Hunters Special

[Wayne Johnson]

In the course of my poking around the shotgun rack at the gun store, I encountered a 12 ga double with no markings that I can find except the words "Hunters Special."

It seems to be a well made gun, and is priced in the same price range as the Parker Trogan I purchased recently. The barrels are probably 28-30 inches.

I'm not thinking about buying it. I've bought enough recently, but I'm always curious when I find somehting I don't know anything about.

I hope nobody minds the questions, but this place seems to be full of information.

[Steve Huffman]

Go to the L.C. Smith collectors web sight it will tell you all about it. Oddly enough I just bought a double yesterday marked Montgomery Ward Co.and its made by Hunter Arms for them. Its a 20 ga and the price was right .

[Wayne Johnson]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't coming up with anything that looked right searching for "Hunters Special." Too generic I suppose. When I finally thought to add side by side shotgun to the search, I started to find stuff.

Thanks for the help.

[Drew Hause]

Hunter (No 's') Special, with the Smith rotary bolt lock-up, production was 5,971 1937-1945.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17126039/215640348.jpg

More infro here
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17126039

Confusion exists related to the Crescent 'Hunter' sidelock made for Belknap Hdw. and a 'Fulton Arms Company' by the W.H. Davenport.

Hunter Arms made a number of tradename guns using the Fulton 1918-1919 (including a Gladiator for Sears), and later the Ranger for Sears. Dr Jim and I are submitting an article to DGJ about the tradename Fultons.

In reviewing the Hunter Arms shipping records and the 1904 Annual Report, Dr Jim also discovered that the Hunter Arms boxlock 'Hunter' was first made in 1904, but not patented until 1911. The name was changed to the 'Fulton' in 1915. No boxlock Hunter guns are known to exist.

[James Brown]

Here's one like Dr. Drew posted but with smaller holes in the barrels.

[Wayne Johnson]

Those are the ones. The rollmark on the receiver is the same. I thought it looked like a nice gun.

[Bill Murphy]

That .410 is a rare bird.

[Drew Hause]

295 .410 Hunter Specials were made

Two .410s Fulton Specials were made out of 3475 :shock:

[James Brown]

That .410 is a rare bird.

It took a good bit of looking to find this one.

[Drew Hause]

222 Ranger .410s out of 8,237 produced

[Gerald Majors]

If no "Hunters are known to Exist" what is the photo (following your post) by Mr Brown a photo of? The Photo also submitted by Mr Brown of the "Ranger" looks identical to the "Hunter" Are they the same?
Best
Gera;d

[Drew Hause]

Bro. Brown's .410 is a Hunter Special introduced in 1937 and it had a rotary bolt locking mechanism.
The Ranger is a Hunter Arms Co. Fulton.
The Hunter Arms Co. boxlock was first made in 1904, called the Hunter, and the name changed in 1915 to Fulton. No one in the LCSCA has seen one, so we can't say if there are any design or cosmetic difference.

[James Brown]

Dr. Drew, just went back over your and Dr. Stubbendieck's DGJ winter 2009 article on .410s. It shows 224 Rangers and by infrence no Fulton Special .410s. Do I understand the records now show 222 Rangers and 2 Fulton Specials?
James

[Drew Hause]

The new numbers are correct James. Dr Jim recently completed the review of post-1913 Hunter Arms shipping records, and pre-1913 boxlock production. It is likely that the information will appear soon in a Blue Book publication.
Unfortunately, the record is limited on many guns made prior to 1918, and some shipping ledgers are missing
http://www.lcsmith.org/faq/shippingledgers.html