Texian]

That is very good shooting from a great old classic. Those old Merwin Hulbert pistols were ahead of thier time. And if you ran out of ammo you could show them another way to use it. With that Scull Cracker grip! ,,,,DT

[Gobblerforge]

"Caliber 1873 Winchester"
Take a guess.. Which cartridge was introduced with that rifle..?

Well that would be the "Model of 1873", of course....
Gobbler

[M. M. Wright]

It's a 44-40 of course and it was made around 1878 I think by Hopkins and Allen for Merwin HUlbert. At least that's what it says on the pistol. You had to cock the hammer to the first click, push a button on the bottom and the barrel/cylinder would pivot and pull forward so you could shake out the empties while any unfired cartridges would remain in the gun. You then closed it up and reloaded through a gate on the right side, one at a time sorta like a Colt.
It's marked as a "Pocket Army". Must of been a pocket in a greatcoat.

[Bill in Oregon]

M.M., that's a classic, and it looks like she wants to shoot, too. Very nice revolver.

[MrMurphy]

The M-H's, aside from the early 'tactical reload' idea of being able to only eject empties and top off, had interchangeable barrels.

So you could have, much like the Dan Wessons, a 7" "belt" gun, yet throw on a 2 or 3" pocket barrel when going to town.

If they'd been marketed better, I think they would have done well. The M-H's were about a century ahead of their time, just lacking a swing open cylinder.

[JerryB]

Well Buck you win again I reckon!!! It did say caliber 1873. BUT, it seems to me the Winchester 1873 was also chambered in 38-40, 32wcf, and 22 rimfire.

[hfcable]

that's a wonderful revolver. sure wish someone would do a repro of the merwin and Hulbert.....Uberti where are you on this one ?!

[Gobblerforge]

Well Buck you win again I reckon!!! It did say caliber 1873. BUT, it seems to me the Winchester 1873 was also chambered in 38-40, 32wcf, and 22 rimfire.

As I understand it, the 1873 Winchester shot a cartridge called "Model of 1873" until the 38WCF came out around 1880 or so. It was after the 38WCF was developed that Winchester changed the name of the original round to 44WCF.
Gobbler

[M. M. Wright]

Actually, the piece is marked: "Calibre 1873 Winchester" on the frame below the cylinder. This gun was made before Winchester started chambering for 38-40 or 32-20 and I don't think the early 73s were marked for caliber. After more calibers were added the marking was on the bottom of the lifter. At that time I think everyone understood what cartridge it took. Colt, when it started chambering the 44 WCF marked their barrels as COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER to avoid any mention of Winchester but Merwin Hulbert, (actually manufactured by Hopkins and Allen) was proud to associate themselves with Winchester.

[Bill in Oregon]

Wasn't there actually talk some time back of someone resurrecting the Merwin Hulbert? Seems like that Venturino fella mentioned it.

[hfcable]

Wasn't there actually talk some time back of someone resurrecting the Merwin Hulbert? Seems like that Venturino fella mentioned it.

yes, and i and others including John Taffin paid deposits on them......they never went into production and they did refund my deposit.

[tman]

[Ysabel Kid]

that's a wonderful revolver. sure wish someone would do a repro of the merwin and Hulbert.....Uberti where are you on this one ?!

+1

Uberti would sell the heck out of that. I've wanted one forever!!!

[hfcable]

that's a wonderful revolver. sure wish someone would do a repro of the merwin and Hulbert.....Uberti where are you on this one ?!

+1

Uberti would sell the heck out of that. I've wanted one forever!!!

i think so too ! the company was going to make them like the originals but strangers of course. you could order it with all three barrel lengths if you wanted, and also with both a 44/40 and 44 special cylinders......all quickly interchangeable. that would have been awesome to me

[Lefty Dude]

And to think they built the piece with out CNC. Now they have trouble repo the piece.

[Griff]

As a couple of sidenotes: 1- The early Winchester 1873s were simply marked with a .44 on the bottom of the lifter. 2 - To learn the history and variations on the .44-40, look up the references in the Wikipedia 44-40 Winchester article. Two of the footnotes take you to articles on this website.

[Griff]

that's a wonderful revolver. sure wish someone would do a repro of the merwin and Hulbert.....Uberti where are you on this one ?!

+1
Uberti would sell the heck out of that. I've wanted one forever!!!

As noted, the attempt to make a reproduction failed. Uberti has made a couple of interesting repros, from a historical point of view, but were failed commercially. When you compare the cost to make a limited run repro, to the sales price necessary to generate commercially viable sales, you only have to look as far as their Paterson. Discontinued, as prices were more than 2 times the price of the more popular civil war revolvers.

[yooper2]

The original M-Hs I've gotten to examine were all built to exacting standards. All were in the possession of an individual who did not shoot antiques sadly. Ingenious design coupled with excellent workmanship, what's not to love?


Eric