[stevedorf]

Greetings,

I inherited yet another revolver with the following markings:

Stainless steel w/ hard plastic grips with no symbols ..the cylinder is free wheeling and it does NOT have a hammer...

I believe it is a .38 caliber as a .38 S&W fits perfectly....it has a 3.5 inch barrel...On top of the barrel it says "something" Allen Arms Co Norwich Conn USA Pat'd Aug 02 1906...

Under the left grip there are no markings but on the inner grip frame is a number: C 2240

lastly, the mechanism to open the chamber (break the gun) is located above the cylinder whereas the other 2 items I posted have the mechanism near the hammer....

there are no other markings....the revolver is in good shape...

any info especially model type and mfg year would be helpful...

thank you ... Steve

 

[howlnmad]

Pics would be helpful.

 

[hrf]

The "something" is probably Hopkins?

Hopkins & Allen ended business in 1915 so it's at least that old, but no serial number records are known.

They made an assortment of revolver types, and I seem to recall a hammerless model with latches on side of top strap that you squeeze to open it.

Finish is probably nickel plate and will not be stainless steel!

 

[Lanrezac]

stevedorf, your gun is not stainless steel, it is nickel plated. Stainless steel barely existed at the time Hopkins & Allen went out of business (it was bought out by the Marlin Rockwell corporation; I think they continued assembling and selling H&A marked guns until 1917). Chrome plating was not used for firearms at all at that time.

Hopkins & Allen was forned in the 1870's, and made a wide variety of decent but inexpensive pistols, light rifles, and single-shot shotguns. Most of their late production pistols were the "Safety Police" model and marked as such, with the unusual top catch that hrf describes. Without pictures of your gun, no one can tell you much more.

BTW, the grips are made of hard rubber, a very common material at the time. Some people consider it plastic, and some do not - "plastic" is not a precisely defined word.

 

[WHSmithIV]

You have to start posting pictures stevedorf. Without them it is impossible for our guys here to help you very much. Take pictures, copy them to your computer. Click the 'Go Advanced' button below the message entry area.

Next to the smile face icon on the top row where is says 'Fonts' there is a tiny picture of a paperclip. Click that and you will get a window to upload the pictures with.

Keep in mind that none of the 3 pistols are worth a great deal of money. In absolute perfect condition they could get around $150. Mostly they go for a lot less. Ammunition is expensive for them and not all that easy to find either.