doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Fulton vs. Hunter

While in NJ shopping the gun stores with Builder, I bought a 20g gun in very decent condition I think may be a Hunter or possibly a Fulton. I understand the Hunter has the rotary bolt like the LC sidelocks, correct? I don't have the gun yet and I'm trying to recall whether it was a Fulton or Hunter. Are there any other distinguishing features?

The Fulton was introduced in 1915, the Fulton Special in 1916, had engraving.
In 1935 a Non-Selective one-Trigger was added to the Fulton gun. In 1937 the Hunter Special was introduced.
1938 The Fulton Special was available with Beavertail Forend and Non-Selective One-Trigger. The .410 was also added to the Fulton and Fulton Special.
In 1945 they were all dropped .
The Hunter Special is the one with the rotary bolt

JDW,
Are there any outwardly obvious features that identify the Fulton from the Hunter? Or were they similar in contour shape, etc.?

Chuck, from reading in the book of Brophy's, the Fulton has a half pistol grip, and a stock of well finished walnut (doesn't mention checkering). The Fulton Special had engraving and it mentions checkering.
The Hunter Special, full pistol grip, nicely checkered, boring as required and made in one standard dimension, also the rotary bolt, the same one that A.H. Fox and Stevens copied and used in their guns.
As far as identifying the two,I couldn't tell you. Go to the L.C. Smith Collectors Association http://www.lcsmith.org and I'm sure that someone will help you to identify the two.

Calling Darryl Hallquist and M.D. Christian - "Fulton/Hunter Alert"

Bob,
I obviously failed to learn from your instruction on these guns a few months ago. I couldn't recall examining this gun for the rotary bolt when I bought it last Friday. They'll send the gun direct to me since I have a C&R, but it isn't in my hands yet. So, I checked the s/n against the bbs's list of production yrs. It looks like this is a 1935-36 gun. So, it's very likely a Fulton.

Chuck

My sense is that you would have responded as much to the ring of a big Smith rotary snapping shut as you would have to seeing that familiar rib extension. To me the big deal is that you have purchased a good 20 gauge Fulton - - no casual feat!

I recall that when I posted on the little 16 Hunter we inspected and I bought a few months ago, Miller was right there making the point that the Fulton's bolting system was most sturdy and as effective as those on several other respected guns.

Yeah. Bet it will weigh about 6 1/2 lbs. and be as reliable as sunny weather is out on the Mohave.

Bob

Sometime back a discussion of this matter led quite a few members to "Smoke Test" the bolt of their L C Smiths. From this testing not a single one revealed contact on the rear portion of the bolting finger. I would thus have grave doubts the less expensive Hunter special had a better job of fit-up than the Elsie. Without this fit the much vaunted Rotary Bolt is simply a bbl latch.

Perception, perception, perception.

Miller, many myths become a reality in that the perception causes other actions. In dealing with the Feds, I see it all the time. If they have a perception or believe the public has a certain perception, they act on it, real or not. I suppose this type (Hunter & LC sidelocks, Fox, etc.) of lockup has a similar result in that there's a percieved value in itresulting in a following and possibly better sales/higher value.

I suppose chopperlump type barrels have such a perception also. Other types have proven their value, yet there seems to by some following of chopperlump types and possibly value in it on newly mfr'd guns.