doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Hollenbeck Double

It is a Three-Barrel Gun Co. folder/broadside of probably 1907 vintage. The earlier, circa 1906, Three-Barrel Gun Co. catalog only has the three-barrel gun in it but has on the bottom half of the back page --

"DOUBLE BARRELS

While we do not carry double-barrel guns in stock, we will be pleased at any time to build them to special order, when sufficient time is allowed, either with or without Automatic Ejector.

Our Double Gun is the strongest and simplest constructed gun on the market, and for those who do not care for the advantage of the rifle barrel, a better gun could not be found."

The flyer/broadside that Daryl pictured includes their Lefeverish single barrel trap gun, but I see no mention of doubles on my copy of that broadside or in the 1908 Three-Barrel Gun Co. catalog.

The Royal Gun Co. catalog only covers the three-barrel guns and the single barrel trap guns, but often includes a separate folder on their double guns, which were in a separate serial number sequence.

From Rudy's copy of the old Three-barrel and Royal Gun Co. ledger it appears that the Hollenbeck Gun Co. doubles were serial numbered right along with the three-barrel guns as a handful of them remained in inventory when Three-Barrel Gun Co. started the ledger.

Dave
Thanks. As to your comments regarding double gun Hollenbeck production, Doublenut and I have corresponded a few times recently regarding double gun production as he has access to some of the original production ledgers; which, save for only a handful of exceptions, only list guns from the Three Barrel and Royal Gun Company production periods. The A Grade Three Barrel Gun double I own is #412, and is recorded in the surviving records as having been shipped in 1908; and this gun has survived with barrels and original dimensions unaltered. I'm certain the frame for this gun was part of the original Hollenbeck frame inventory and must had languished in the parts bin for years before in was made into an actual gun; and as you've stated this frame and other double gun frames in the same serial number range were mixed in with the drilling frame inventory, and numbered and all numbered consecutively. #412 was shipped to a hardware store, so maybe it was special ordered; or maybe it was just finished and sold as a promotion for operating cash? But regardless, it seems to serve as an illustration that there was very little demand for a Hollenbeck side x side (not a whole lot for the drillings either it seems; although I'm sure the novelty of a drilling was appealing enough to keep production of those models at a much higher rate). On the ledger page copy I have is shown a listing of serial numbers for 12 double guns; all of which were Grade A guns with the exception of one Grade C, and some have no entry for a ship date. I've read somewhere that Three Barrel Gun Company doubles were offered in Grades A, B, and C. The Hollenbeck Gun Co catalog copy I've seen lists Grades A, B, C, D, E, and F in prices ranging from $85 to $300 (certainly like to see an E or F Grade). I've no idea in what Grades Royal Arms Company marked double guns may have been offered. Those I've seen to date are plain guns with only a small amount of line/scroll engraving; but our friend Doublenut owns a Grade B Royal Gun Company double gun, so at seems at least a few were produced.

Tom, I thought it was your work. For you and Dave, here is the back side of the Company Flyer.

Topgun and/or Doublenut,
Does anyone's copy of the Three Barrel Gun Co.'s ledgers say anything about a gun being made for president Roosevelt around 1909?

Thank you,

That would be into the Royal Gun Co. years. Serial number 1340 is listed as Grade: 0 Spec. It was a 28-inch Krupp Barrel 12-gauge with .32-40 rifle barrel, with a full-Pistol grip, 15" length-of-pull, 1 1/2" drop-at-comb and 2 3/4" drop-at-heel. Shipped 3-2-09 to Smithsonian Institution (for Africa Trip). In Remarks column Recoil Pad.

This gun is listed on page 38 of the ledger which has written along the top "Three-Barrel Gun Co. Catalog Grade Numbers". Pages 37 to 44 are so marked. Page 45 begins "New Grade Numbers in Royal Gun Co. Catalog."

Thank you for that info! I don't suppose there is anything written about Frank Lefever being involved with the making or inspecting of it is there? He was the superintendent through the Three Barrel and Royal Gun Company's yrs in operation and I would hardly think a gun being made for an ex-president would not have been looked over by non other than a superintendent before being shipped.

Thank you

Dave, thanks for sharing that info on Gun # 1340. i was Grouse hunting last couple of days in N. Lower MI. Do we know if this gun is around somewhere? If so I'd love to see some pics of it. My copy of the ledger is packed away in a storage unit during our move. Shane, to answer your question it's hard to say if Frank Lefever inspected the gun but one would think if it were going to President Roosevelt for the African trip that it would be well scrutinized!!

Some 35-40 years ago I acquired a SAC grade A 20 gauge with the selective ejector slide in forend. It had 28" Krupp barrels with full choke in both barrels. I don't recall that I ever actually carried it hunting but did shoot some clays with it thrown from one of the portable traps you bolt to your spare tire. During one of these outings something broke in side. I don't recall exactly what now but seems had to do with the cocking mechanism. Whatever as a Machinist model maker & a hobbyist gun "Tinkerer" I was able to make an excellent repair. Upon opening this action I was mortified. I have never in my life seen a rougher finished action inside & over the years I have owned several of the Cheapest Stevens guns built, not a one of which was not far better finished. After reassembly I gave it another good work out on the informal clays to ensure everything was working properly & sent it down the road. In my hunting I had little use for a 7 lb full choked 20 which should only be used with moderate loads. Why I bought it in the first place is a whole different story which I will not delve into at this time.
I traded it for a J P Clabrough & Bros 12 ga SLNE with 28" Damascus barrels with 1/4 choke in each barrel. Cast off & other stock dimensions seemed to fit me like a glove. While I have not kept records over the years I know almost beyond doubt I have had a higher ratio of /hits per shots fired than any other gun I have ever owned & some of those I shot quite well. Mostly I was hunting either Quail or Rabbit. One farm, belonging to an Uncle, which I hunted quite a bit would have some flights of woodcock come through during open season.
My loads were 1oz of #6 or #8 depending on what I was hunting that day. My original loads used the newly introduced DuPont HyScore very similar to Red Dot. Pressure could run up to 8.5k psi.
Understand we did not have vast numbers of woodcock so I did not pile up big heaps of them. I do recall one year in particular I shot around a dozen of them, no more than 15, but ever how many it was I fired exactly that many shots, not a single miss.
To this day I have absolutely no regrets over sending that SAC, which looked like its internals were cut with a hammer & chisel, & acquiring this nicely made & finished Clabrough.
Miller/TN