Hollenbeck
 

After seeing a recent article in the DGJ and reading Researcher’s awesome 2002 DGJ articles, I decided to track one down. 12 bore both barrels are tightly choked and the third barrel is a .32-40 Winchester which I plan to use on fall turkeys in the high country this year where I blue grouse hunt. Pretty sweet little gun.

Congratulations! That’s a hell of a gun. Would love to hear the story of how you found it.

Shawn,I believe your Hollenbeck drilling was made in Wheeling West Virginia. J.J.

this drilling will be perfect for deer or turkeys....my drilling has shot it s share of deer...mine is the 16-16-7x57r...i never get tired at looking at drillings they are some really fine work put into these guns....they got some interesting rifle calibers in these guns....charlie

Mike...it's actually a boring story, but I found it on Gun Broker.

The No. 0 Grade doesn't appear on the 1906 price list. It first appears in the 1907 Three-Barrel Gun Co. catalog where it is offered with either Damascus or steel barrels.

Attachment 64524

By the 1908 Three-Barrel Gun Co. catalog it is only offered with Crescent Steel barrels.

Give me the serial number and I can look it up for you today in the copy of the records I have. Tomorrow I'm leaving for Minnesota so it could be a while before I look it up.

Serial no. is 1428

Thanks Dave!

The ledger line for 1428 shows 0, 12, 32-40, 28", Damascus, 1/2, 14, 1 5/8, 2 3/4.
Nothing in the Consignment , Shipped, Sold To, or Remarks columns. So, looks like it was still in inventory when things went belly up. The other guns on that page 1405-1430 have ship dates 1909 to 1911, actually in the Royal Gun Co. era.

yes, the Three Barrel Gun Co. was in Wheeling, Wv where I currently live--but I have never run across any in my search for old doubles

The offices were in Wheeling, but the factory was in Moundsville.

Did the Three Barrel Gun Co. and Royal Gun Co. use the compensating ball on all their different guns?

Dave, do you have the factory records?

Several years ago Cherrys Fine Guns Greensboro had a large number of Hollenbecks consignment sale, 50 or more all from the same collection. I looked the over at the time. Prime Guns went fast ones with issues stayed longer. Looking on line today they have half dozen still and another half dozen Three Barrel Gun Company’s which I believe were related to Holenbeck Guns in some way.

William

PASxS,
Yes all three guns (Hollenbeck, Three Barrel Gun Co. and Royal) have the same design. All are the same guns. The company went through several financial restructurings during the course of their operations. There are factory records (copies) out there. Dave (Researcher) wrote a great article on them in the DGJ a while back. Also made a SBT trap gun off of Lefever’s patent. Cool guns!

After the Hollenbeck Gun Co. went belly up about 1904, restructuring efforts eventually brought forth the Three-Barrel Gun Co. late 1906/early 1907 with offices remaining in Wheeling, but the factory in Moundsville, WV. During the same time period over in Ohio, D.M. Lefever Arms Co. was dissolving after the death of Uncle Dan, and Frank Lefever came down to Moundsville as the plant superintendent, bringing the Lefever SBT parts with him. Only the Three-Barrel and Royal Gun Co. SBTs had the Lefever ball and socket hinge. The three-barrel guns and double guns featured the 5/8 inch wide Hollenbeck lug.

Not exactly...

They were all the same in basic design, but changes were made. The late guns utilized coil springs in parts of the action instead of flat springs along with a few other mechanical changes. The shaping of the tang and trigger plate were changed to the point where stocks are not interchangeable at all. And the frames were scuplted much differently (more simple).

Chuck, the compensating ball (lefever type) was not used on Hollenbeck double or three barrel guns.

Frank Lefever went on to become Superintendent of Hunter Arms after Royal went belly up. Then on to Remington before opening his own gunsmithing business in Ilion and then Frankfort.

William...

Thanks for the heads up on Cherry’s I found a grade 1 in 12 bore with .32-40 Winchester lower barrel. Great find and Kevin is very good to deal with!

Brett and Brian, my Three Barrel Gun (grade C) had the ball and socket, that's why I asked if the drilling had the same. My SBT now resides in the ATA museum. Wish I had never donated it years ago, but that's water under the bridge now and can't be undone.

I had the opportunity to purchase a new-in the white three barrel drilling from Cherry’s last year. It was left over as unfinished when the factory closed. It is 12g over 30-30. I just couldnt say no. I am planning to finish it as a top grade gun.

I remember one other that really stood out to me in their inventory. It was a grade 2 that was in great conditon and the engraving on it was excellent in that the animals actually looked like real animals. The Bear did not look like a pig, like usual.

Three Barrel Gun Co.
 

From the collection, An original condition Three Barrel Gun Company SBT in "B" grade... 2 digit serial number gun.

Trap3

Here’s a picture of the grade 1:

Here's some pics of trap guns. The first is pictured in Frank F. Conley's book The American Single Barrel Trap Gun. It is A Grade #214. The other pics are of that gun #214 next to a Lefever Trap Gun for comparison.

Here are a few pics of some double barrel guns. The top gun is a Hollenbeck 16 Ga. A Grade w/damascus barrels. The bottom gun is a 12 Ga B Grade Royal Arms fluid steel example. Love these guns!!!

From the 1908 Catalog showing Three Barrel Gun Co. receiver...

Trap3

A C grade ejector hollenbeck.

Attachment 66163

That is gorgeous :shock:

I load 32/40 for Schuetzen Rifles. Many different possable loadings, I think your three barrel gun would be a lot happier with the old factory lead bullet load. 165 grain @ 1400 FPS. 32/40 can give good target & I expect Turkey results at 1250 fps too. In fact for gallery matches were sub sonic is required I use a 115 gr bullet @ 950 FPS.

There were factory HS loads at 1900 FPS with 165 G Jacketed bullets too. Probably way to hot for a break action. I have several old loading manuals with data covering some modern powders like Unique and 4227 if you plan to load. You can make 32/40 cases out of easier to obtain 38/55 too.

William

William I actually shot the .32-40 barrel on Thursday and accurate it is not. I had to hold about 2 feet below the center to hit center. :rotf:

I don’t know what to say about your point of impact without some details . Sometimes a heavy lead bullet at modest velocity will throw high due to recoil. 32/40 is pretty flexable within limits. You might try varying the charge. That is if loading your cartridges, if factory ammunition high strikes would not surprise me.

If it was mine I would pick the expected range , Turkey likely distance for example, then bullet weight, store bought 32 caliber lead 165 grs easiest to obtain. Then run test with very light charges of Unique to obtain suitable point of impact. If velocity over Uniques ability is needed then 4227.

If you would like to see published loads from old manuals with modest charges let me know.

William