WHITNEY ARMS COMPANY

Whitney Arms Company was formed from the Whitney Armory (Whitneyville Armory) after its incorporation in June, 1863 and began firearms production in 1798. Eli Whitney Sr. & Eli Whitney Jr. were prominent figures and prolific producers in the arms manufacturing world for a great many years, and their production plant in New Haven is credited as being the first major manufacturer of commercial firearms in America. The Whitneys produced a tremendous variety of firearms under family ownership for approximately 90 years before selling the company to Winchester in 1888. Numerous longarms, starting with the Whitney 1798 U.S. Contract Musket, and moving forward through various other flintlock, percussion, rimfire, and centerfire rifles, handguns, and shotguns, contributed to the vast broadness of the Whitney line. Whitney collaborated with Burgess, Kennedy, Morse, Tiesing, Howard, Cochran, Scharf, and many others. Many of the early Whitney rifles, such as the historic 1798 Flintlock muskets, are rare and highly collectible, commanding substantial premiums when found in original configuration, and not converted to percussion. The Whitney lever action repeaters are also quite popular among collectors. A fair number remain in circulation. Please refer to Whitney Armory for information on U.S. Military Contract arms.
The editors wish to express their thanks to Mr. Steve Engleson for providing the following information on Whitney Arms Company.
Manufacturer located in New Haven, CT, circa 1863-1888.
WHITNEY ARMS COMPANY logo

WHITNEY ARMS COMPANY Antiques Models

BREECH LOADING REVOLVER Image

BREECH LOADING REVOLVER

.22, .32, or .38 rimfire cal., solid brass frames of various size, fluted or round cylinders, octagon barrels of various lengths, barrels marked "WHITNEYVILLE", various finishes, hard rubber, rosewood, or ivory (rare) grips, gener...

DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN Image

DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN

10, 12, or 16 ga., centerfire, breech loading shotgun, 28-32 in. damascus steel barrels, shorter lengths observed, early mfg. barrels are products of leftover percussion guns and marked "WHITNEY ARMS CO, WHITNEYVILLE, CONN. HOMOGENOUS ...

WHITNEY PERCUSSION SHOTGUN - SINGLE BARREL Image

WHITNEY PERCUSSION SHOTGUN - SINGLE BARREL

.58 surplus cal. converted to .60 cal., 20 ga., Patent No. 59110 of October 23,1866, single shot, muzzleloading, 1 in. circular detachable plate provides access to inside of device, 28-36 in. smoothbore barrel, marked "WHITNEY ARMS CO....

COCHRAN CARBINE Image

COCHRAN CARBINE

.44 rimfire cal., single shot, breech loading, breech block marked "J.W. COCHRAN N.Y. PAT'D/APR 4, 1865 & FEB'Y/20,1866", 28 in. round barrel, marked "WHITNEY ARMS CO.- WHITNEYVILLE, CONN.", single leaf rear sight, b...

Model No. 1 Image

Model No. 1

.22 rimfire cal., solid brass frame, 7 shot, with straight-unfluted, narrow-short fluted, or wide-long fluted cylinder variations, 3 1/4 in. octagon barrel marked "WHITNEYVILLE", nickel frame with blued finish, or all nickel finis...

WHITNEY PERCUSSION SHOTGUN - DOUBLE BARREL Image

WHITNEY PERCUSSION SHOTGUN - DOUBLE BARREL

.58 surplus cal. converted to .60 cal., 20 ga., single shot, muzzleloader, 1 in. circular detachable plate provides access to inside of device, 30 in. smoothbore barrel, marked "WHITNEY ARMS CO., WHITNEYVILLE, CONN. HOMOGENOUS WROUGHT ...

EXCELSIOR RIFLE Image

EXCELSIOR RIFLE

.38, .44, or .50 rimfire cal., single shot, breech loading, 28 in. barrel marked "WHITNEY ARMS CO. - WHITNEYVILLE CONN", serial number on underbelly of barrel, V-groove rear sight with folding pin front sight, blued finish, safety...

PHOENIX COMMERCIAL CARBINE Image

PHOENIX COMMERCIAL CARBINE

.44 centerfire cal., tapered breech block integrated to right side of frame, side swing action lifts up for loading and activates extractor, single shot, case hardened frame with saddle ring on left side, 24 in. round blue or brown barrel m...

Model No. 1 (.30 cal.) Image

Model No. 1 (.30 cal.)

.30 rimfire cal., cartidge, solid brass frame, 5 shot, wide cylinder, short flute, 3 1/4 in. octagon barrel marked "WHITNEYVILLE" or "EAGLE ARMS CO.", nickel frame with blued finish, or all nickel finish, hard rubber, ro...

Model No. 1 1/2 Image

Model No. 1 1/2

.32 rimfire cal., solid brass frame, 5 shot, varied cylinder lengths, 3 1/2 in. octagon barrel, nickel frame with blued finish or all nickel finish, hard rubber, rosewood, or ivory (rare) grips, 2 variations marked "EAGLE CO." or ...

PHOENIX GALLERY RIFLE Image

PHOENIX GALLERY RIFLE

.22 rimfire cal., tapered breech block integrated to right side of frame, side swing action lifts up for loading and activates extractor, single shot, case hardened or blue frame, 24 in. octagon or half octagon/half round blue barrel marked...

PHOENIX MILITARY CARBINE Image

PHOENIX MILITARY CARBINE

.433, .45, or .50 centerfire cal., tapered breech block integrated to right side of frame, side swing action lifts up for loading and activates extractor, single shot, case hardened frame with saddle ring on left side, 20 1/2 in. round blue...

Model No. 2 Image

Model No. 2

.32 rimfire cal., iron (rare) or brass frame, 6 shot cylinder, 5 in. octagon barrel, nickel frame with blued finish or all nickel finish, hard rubber, rosewood, or ivory (rare) grips, marked "WHITNEYVILLE" or "EAGLE CO."...

PHOENIX MILITARY RIFLE MUSKET Image

PHOENIX MILITARY RIFLE MUSKET

.433, .45, or .50 centerfire cal., tapered breech block integrated to right side of frame, side swing action lifts up for loading and activates extractor, single shot, case hardened or blue frame, 35 in. round blue barrel marked "PHOEN...

Model No. 2 1/2 / 3 Image

Model No. 2 1/2 / 3

.38 rimfire cal., iron (rare) or brass frame, 5 shot cylinder, 1 1/2-3 in. octagon barrel marked "WHITNEYVILLE ARMORY", nickel frame with blued finish or all nickel finish, hard rubber, rosewood, or ivory (rare) grips, marked &quo...

PHOENIX SCHUETZEN RIFLE Image

PHOENIX SCHUETZEN RIFLE

.38, .40, or .44 centerfire cal., tapered breech block integrated to right side of frame, side swing action lifts up for loading and activates extractor, single shot, case hardened or blue frame, 30 or 32 in. octagon, round or half octagon/...

PHOENIX SPORTING RIFLE Image

PHOENIX SPORTING RIFLE

.32, .38, .44 cals. rimfire or .38, .40, .44, .45, .50 centerfire cals., tapered breech block integrated to right side of frame, side swing action lifts up for loading and activates extractor, single shot, case hardened or blue frame, 26-30...

SWING-BREECH CARBINE Image

SWING-BREECH CARBINE

.46 rimfire cal., single shot, release button on right side of frame discharges breech block and swings sideways to insert the cartridge, 22 in. round barrel, single or double set triggers, blued finish, walnut stock and forearm, metal lug ...