[rsizzle16]

Hopkins and Allen single shot 12 falling block but its old as hell. The barrel has surface rust but no weld cracks or pits

 

[HockaLouis]

Blackpowder gun though, right?

 

[unclebear]

pics please! and if it's "old as hell" then my guess is it used black powder shells I would not WOULD NOT! try shooting modern shells in it until you get a hell of a lot more information.

 

[kytowboater]

Take it to a good smith. Have them check it out.

 

[rsizzle16]

No it fires shells. sorry about the poor description I don't know much about it yet I bought it right before I left town so I haven't really studied it yet I'm just wondering if there is any things I should keep my eyes out for. I can post pictures and serial # tomorrow .

 

[rsizzle16]

It looks solid and all the mechanicals work fine but like I said I can't really do much til tomorrow I'm just looking for red flags to keep my eye out for

 

[willshoum]

It looks solid and all the mechanicals work fine but like I said I can't really do much til tomorrow I'm just looking for red flags to keep my eye out for

You hit the nail on the head..........You'll shoot your eye out if you ain't carefull, and maybe lose more than that...............Load it up with magnum shells, place in a tight vice, hook a string to the trigger, stand behind cover, then let loose.......If it doesn't blow up, then only shoot field loads in it.......

 

[c3shooter]

Hopkins & Allen closed their doors in 1916. SOME of their guns were made to use shells LOADED with black powder. Some- like the double barrel I have, was made for smokeless powder.

HOWEVER- 12 g shells were not always 2 3/4 inch shells (and no, you can't tell by trying to fit a shell in it. You need a chamber guage)

SOME of those were damascus or "twist" steel- Rods of steel were heated, twisted around a core in a spiral, re-heated and hammer forged. I do not reccomend shooting those with ANYTHING.

You REALLY need a gunsmith to look it over. And remember- any other advice would be scant comfort while sitting in the Emergency Room.

 

[trip286]

Damn, I think a falling block shotgun would be freaking sweet. I wonder if I could build one...

 

[hiwall]

I don't remember ever seeing a falling block in 12 ga. I have seen 410 and some 44XL but nothing bigger.

 

[rsizzle16]

I don't think it is a Damascus but I still need to look closely. And it's not a falling block that's another gun. I was planning on sticking a birdshot in it and hiding behind a tree

 

[HockaLouis]

I guess the original Win. '87 lever actions are falling blocks (tho they kinda roll). ...one in original 10 ga. and another rebarreled with a '97 tube in 12 ga. They would be used very differently...

 

[hiwall]

Thanks,HockaLouis. I had completely forgotten about the Win lever shotguns(though I have never seen them classed as a falling block). My brother has a 1901 that I have shot many times.