Help with ID'ing a single shot .22

Wasn't sure where to put this, if it needs moved that is fine.

Customer brought this in to me to help him ID and date (even if approximate).

The Barrel is 20 1/8" on the top of the barrel is says: MADE BY THE HOPKINS & ALLEN MANFG. CO. NORWICH, CONN USA just below that it says: THE MERWIN HULBERT& CO JUNIOR.

I am guessing the name of the.22 is a "Junior" Down on the right side of the lever it has the numbers 328, don't know if that is some kind of a s/n or not.

It appears to be functionable but needs the extractor (left side by the chamber replacded as it's worn and will not pull a spent case out but I can't find a replacement)

My thoughts is that it needs to become a wall hanger once we get some background info about it. Previous owner(s) (grandfather, great grandfather? aren't around any more)

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you very much.

Here's some pics
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...psqfnmdwze.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...psg9bqbnvh.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...psknphrptv.jpg

Looks like a Hopkin and Allen

Merwin & Hulbert were designers and sellers of revolvers in the 1880's up until the 1900's. I have seen a couple of their firearms in person. I believe original specimens are quite sought after. According to Wikipedia they had several companies manufacture guns for them. Among them was Hopkins & Allen. So it's possible they did make this for Merwin & Hulbert to sell.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merwin_Hulbert

It is exactly as it's marked, a Hopkins and Allen built for Merwin and Hulbert to sell. It is the "Junior" model under the Merwin & Hulbert name.

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H&A started building RF cartridge guns before 1870, and guns made prior to 1896 were marked HOPKINS & ALLEN MANUFG. CO. NORWICH CONN, also had various private trade names stamped on them - one of which was MERWIN, HULBERT & COMPANY.

The most commonly seen model was the Junior - which was known after 1902 as the 922 (.22LR), 925 (.25RF), and 932 (.32RF).

Those were not model numbers, they were catalog numbers.

Because of the markings, your Junior was made sometime prior to 1896, and the bore is most likely like a sewer pipe due to the corrosive ammo of the time.

IDK of any published H&A serial number dating lists at this time.

I would strongly advise the owner to shoot only standard velocity ammo in it.


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These I think will help the owner decide that maybe it's ready to be retired.

The problem is that it actually shoots ok (according to the owner) but since the extractor is so worn it won't pull the case out and they manually (with a pen knife) pry the case out after each shot.

The bore, for being as old as it is, is in remarkably good condition, so it was well taken care of through the years.

I knew I could count on the members here to help, I really appreciate it thanks for all the answers.

Parts aren't easy to find for these. If the bore is decent, and the lockup isn't bad (the actions on these tended to wear pretty well) then it probably is worth making a new extractor for.

Too bad everybody seemed to use a screwdriver or thick knife to extract casings as it really messed up the receiver. Cool looking rifle besides the damage. My grandfather had a Stevens Favorite in .22 that couldn't be repaired but it was from much use not abuse. During the depression that rifle was the gamegetter for the whole family. Hard to imagine a lowly .22 single shot keeping a family alive in hard times with all the high powered guns we have today.

Numrich Gunparts have some parts for several models of these rifles. but very unsurprisingly the extractors seem to have been used up. It would be possible to build up the extractor with weld and reshape it. Or silver solder on a small piece of steel, which could be harder wearing than the original. You should make the joint slanting for maximum strength. I'd use an air hardening steel, but that would have to be shaped mostly before soldering, or with diamond burrs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oily

Hard to imagine a lowly .22 single shot keeping a family alive in hard times with all the high powered guns we have today.

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Yes sir, but that was before all game animals grew armor plate and unless a; cartridge, bullet, rifle, sighting system or powder is "new and improved" and wins a popularity contest it is obsolete and incapable of taking game.

a lot of these single shot 22s were either boys rifles or butcher rifles. The boys used them pretty hard a lot of times. The butcher rifles were used to put animals down for butchering small light and handy was the main requirement as shots were literally at the muzzle. But these little 22s put a lot of cattle and big hogs down for the tables.

The extractor is an easy fix, and shouldn't cost much to repair. I take them to a local welder and he usually charges me $10 to build up the extractor with his tig welder. Then I take it home and file or stone it down until it fits and extracts well. If the gun works well otherwise, that's what I'd do with it.

Here's what I know about fixing on these. I have one in 32, long story short it is now (by me) a 32 S&W long. I shoot lighter loads with Ranier plated boolits. My bore is terrible, that's where the plated pills are working. I've done just about enough on this where it's either quit altogether, or get it lined. The extractor was well worn. They tend to shift to the left (as looking at the chamber) and slip off the rim. It measures about .105 in thickness, I first used 12 ga. steel to copy to a new one but the pocket it sits in is worn well enough it still shifted off. So I started over. Make an extractor that has a thicker bottom to it, that will hold it more square to the mount screw. Then unfortunately you have to mill away the extra to get it to the thickness required to fill your slot and stay clear of the falling block when it's opened. This is all harder to explain than to just show in a picture. But the worst about it is, the chamber from the rim to about 1/4" up has a void (open) for this extractor. Things just seem to get a little more complicated as you go if all these areas are wore out! So, you wanna line the barrel? I think it would be great, just have to drill it from the muzzle end because I'm afraid the void in the chamber would raise hell with your drill bit. But, I really like the gun a lot. It's a very handy little bugger for just about anything, kids really like it too.