Hamilton Rifle No. 27

[DARE]

Made by C J Hamilton & Son, Plymouth, MI. The no. 27 was the most popular Hamilton rifle and was made from 1907 to 1930. Over half a million produced.
Clarence Hamilton was founder of the Plymouth Iron Windmill Company circa 1882. Clarence was also the designer of the Daisy BB gun and the company name was changed to Daisy Manufacturing in 1895.
Another company name was used for the rifles. More than a million made. They were given away to folks that bought a Plymouth windmill. Sold in the Sears & Roebuck catalog. Hamilton & Son also marketed them.
Mine belonged to my grandfather and my father before it was given to me at age 4 in 1954.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I have my F-I-L’s old Hamilton rifle.

 

[wundudnee]

The Hamilton model 27 is a really unique rifle. It is nearly all made of sheet metal. The receiver, trigger guard and the barrel are all formed with sheet metal. the barrel is bronze, wrapped with sheet metal. looking at one you can see the seam running down the underside of the barrel. Here is mine. It is the bottom rifle, the top rifle is a Remington model 6. The remington has a flip up peep sight made of sheet metal.

 

[DARE]

wundudnee,
Looks like the forearm shape is different on your rifle when compared to mine.
Also a close up the company name, etc.

 

[s&wchad]

Those are popular here in SE Michigan because of the local history. I've seen a number of them at shows and most are in rough condition. Yours looks excellent!

Some of the ones I've seen had barrels under 16" and I was unsure about the legality. It appears some of the Hamilton rifles are exempted from the NFA.

 

[wundudnee]

wundudnee,
Looks like the forearm shape is different on your rifle when compared to mine.
Also a close up the company name, etc

Hamilton made two different models of that rifle, models 27 and 027. I don't know of the differences in them, but the forearm might be one. I'll have to dig mine out and take a look.

 

[tops]

I'm thinking they were given away (not sure of model #) for selling a certain amount of Cloverine salve.
There were some made in the early 60s and if I remember correctly they had a MC stock. I ordered one but the screw the barrel pivoted on was always working loose and if not kept tight the shell would rupture. It was handy to carry but I didn't keep it long before I sent it down the road. Larry

 

[DARE]

There is a really good article called

THE QUINTESSENTIAL BOY?S RIFLE: HAMILTON?S MODEL 27

that I pulled up with a search.
The difference between the No. 27 and the 027 was that the 027 had a walnut stock.
The article says that huge numbers of model 27's were wholesaled to firms that recruited youngsters to sell salve, seeds and other products door-to-door. Winning a rifle as a prize was strong motivation for young entrepreneurs.

Just read in the ad that the No. 27 had a flat forearm. Probably the 027 had a different shaped forearm in addition to being walnut.

 

[press-1-for-english]

I think the "027" had a metal butt plate and the "27" was just wood.

 

[DARE]

See the photo in post #4. My rifle is marked 27 and has a metal butt plate.
See the ad in post #8. Says Model 027 same as Model 27 but with turned walnut stock. Also has a different shape to the forearm.
Believe the rifle pictured in post #3 is the 027.

 

[2152hq]

Hamilton, Models 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 027, 31, 35, 39, and 43 rifles.
are under Section III of the ATF C&R List

...Section III — Firearms removed from the provisions of the National Firearms
Act and classified as curios or relics, still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C.
Chapter 44, the Gun Control Act of 1968.

Neat little pieces of history.
You don't see many around anymore at shows or shops.