zip wyatt, SASS #28494 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Does anyone have any info or can you direct me to books and/or articles that goes into some detail about the large frame F&H Old and New Army models? I just bought a New Army in 44 russian long distance on a whim - I hate when I do that! - to fill in a space in my large frame old west revolver collection - and my meager library doesn't help much. There doesn't seem to be too much on the internet either. Thanks! Zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT. ELI 35882 GUNFIGHTER Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Don't have any info for you, my pard might know something, I'll direct him to this post. At our match yesterday he brought a pair of nickled Hopkins & Allen XL8 large frame .44-40 revolvers. Pretty rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zip wyatt, SASS #28494 Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Thanks Eli! Used to have one of those XL8s but foolishly sold it. Been looking for another that I can afford. After this crazy F&H purchase, it will be a long time before I can afford anything. Zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Mike Venturino has books on non-Colt handguns of the 19-th century. John Taffin has the Book of the .44. My understanding of the F&H is that these were guns at the level just below Colt, S&W and Remingtons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadman Walking, SASS# 42086 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Howdy Zip Wyatt, Deadman Walking, SASS# 42086 here. Like yourself, I am addicted to antique firearms, and as my friend Sgt. Eli mentioned I just purchased two Hopkins and Allen XL # 8, .44-40 large frame revolvers. One of the problems we run into by buying these beautiful old girls, like your Forhand and Wadsworth, is the lack of information available. I haven't even figured out how to remove the cylinders on my H & A XL # 8's!!! Over the last 10 or 12 years I have resorted to all kinds of strategies to gain some info on rarer models that end up in my gun safe. Books and internet are the easiest to access, and usually after many hours of searching the internet I will find out enough to be at least partially satisfied. You might try finding out who holds the company records for Forehand and Wadsworth, and request the information you're interested in both generally, for the model, and specifically for the serial number of your revolver. Someone does hold those records. I would try the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming. If they don't hold the records, they may know who does. Of course it is possible that the records have been lost, and this avenue is closed to exploration. The other route to take involves contacting the REAL experts---the people who have written the books. One of the major components of my collection are antique Smith and Wesson Revolvers. This is understating how much I LOVE old top break Smith's!! Luckily for me they are still in buisness and have a historian on staff---but letters from experts cost money, so I contacted the guy who's written the books---Jim Supica. He was more than willing to correspond with me and answer all my very stupid questions via e-mail. You can bet whoever has written the most about F & W firearms will like to talk about them with most anyone who will listen. I have seen falling block rifles and shotguns made by F & W, so surely there is more info about the company out there. One more information source I have used are period catalogs---there is a company on the internet who has access to many old catalogs, and sells copy's of them. They also hhave somme manuals, etc. I will try and get their address to you. And that's about it from me pard. I hope something in there was new to you or something you hadn't thought of. Good Luck!!!!!!!! Deadman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil dogooder Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Let me look when I get off work tonight I have a collection of old books that my great grandfather kept when he was a gunsmith ill see if he has anything on them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zip wyatt, SASS #28494 Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 Thanks pards - I'll keep on keeping on about this model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadman Walking, SASS# 42086 Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Howdy Again, After a little searching I found that David Chicioine(spelling prob. wrong)wrote an article containing info on the F&W model you have in "American Gunsmith". You can purchase a download of the article on amazon.com for about $10.00. You also might be able to access the magazine for free from your local library....maybe. As you probably already are aware, it seems marriage linked many of the gun makers in the 1800's, with Forehand and Wadsworth marrying into the Ethan Allan family, taking over the company on Allan's death, and in turn when they died or retired late in the century, Hopkins and Allan absorbed, or reabsorbed, F&W. And the whole mess ended early in the 1900's. There were fires and bankruptcy's in the history. I believe this will make records hard to locate. Not having received any government contracts from the Ordinance Dept. effectively closes that information source. Interestingly, USFA appears to hold the rights to the F&W brand, as they display it at the bottom of their web site's home page. Might be some info. there. The history of firearms is damned interesting!! Ya' got LOVE, Fire, Bankruptcy, Success, Failure.....reads like a movie to me!! Deadman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pathfinder, SASS #985 Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Here's a link as to why USFA has the F&W on their page. Sadly I guess it didn't spark enough interest. Image is from the 2008 Shot Show as covered by GunBlast. http://gunblast.com/images/SHOT2008/Day2/DSC02295.jpg I'd have loved to have seen even a limited run of these. Good luck with your search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zip wyatt, SASS #28494 Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 Deadman - You're right, the history of firearms is extremely interesting! Thanks for the tip about the Chicoine article! Pathfinder - interesting about USFA but in my opinion that doesn't look anything like either the F&H old army or the new model army. Looks more like a Colt New Service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadman Walking, SASS# 42086 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Howdy zip wyatt, I think I may have found the definitive work for you: "The Illustrated History of Forehand Arms" by Joseph Vorsiek Available from "Cornell Publications" You can go to the Cornell website and purchase a reprint of this book if you so desire. Not sure about the price, but most things from these folks are reasonable because they are quality reprints and not the original publication. Checking the contents of the book showed that there is certainly information regarding your revolver. You can access the website at: www.cornellpubs.com. I found the book by searching "Forehand and Wadsworth" then scrolling down through a list of catalogs Cornell sells until the book listing appeared. I hope this proves usefull for you. Deadman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadman Walking, SASS# 42086 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 OOPS! Correction: "An Illustrated History of Forehand Arms Company" by Joseph T. Vorisek. Even has serial number information. 194 pages, soft cover. Deadman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zip wyatt, SASS #28494 Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 OOPS! Correction: "An Illustrated History of Forehand Arms Company" by Joseph T. Vorisek. Even has serial number information. 194 pages, soft cover. Deadman I saw it and asked the publisher how many pages were dedicated to the big frame 44s. She wrote back and said 4 pages of the 192 total! Not sure it would be worth 20 bucks. Zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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