hopkin&allen shotgun help

[dj_28]

I have a H&A single shot shotgun that was brought to me for repairs. It has a missing mainspring,stock,and trigger guard. The trigger guard is no big deal Munrich has those. But the stock and mainspring are sold out. Agian not to worried about the stock, I can make that without any trouble. The mainspring is what I'm having trouble with. I can't find any helpful dementions on the spring (thickness, width, lenth, and so on). I would make one if I knew these dementions and would bend to the proper shape and heat treat it apropriatly. Just can't find this info.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to find the replacement part and not have to worry about making it and just have to finish the stock and forearm. So any help would be appreciated.

Thanks guys,
DJ

 

[NCsmitty]

It might be better off not making it operational. If it's an original H&A, they were last made around 1915, and I would question the metallurgy, especially if it has an older Damascus style barrel.
All I'm saying is be careful, and give some thought to making it a wall hanger. Parts are difficult to locate as you are finding. I recommend doing a search on H&A firearms for their history, if you haven't yet.


NCsmitty

 

[dj_28]

NCsmitty, your right in your concerns about the age of this gun. It is old and meant for black powder only, being made in 1901. I made that known to the guy that brought this gun to me to be restored. It will be a wall hanger that gets shot a couple times a year with light loads of BP shells.

Still havn't came up with anything on the mainspring.

Thanks for the reply.

DJ

 

[rcmodel]

It will be a wall hanger that gets shot a couple times a year with light loads of BP shells.

Thats all well and good for the Goose that knows and respects it's limitations.

But what about his heir the Gander?
That doesn't know its limitations, and shoots a Magnum turkey load in it some day after the Goose is gone??

Two dead geese on the table!!


IMO: A known unsafe gun should be rendered inoperable for the safety of future generation that don't know any better.

It will hang on the wall and look just as good without posing a risk to someone else on down the road.

rc

 

[dj_28]

Rcmodel, I don't disagree with you and if it was my gun it would be nothing more than a pretty wall hanger and nothing more. But it isn't mine and the guy that owns it wants it back to working condition and wants to reload BP shells for this gun. I told him of the danger of mistaking a modern shell for one of his BP shells. He claims that he has fired low brass 9 shot shells through this gun before he was told it was for BP only.

At any rate, it is his gun and he wants it by to working order.

DJ

 

[drsfmd]

He claims that he has fired low brass 9 shot shells through this gun before he was told it was for BP only.

I assume you are a professional gunsmith. If so, you of all people should know that the only difference between "high brass" and "low brass" shells is the height of the brass. No difference in pressure or "power" at all.

At any rate, it is his gun and he wants it by to working order.

Again, assuming you are a professional gunsmith, I'd be concerned about the liability you open yourself up to by making a known dangerous gun operable again.

 

[dj_28]

I am a gunsmith and do agree that this is a gun that should be fired with only the BP shells as intended. I know that this gun can be a ticking time bomb just waiting for a chance to blow but so does the owner. I have explained the potential danger the gun has. He wants to load his own shells and shoot the gun. Is it really my place to tell this man he can't shoot his own gun if he is willing to do it responsibly.

I have told him that the gun may not be safe to shoot but he argued that it was no different than people loading hot loads for their hunting rifles. While I told him that that was comparing apples to oranges and he stood a far better chance of seeing his gun blow up in his face than he was willing to admit. I could see his point. It is his gun and ultimatly his decision.

DJ

 

[Fleet]

It's also your decision to refuse a job that you know is unsafe. Sometimes, the couple of bucks you make just aren't worth the liability involved. Was it me, I'd refuse the work, and stamp the ticket "not safe to fire".

 

[drsfmd]

It's also your decision to refuse a job that you know is unsafe. Sometimes, the couple of bucks you make just aren't worth the liability involved. Was it me, I'd refuse the work, and stamp the ticket "not safe to fire".

Exactly my point.

 

[dj_28]

I ended up not having to refuse the job. After a long talk about the danger of shooting this gun even if it was only a couple of times a year he finally agreed to restore the guns appearance but leave it non-functional.
Now I'm going to bend a small peice of flat stock to hold the hammer in place and finish the stock. It will look like a it did when it was new but remain non-functional.

Thanks for all the advice guys

DJ

 

[rcmodel]

I'd take the firing pin out and throw it away too.

rc

 

[dj_28]

already did. It had a nail for a firing pin...lol.