The American Civil War was the dawn of a new era in guns. Unique designs and patents were popping up all over the New England states.  The Connecticut Arms & Manufacturing Company, and the Hammond Bulldog, are examples of the business and technological ventures that took place at that time.

In 1863, two brothers named Henry and Lewis Hammond decided to venture into the firearms business. They opened up the Connecticut Arms & Manufacturing Company.  Henry had submitted a patent for a breechloading, single-shot pistol, but the patent was denied.  The denial was due to similarities in existing patents.  Henry decided to go back to the drawing board and resubmitted his patent on September 30, 1864.  One month later, the patent was approved, and the Hammond Bulldog was born.

The Hammond Bulldog had a unique approach to unlocking the breech for reloading the firearm.  Instead of breaking open on a hinge, the Bulldog pivoted at the breech, and the barrel twisted to the side.  The Hammond Bulldog was available in a variant of calibers, to include .22 Rimfire, .32 Rimfire, .44 Rimfire, and .50 Rimfire.  An optional 12-inch barrel was available for target shooting. The pistol-carbine could be purchased with a detachable wire stock.   The Hammond brothers even incorporated their pivoting breech into a rifle. 

Hammond’s long arms were not as popular as the Bulldog.  The single-shot pistols were rugged and could handle a pistol and rifle calibre alike.  In 1868, Connecticut Arms & Manufacturing Company defaulted on their mortgage and closed.  There is no documentation citing the number of firearms produced at the facility in Naubuc, Connecticut.  However, owning one of these unique firearms is like owning a piece of history.