The Allen & Thurber Pepperbox Revolver of 1837 was an important precursor to modern revolvers, distinguished by its double-action mechanism, in which the entire barrel assembly rotated with each pull of the trigger. Compared to the Colt 1873 Single Action Army, considered an icon of the Wild West, the Pepperbox was mechanically less advanced, featuring multiple rotating barrels instead of a cylinder with a single barrel. While the Pepperbox was popular as an affordable defensive weapon for civilians in the early 19th century, the Colt 1873, with its robustness, accuracy, and loading of metallic cartridges, set the standard for military and police sidearms of the later era.