Founding and Key Figures:
- The company was founded by Joshua Stevens, along with Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson, who later went on to establish Smith & Wesson. Christian Sharps, known for founding the Sharps Rifle Company, also had his early rifle manufacturing transferred to Massachusetts Arms around 1849 or 1850.
- They manufactured Wesson & Leavitt revolvers between 1850 and 1851, which were noted as some of the first revolvers patented after Colt's. Edward Maynard's contributions included a rifle design that used a lever mechanism for loading, featuring his patented priming system which was an alternative to traditional percussion caps. In 1857, they began producing Adams revolvers under license for the U.S. government, indicating their involvement in military contracts.
- Samuel Colt successfully sued the company for patent infringement in 1851, which likely affected its operations.
The company received contracts for significant quantities of Maynard carbines, showing its role in military supply during the Civil War era.
- By 1893, the company was purchased by J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company, also founded by Joshua Stevens, to secure the company's future and protect the interests of Edward Maynard's widow.
- The name "Massachusetts Arms Company" was later used as a trade name by Stevens for firearms sold through the Blish, Mize, and Silliman Hardware Company in Kansas.
- While the original Massachusetts Arms Company is not active today, its legacy is preserved through its contributions to firearms technology and its role in the early American firearms industry. The name and some of its designs have influenced or been used in various capacities by successor companies and collectors.