Indian Gun ID

capgun

February 05, 2012 06:59

I got this gun from the reservation. It looks like an antique Stevens, but I can't ID one like this in my books. Smoothbore, chambers a 44-40 cartridge. 18" barrel, bead front sight http://s1187.photobucket.com/albums/z394/woodsawnevada/?action=view&current=MEMO0001.jpg

Comments

4 comments

rufe-snow

February 05, 2012 07:48
It looks to have been a "Bay State" rifle originally. They were a short lived outfit that were bought out by Hopkins & Allen, who made similar guns under their own name. In the shape it's in, hard to tell what the original configuration was? Time frame would be late 19th Century.
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hrf

February 05, 2012 09:04
+1, a Hopkins & Allen, not a Stevens. Forend missing and replacement stock (original had a pistol grip). Smoothbore models were made in addition to regular rifled models.

Listed as the "XL Shotgun" in 1887 catalog of H&A distributors Merwin, Hulbert & Co, in .38 and .44 calibers @ $8.00, or $20 with interchangeable rifle barrel. The .38 shotgun is listed with choice of 18" or 24" barrel, but the .44 only 24"

They used the old "XL Shot" loads with hollow wooden "bullets" that contained the shot loads.
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capgun

February 05, 2012 10:43
Is this a pre-1899 antique?
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hrf

February 05, 2012 11:07
quote:Originally posted by capgun
Is this a pre-1899 antique?

Probably but don't know if it can be proven. H&A shotguns and rifles of this pattern were still on market early 1900s but by that time the 2" 410 had likely killed the market for these mini-shotguns.
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