Hopkins Allen Serial Number Shotgun3/31/2021
The Frontier frame was built around two design features - six shots and.44 caliber. Merwin Hulbert created this family to directly compete with the Colt Model 1873 Single-Action Army (aka Peacemaker), Remington Model 1875, and Smith Wesson Model 3 as a large frame, big bore six-shooter.The firearms were manufactured by a subsidiary company, Hopkins Allen of Norwich, Connecticut.
Merwin Hulberts designs had influenced other gunmakers of the time, such as Meriden Firearms Co., Harrington Richardson, Forehand Wadsworth, and Iver Johnson. In 1868 Merwin formed a partnership with William and Milan Hulbert, who owned 50 interest in Hopkins Allen. Merwin and Hulbert not only designed firearms, but imported firearms and retailed firearms and other goods in a large sporting goods endeavor. Merwin and Hulbert additionally purchased several firearms manufacturers. Author Art Phelps opined that if Merwin and Hulbert had not marked the revolvers with the manufacturers name Hopkins and Allen (known for inexpensive and poor quality weapons), the Merwin Hulbert would be as well known as Colt, Smith Wesson, and Remington. Payment for three sizable shipments to Russia were never realized. The bankruptcy of subsidiary Evans Rifle Company cost Merwin and Hulbert 100,000. A company associate literally stole the firms operating capital and disappeared. During 18801881, Merwin and Hulbert was in receivership, but it was able to recover. Hulbert Brothers declared bankruptcy in 1894 and in 1896 it was liquidated. Hopkins Allen continued to manufacture Merwin Hulbert style rifles, primarily.22 and.32 caliber single shots, until 1916 when it went bankrupt and was bought the following year by Marlin Firearms. Because nickel-plated Merwin and Hulbert pistols had the same cost as those without, it is rare to find Merwin and Hulbert revolvers with a blued finish. Any intact cartridge would remain in the chamber due to the additional length of the bullet. The tight machining tolerances would create a vacuum when the barrel and cylinder were pulled forward, literally causing the assembly to snap back closed when released. In addition to this unique case extraction system, pressing an additional lever control when the frame was open for extraction allowed the owner to completely remove the barrel. Note: early models also required pushing out a barrel wedge similar in function to Colt percussion revolvers. This not only facilitated cleaning, but allowed the owner to swap barrels, allowing for a shorter concealed carry and longer field weapon in one. The combination of extraction and barrel removal required very precise manufacturing tolerancesincredible considering the tools of the day. Blank plans to reintroduce the revolvers made on modern machinery with modern materials. In 2012, the revived Merwin Hulbert company was bought by Sharps Rifle Company, Inc. Potential buyers were encouraged to send in deposits, however none of those potential buyers ever received a firearm. Broadsword Group, the purchaser of Sharps Rifle Company, announced on their website their commitment to return deposits of those who pre-ordered and the discontinuation of any further involvement in the production of Merwin Hulbert revolvers; although, they did indicate they are seeking to sell the design to a company that already specializes in reproduction firearms. The expense to produce the extremely tight tolerances is likely weasel words prohibitive, especially considering the small niche of interested buyers. Merwin Hulbert manufactured both single-action and double-action revolvers in three frame sizes - the FrontierPocket Army, the Pocket, and the Small Pocket. The Frontier frame was built around two design features - six shots and.44 caliber. Merwin Hulbert created this family to directly compete with the Colt Model 1873 Single-Action Army (aka Peacemaker), Remington Model 1875, and Smith Wesson Model 3 as a large frame, big bore six-shooter.
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