Hopkins Allen XL3

[markieh]

I've had this one for many years and always thought they were cheap nasty pocket pistols. However I recently took it to the gun club for show and tell, and one guy was raving about the quality. He said the machining was really crisp and that it was made of really good steel. I always thought it was nickel plated, but he said no, it was chrome. The guy was a metalurgist at BSA before he retired, so I guess he knows what he's talking about

 

[AudieMurphy]

I had one very similar to yours except mine had a round barrel....was a H&A called the "Defender" .32 cal rimfire...I paid $20 dollars for it at an estate sale. lost the gun years ago somewhere during moving but still have a box of cartridges for it...made in canada

 

[desi2358]

Hopkins & Allen made some decent little handguns back in the day. From what I remember they were considered to be one of the better made of the so called "Suicide Special" genre. Have owned a few of them (though none as nice as the OP's example) and they were more likely to still be functional than many of the others I encountered.

As to chrome versus nickel I don't think chrome plating became common until long after H&A quit making the little single action revolvers. Most sources indicate that chrome first came into regular use in the 1920's. The OP's gun almost looks silver to me but I think it is actually nickel.

 

[Goony]

I'd expect the top strap to be marked "XL NO. 3". H&A tended to produce their spur trigger models in batches, so as to fulfill firm orders from wholesalers or large retailers. The patent date(s) can roughly indicate how early a particular example is, although they generally date to the last few decades of the 19th century. Regarding the finish, if it's indeed chromed, this was done long after manufacture. as H&A only nickel plated their products. I like the engraving, which is quite well done for such an inexpensive gun. Have you determined a caliber for it?

 

[walnutred]

Hopkins and Allen manufactured the Merwin & Hulbert revolvers. So they were capable of outstanding machine work when the intended market warranted the effort.

 

[markieh]

Caliber is .32 rimfire and top strap is indeed marked Hopkins & Allen mfg co

and XL No3. Barrel is marked pat Mar 28 1871, Apr 27 1875.

Hammer and trigger both have knurled surfaces.

 

[iby]

The finish is original and nickel NOT chrome

 

[AudieMurphy]

.32 rimfire I dont know if its still manufactered but its still available...I remember mine would go thru a 2x4 at close range....

 

[2152hq]

If the H&A firearm is marked 'Hopkins & Allen Manufacturing Co'.
it is actually an Antique Status Firearm. H&A used that name up to 1898.
In 1898 they reorganized and the name changed
to 'Hopkins & Allen Firearms Co'.

I've always liked H&A's firearms. The single shot rifles interested me especially.

The company went under in 1915/16 after a failed contract w/Belgium to produce the Model 1889 Mauser rifle.
Some were made and are certainly collectors items. Plainly roll marked on the recv'r ring w/ H&A logo.
H&A had ceased all sporting arms production in order to take on the Belgian contract.

New England Westinghouse, the US gov'ts grab hand at the time for war needs, then took over H&A's factory and gave it to Marlin for use in producing War time production needs. I think they made MG parts, BAR parts
After WW1, Marlin bought the contents of the plant at auction for nearly nothing and moved it all to NewHaven. Marlin did continue to make a few of the top break revolvers that H&A had made along with the SingleShot Target pistol with some changes.

 

[bcowern]

Hopkins & Allen manufactured the amazing and innovative Merwin Hulbert revolvers whose quality would be very hard to improve on.

Merwin Hulbert & Co. Guns: Forgotten Western Revolvers | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Regards,
bcowern

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

32 RF Short cartridges sold for 35 cents each at OGCA in the 1980s. I had a F & W some guy gave me, because you couldn't buy ammo at K-Mart! I doubt they would go through a 2x4 any longer!

Ivan