Founded in 1868 in Norwich, Connecticut, Hopkins & Allen built its early reputation on affordable pocket revolvers and “hardware store” shotguns and rifles. After surviving a devastating factory fire in 1900, the company rebuilt and acquired the Forehand Arms Company and W.H. Davenport Firearms in 1901–1902. This launched Hopkins & Allen into the mass production of sporting long guns, most notably their single-barrel shotguns. After underbidding a contract to produce the Belgian Mauser for WWI, they never recovered and closed operations in 1915.
There is something special about bringing a true family heirloom back to life. This Hopkins & Allen single-barrel shotgun belonged to a good friend’s grandfather. While exact factory records make dating impossible, manufacturing history places it at over 116 years old.
Finding original replacement parts for a firearm of this age is nearly impossible, so the project demanded a fair bit of patience and creativity. The original forend was missing its snap-fit hardware, and the damaged forend wood that came with it was either an old hand-crafted substitute or adapted from another gun entirely. After cleaning up the wood, I secured it to the barrel using a custom brass pin.
The top-lever mechanism also put up a fight. The original 5-40 set screw that sandwiches the internal swivel to the lever shaft had completely disintegrated. After several trips to the hardware store, I was able to find the proper thread pitch to lock the action up tight again.
To finish the build, all steel components were stripped down, re-blued, and treated to a multi-week oil soak to cure. The buttstock and fitted forend were hand-rubbed with traditional boiled linseed oil. To finish the job, I used my 3D printer to create a custom recoil pad embossed with the original Hopkins & Allen company logo. For a 116-year-old shotgun, she turned out remarkably well and she’s back in the family where she belongs.
