Hopkins & Allen Ranger No.2

[duckhunter28432]

I recently purchased this revolver and was wondering if anyone could shed any light on a few things. I have searched the web and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of information out there on these revolvers. The serial number is 4224, and it has the 1871 patent date stamped on the top strap. I know the later Ranger 2s included the 1878 patent. I’m guessing it was a made around 1877???? Is there anyway to know for sure? Also, is anyone knowledgeable about the engraving and the style. I typically don’t purchase revolvers of this sort but this one was neat, a survivor, and came with with a case and 15 rounds of .32 rimfire ammo. Any help would be appreciated.

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[Rudi]

Don't know anything about it, but it sure is cool!

 

[hivel37]

I like the “fish” on the cylinder.

 

[desi2358]

All I can remember from my foray into the various "suicide specials" some years ago was that the Hopkins & Allen made guns were generally considered to be a little better quality than many of the others. There were literally hundreds of different names used, some made by more than one company. Your guess on the production date is probably fairly close.

That is a very nice looking example, I like it!

 

[duckhunter28432]

Thanks so much for the replies. I typically don’t delve into the world of the “suicide specials” but this example was pretty cool and at the price, I figured what the heck. It’s a neat little revolver and seems to have been well taken care of for the last 140 plus years.


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[2152hq]

Is the H&A 'Ranger' the same as the 'XL' model?

H&A seems to have used both designations liberally and the revolvers marked as both run up and down the scale in calibers and were both available in spur trigger SA and also in SA/DA revolvers w/a trigger guard.


The only reason I wonder is that there is an XL revolver of the same ID as the OP's.
Actually a couple of the same 32RF caliber but different XL model designations but for slight bbl length differnces.

XL models there is a ser#yr mfgr chart available. It's an extrapolated data chart, no factory records available.

The XL models restarted their ser#'s twice after their initial run. The last time was right after H&A reorganized and came back from bankruptcy in 1900.

I DO NOT know if they did the same ser# restart thing with the 'Ranger' model pistols or not. Or if they are one in the same revolvers with different Model name attachments.

That second restart of the ser#'s on the XL's was in the mid 1886.

I seem to recall that the 1878 pat that they stamped on most all of their H&A handguns didn't have anything to do with the H&A design revolvers.
I was instead a pat to do with the Merwin & Hulbert line of revolvers that H&A was mfg.
I can surely be wrong on that but that's what my weak mind recalls right now.

'Hopkins & Allen Manufacturing Co' was the firm's name before the 1898 bankruptcy
Guns made then and before should have that as the marking.

1899 and on the company name was 'Hopkins & Allen Arms Company'.

Easy way to tell an 'Antique' H&A from a Modern one.

Here's a link to the H&A XL model info.
Gives a lot of Model/caliber/bbl length info. Then the ser# chart.
Note the ser#'s restarting in 1886,,,then again in 1899.

Using the mfg'rs roll marking style to date the mfg as pre-1898 or post 1898 can elliminate one of the restarts.

If it's a pre 1898 mfg. then it could with that ser# be either a 1877 or an 1888 mfg,,,
But that's under the assumption that the XL and the 'Ranger' are the same, or were ser#'d the same way.
That is a question I do not know the answer to.
Hope this helps more than confuses.

American Firearms

You have to use the scroll down feature on the right hand side of the page to go all the way down to 'XL'
Click on that and the Hopkins and Allen XL revolver info will come up.
There is also a page on that scroll down menu 'for Hopkins and Allen' and also 'Ranger' (no ser# chart) with some info on the H&A Ranger revolver.

 

[Gene L]

Nice little gun. In .22 Short:/?

 

[duckhunter28432]

It’s in 32 rimfire. Although it did come with 5 modified .32 rimfire casings that have been modified to accept .22short blanks. The bore is actually in really good condition.


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[duckhunter28432]

2152hq thanks so much for taking the time to share all of that information. Based on everything I can find and you provided me with, it’s definitely an antique and made prior to the bankruptcy of the company. I’m not sure if it’s considered an XL or just simply a Ranger No. 2. This is one thing I enjoy most about collecting firearms. I love to learn new things and expand my knowledge.


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[altbrewer]

According to Charles Carder's book on H&A, the XL and Ranger models were made at the same time and had the same internal mechanisms. He treats them separately, and comments that the Ranger series were the least expensive of H&A's revolvers. In the late 1870s the contour of the backstrap was made more squared off and the birds head grip was changed to a square grip design, so the 1877 date seems more likely to me.

I appreciate the new to me info from 2152hq.

Mike

 

[duckhunter28432]

Thanks so much! I appreciate the information.


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