An interesting top break design

[coyotejoe]

This is a Hopkins & Allen five shot .38 S&W revolver. The mechanism is rather unique. The top strap has a rectangular slot which, when closed, sets down over the angled stud part of the frame rising above the breech. There are slots cut into each side of the stud and spring loaded bars recessed into each side of the top strap. Those bars are pivoted in the middle so that they snap inward and latch into the notches of the standing stud. Pressing inward on the front of those bars will pivot the rear end outward and free of the notches so that the top strap can swing upward to eject spent shells and reload.
 The trigger pull is horrendous due to the design of the mechanism. The hammer pivots on an eccentric cam so that as the trigger moves rearward it not only pushes the hammer rearward but also cams it downward so that when released the top of the hammer will strike the frame mounted firing pin. When the trigger is released the powerful mainspring cams the hammer back up so that the hammer rests on the frame and not touching the firing pin.
  The top strap is marked "safety Police". I think the safety refers to the fact that the trigger pull is so heavy few children could fire it.
  The caliber is not marked in any way but the chambers accept the .38 S&W cartridge. The chambers are not throated at all, just bored full diameter right through and will accept a .38 special case but a loaded bullet sticks out the front.
  I have acquired four of the cheap "Saturday Night Special/Two Dollar Pistol" types and find them interesting. All four have unthroated chambers and with the cylinder removed from the gun you can drop a cartridge into the front as easily as the rear.
  Three of those cheap pistols are top breaks, each with it's own unique method of latching, this one I feel is rather stronger than the common S&W style. The gun is in pretty good shape overall and I think it would stand up to a great deal of use with normal .38 S&W rounds. It is not however a real fun gun to shoot. Recoil is surprisingly sharp and the very heavy trigger pull in both single and double action modes combine with the tiny sights to make it very hard to shoot with any accuracy. That is even assuming an unthroated chamber could be capable of accuracy.

[coyotejoe]

I seem to be too dense to figure out how to post more than one picture at a time here.

[jhm]

I really enjoy the old top-breaks, However I have a friend who just is facinated with them he must have over 200 of them and their are some who think that is streatching but it is a vary low estamate, he buys all he can find and fixes them up, he said when he retires he will have himself something to do, he is currently trying to buy out a parts dealer ALL the old top-break parts they have, enjoy the old handgun.   JIM

[coyotejoe]

Here are the four of them in a single case. Top left is a Forehand & Wadsworth .38 which employs the common S&W type latch. Top right is the H&A. Bottom right is a .32 Iver Johnson with its' own unique latch activated by rotating upward the tiny lever on the left side of the top strap, another system much stronger than the S&W method. Bottom left is a solid frame H&R .32 which is probably the most practical form for such a gun. For the sort of close encounters in which such guns would be employed I doubt that anyone ever reloaded. It's the type of gun one would shoot dry, throw down and run like hell! So why complicate and weaken the gun by providing for quick reloading? The H&R is the only one marked as to caliber, it is stamped ".32 S&W CTGE". The unthroated chambers will actually accept a .32 H&R magnum cartridge but I'd not care to fire one in it.
  I intend to make a wall hanging with the four guns displayed on green felt with poker chips and cards.