hopkins & allen

[shagg]

i've been given a single break open 12 Ga hammer gun. it has been shortened (i think) and it has some kind of safety thing behind the hammer. The only number on it is 4009 on the barrel and the receiver. Anyone have any info on this?

thanx,
Ron

[uscra112]

Some pictures would help a lot. H&A made so many different models, and the documentation is very poor. They weren't a high-class company, their products were always made to sell at low prices, and they went bankrupt during WW1. Their products were unlovely, and rarely well taken care of.

If that "safety thing" is a little lever that you push down, (not slide), it is probably a Model 1812 or 1816 "Safety Single Gun". (12 gage or 16 gage, respectively.) This lever controlled some sort of hammer block, and had to be pressed down to fire the gun. I only suggest this because there is such a thing presented in a catalog reproduction that I have. I have never seen one of these in the flesh.

Be wary! H&A under-engineered much of their stuff, so a mechanism like that could well be a booby trap. The so-called "set trigger" on their falling-block rifles certainly was....

[shagg]

ok, i took these pics. hopefully if i do this right you can see them.


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_144994ddac9fde390a.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=941)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_144994ddaca3830314.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=944)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_144994ddaca1e1bd8e.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=942)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_144994ddaca2b8d2a1.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=943)http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_144994ddaca2b8d2a1.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=943)http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_144994ddaca2b8d2a1.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=943)