Hopkins & Allen .32

[Tracker]

Have a Hopkins & Allen .32 revolver. 2.5 inch octagon barrell, solid framed,chambers 5 through a gap in the shield. Top strap inscribed--XL Double Action, Hopkins & Allen Arms Co, Norwich Ct USA. Finish is nice other a few very minor pitts. Had it cked out and it functions great---sent 48 rounds through her last week--fun little gun to shoot, but I can't find any info on Hopkins & Allen. Thanks

[RIKA]

This might help a little:

"The Hopkins and Allen company was founded in 1868 by S. S. Hopkins, C. W. Hopkins and C. H. Allen. The company got into financial difficulties and in 1898 was reorganized as the Hopkins & Allen Arms Co. A fire in 1900 set them back, and in 1901, they merged with the Forehand Arms Company. Manufacture of Hopkins and Allen firearms ceased in 1917 when the plant was taken over by Marlin-Rockwell Corporation for the war time production of Browning automatic rifle components. Hopkins and Allen was well known for the many models of inexpensive "suicide" or "Saturday night special" type revolvers that they manufactured over the years. I was unable to find a specific reference to a Hopkins and Allen model C9 in any of my books, but I can tell you that there is not a lot of collectors interest in Hopkins and Allen firearms. My guess is that value for your C9 is in the $100.00 or less range."

http://oldguns.net/cgi-bin/f2f/f2f.pl?http://oldguns.net/q&a11_00.htm

(mid-way down the page)

RIKA

[Tracker]

Thanks alot for the info, I figured it had little value, it is a nice little gun and a good conversation piece---again thanks

[Flinter]

I have a magazine article on the H&A's at the turn of the century. Hard to remember it off the top of my head, but I do remember that they were saying that they made a wide variety of popular pocket pistols at the time. If I find the article I'll try to post more.

[.45 COLT]

The H&A XL-series revolvers were all rimfires as near as I can find out. They came in .22, .32, .38, .41 and .44 calibers. What cartridge are you shooting? If you have a stash of .32 rimfires, they're worth more to collectors than the gun is.

The XL-series (except series 8) are worth about $300 (in mint condition) on down as condition worsens. Probably worth more to you than to a collector. A series 8 (.44 rimfire) is worth a little more, value depending on whether it's an Army, a Navy or a Civilian model.

DC

[Tracker]

This little .32 is centerfire. I don,t shoot alot through it. Take it along to the range, then after shooting the others I may pop a couple through it. I fire Remington 32 S&W, which are hard to find and cost a bit. From the info that you have, does it state how one tells which series, the only markings on it say XL double action. No other # to determine series, unless that is done by serial #?. I have noticed that it looks like an exact copy of the Forehand Arms Comp. 1891. Thanks for the info

[.45 COLT]

According to what I got, the XL series number (1 - 8) denoted caliber. Two of my books list it, a third one ignores H&A except to lump their pistols into one category and call them "Suicide Specials". The two that make an attempt to categorize H&A guns also mention "Suicide Specials" but make it clear that the XL series (and some others) are not in that category. Information is kind of sketchy on H&A, company was formed in 1868 when Bacon Enterprises was sold and renamed Hopkins and Allen. H&A went out of business in 1915. They made some high quality rifles which have a pretty high collector value, but their pistols evidently haven't attracted collectors. Not sure why that is, because in their time, H&A was a major firearms manufacturer.

DC

[Tracker]

Thanks for info. You are right , info is hard to come by on them. Seems alot of the books tell you to see Harrington & Richardson, or Iver Johnson when you look up HA. Have a good day and thanks again