doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Hollenbeck Guns- any info

That's the gun I like old Rabbit!
Thad Scott, and Ivory Beads had high grades
...but yours is really a nice one.
Both guns were consigned, and I had one I wanted to trade - so no deal.

Rabbit: Fantasic pics. Amy more with 32-20 barrels underneath?

Early ('93-'96) grade 2, marked "The Hollenbeck". Very healthy barrels. This is the one with the hairpin chingus (technical term) around the cocking slide that's supposed to be a wear point on breakdown and reassembly. Look good alongside your yeoman Remmy, LG. Alex, pretty much a sub 1K price expectation in this state of "undress". Seen a couple internet asking 1100 also grade 2. Love to find a TBG drilling; can't imagine what I'd do with it?

jack

Here's one I ran across.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/conten...erarchyId=11649

Think that one is grade 1 (twist barrels), Joe. Lot of color. Frames seem to hold their case color.

jack

Nice gun rabbit, are the barrels that clean originally or did you have them redone?

Any other comments on value and rarity?

Came from N.E. dealer down for the Baltimore AA Show. It's just the way it came--$8C. First damascus gun I ever owned. My buddy walked away from me in Timonium cussing me out and shaking his head. Actually, I was scared to death of the whole idea myself. Built a wall-thickness gauge precisely because of this one and then found out it's got barrels like a 10. Had it a year before I shot it. When it didn't blow on remote control, I decided maybe I'd take a few calculated risks. Members here were absolutely the best and extremely patient about holding my little palsied hand. I still don't load to pressure much about 5K psi for my three taffy-barrels.

jack

That looks like a pretty nice Grade 1 a Owatonna. As I recall from Topgun's articles, the Grade 1 was dropped fairly early on. The Syracuse Arms Co. guns came in two lines -- the stock guns --

Grade 00 had "Tripplet" steel barrels (added to the line later)
Grade 0 had Twist barrels and no engraving
Grade 1 had Twist barrels and some engraving (dropped from line fairly early)
Grade 2 had Damascus barrels and no engraving
Grade 3 had Damascus barrels and engraving

-- the custom guns --

Grade A
Grade A1 Special
Grade B
Grade C
Grade D

As I recall the first four could have either Damascus or Krupp barrels and the D could have Damascus, Krupp or Whitworth barrels.

Tom can correct my errors or ommissions.

Alex,
A little more specifics please. Do you mean the Syracuse Arms Co guns that are marked Hollenbeck or the Wheeling West Virginia Guns marked Hollenbeck, Three Barrel Gun Co. and Royal Arms?

Dave is being to modest, he wrote an excellent article regarding The Hollenbeck West Virginia guns in the Double Gun Journal several years ago. As for total production for the West Virginia guns there were about 2,000 total production including appx 300 Single Barrel Trap guns based on the Lefever patent. Drillings, Doubles, and SBT Guns were produced at the West Virginia location (Wheeling address, factory "up the river" at Moundville, WV). The drillings were produced in four grades (0 - 3), the doubles were produced in three grades (A - C) and the SBT guns were produced in three grades (A - C).

Differences in the drilling grades were barrels (Crescent, Damascus, Krupp, "Best Four Blade Damascus" and "Best Six Blade Damascus" O Grade was line engraved with stock English Walnut. Pistol Grip and 12Ga. 32/40 or 30/30 only.

Grade 1 Drillings were "fine scroll and game engraving, selected English walnut, any guage and caliber. The Grade 2 had French Walnut, pistol or straight grip, "very finely engraved" with French Walnut and silver name plate, any gauge or caliber.
Grade 3 was "elaborately engraved" - Usually with a deer on one side and bear on the other side of the receiver, with "selected Italian Walnut, straight or pistol grip, gold name plate, any gauge or caliber.

The doubles and singles followed similar pattern with increasingly better wood, and engraving as the grades increased. If you need additional information one of us can probably dig up Dave's canned response in his absence. As for desirability/collector status there are a few of us nuts who like these guns and the do have some value depending on grade, caliber, and condition, condition, condition. One of the problems with these guns is that there were so few of them that many back street "gun smiths" cobbled them up or they are in need of serious repair. There are several on the internet right now, Ivory Beads, Cherry's and one other out fit all had them on there internet sights recently. Regards - Brett

And "Topgun" has a series of articles on Syracuse Arms guns in DGJ over the past three years. Heck, Brett, mine said "The Hollenbeck" so I figured it must be the only one. Enjoying the books.

jack