Hopkins & Allen XL-6 Revolver with a Surprising Swing-Out Cylinder
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- čas přidán 2. 09. 2020
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"XL" was a brand name used by Hopkins & Allen to cover several different styles of revolver, but the first were a series of rimfire, spur-hammer pocket guns made in the 1870s and 1880. These were mostly very simple, chambered for a range of cartridges from .22 rimfire to .41 rimfire. Some examples of the .41 caliber XL-6 have a quite interesting feature, however. When the cylinder axis pin is removed, the cylinder swings out about 45 degrees to the right, propelled by a captive spring. This makes the chambers easily accessible for reloading.
This system was originally patented by Samuel Hopkins in 1862 and 1864 while working for the Bacon Firearms Company. Bacon made about 300 revolvers using this system, but they were shut down by a patent infringement lawsuit from Smith & Wesson, as their revolver used bored-through chambers without having a license from Rollin White or S&W. When the Bacon Firearms Company lapsed into bankruptcy its remains formed the start of Hopkins & Allen. Having acquired both the legal patent rights and the employment of the original inventor (both Samuel Hopkins and his brother Charles were partners in the new firm), it should be no surprise that Hopkins & Allen would use the system once the Rollin White patent expired. What is a bit surprising is that they did not use it more extensively…
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That lil spin the cylinder did when it sprung out was extremely satisfying.
"kerploink"
I’d load and unload that thing all day.
Would be nice if it ejected the shell's when it did that spin
The fidget spinner of concealed carries.
For me, that gun looks like something, a gambler might pull out of his vest pocket, to settle a dispute over a fifth ace in the deck. 😎
Highest hand in the card game.
Mississippi Flush.
Any five cards and a small revolver.
@Sören Lilienthal Hehe, my thought exactly!
@@kenbrown2808 If he played 5 Aces he would not be playing a harp.
More likely doing the Jumping Jack Flash.
@@kenbrown2808 Whats rhyme?
@@shawnr771 what is the jumping jack flash
Weird. This pistol almost seems more at home in the 1920s than the late 1800s. The style, cylinder and look. Even the name “XL-6” seems more modern than the Rimfire era.
Yeah, if I had to guess when that was made without any info I definitely would have said between the world wars. What a cool little gun.
XL-6 sounds like a generic video game name for a magnum revolver
Or an overpriced 'luxury' car.
"Three pixels worth of gun" is the name of my new techno-country band😁
Every time I'm reminded that the patent on a bored-through cylinder was a thing I have to come to terms with that fact all over again. They patented a hole.
its pretty fucked up that they were able to bribe someone into getting a patent on drilling a hole just to shut down other companies.
It probably wouldn't happen nowadays, since the current patent code requires that an innovation be non-obvious to be patentable, but those were different times. (You could patent a new non-obvious process for _making_ the holes, but the holes themselves would probably not pass muster with a modern patent judge.)
@@ZGryphon Depends on how many $ you have in that envelope to pass under the table.
@Astro Colter Best think again.
@Astro Colter imagine making this post not in jest
A friend and I had a #1 when we were kids. Used it steady untill it basically disinigrated. We knew it was old, but thought 30s-40s.
If only Hopkins & Allen had understood the concept of the front company they could've dodged their bad reputation.
They were an honest company
You mean branding, presumably.
@@mr.bobcyndaquil4214 Yes and no. I suspect he's thinking about setting up two firms, Hopkins and Allen to make the high-end guns and another company that exists largely on paper named something innocuous like "Industrial Products" to make the junk. That way the branding on the top company remains good, but they also get to sell lower-quality products.
Think about a writer working under multiple names, one for science-fiction, one for thrillers, and one for romance.
I just lament the missed opportunity to have a "Bacon Gun" on the market.
@@9drtr Or GMC, Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and... Geo. Wouldn't want people to think that the same company that made the Coupe de Ville also made the Metro...
Never have I seen a company that bought leftovers of bacon.
“And I have a separate video on the XL No. 8 if you’re interested...”
Of course you do, Ian; of course you do. And that’s good because I am interested and will be watching that one next.
"Leftovers of Bacon"
Historical first?
Found this in recommended before I found it in notifications
same :)
Same
Same thing
Same lol that’s weird
Same:)
Quote Ian: "...three pixels worth of gun."...made me laugh...it looked exactly like that.
And as I'm watching it on a mobile phone, not even full screen because I was reading comments. :)
"THE LEFTOVERS OF BACON"
The XL came from George Wostenholm in Sheffield, England. He made knives under the I-XL brand from about 1780. These were exported to the US, peaking in the mid 19th Century. A US entrepreneur set up the Un XLd brand which is now used by Great Eastern Cutlery today. All plays on the word ‘excel’.
Fun fact: Alan Hopkins was the name of a world-class pool player. This seems like the kind of hideout gun one would bring to a nine-ball tournament.
And hope gun owner is not sore looser.
Not gonna lie I kinda like everything about this. Such a clever little system.
Why would you lie about that?
I'd like to see someone copy this today, as a .38 special. Maybe .45 Long Colt too, but definitely sell better with a centerfire cartridge.
@@cmtptr You have to be critical to be taken seriously. If you like everything, people won't believe you know enough.
This is quite possibly the ONLY single-action revolver with a swing-out cylinder.
There was an experimental.44-40 Winchester revolver, and Moore's Patent Revolver from the 1860's but today North American Arms produces the Sidewinder
bankrupt leftovers of bacon....sounds like my breakfast....
Can't say enough about how much I love this channel. Thank you for a lot of great content sir. Always informative, never ostentatious and also very consistent. You've been doing this well for a long time and I appreciate it.
My thoughts EXACTLY!! Thank you for saying it first. Ditto!
I'm liking those safety notches between chambers so you could carry it with a fully loaded cylinder
3:13 KA-POINK
Loving all the old wheel guns, Thank you Ian!
i love your reviews on the old antique revolvers :) Thanks Ian
Definitely an 'up close & personal' pistol; 5 yards probably...10 yards with a prayer.
It’s like a large caliber NAA .22 Magnum
The Pug is a step beyond, actually having a completely swing-out cylinder.
Stevarooni you’re thinking of the Sidewinder, the Pug has their standard disassemble to reload system.
Josh Callejas yup sidewinder, I’ve got the top break and the standard in 22bp, short, lr and magnum. Great little guns
For some odd reason the thumbnails looked like a skull.
Ikr? I thought it was a gun masked as a ring with a skull
Let's hope it's not a bad omen.
@@lukaszpokoju Its a warning to be wary of skeletons today. They could be anywhere.
Even right inside you.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who saw it!
Yes
Interesting that the cylinder swings out to the right as it it was intended for left hand use.
I suspect that that was not the designer's consideration - but rather that it presented the cylinder for loading on the same side as you would see the loading gate/ramp on just about every other revolver of the period including the other XL seen in this video
It only seems that way because modern doctrine is to never take your strong hand off the grip. I suspect that back in the revolver’s heyday people tended to hold the gun by the frame with their left hand and reload with the more dexterous right.
@@gokuss15 Yes, reloading with separate powder, projectile and percussion cap would have necessitated the used of your dominant hand for those tasks. Cartridges changed all of that but it likely took a while for designs to catch up
I wish modern revolvers swung out to the right. I would find reloading much quicker by holding the gun with my weaker left hand and loading rounds with my stronger right hand.
@@kurtihavebestdogever6293 In some cases it was because they were intended for use by cavalry from horseback where the right hand managed the reins and held onto the main weapon- the sword.
I actually picked up a lil Hopkins and Allen 32 Black Powder after a really old video of yours Ian. it's in rough but mechanically sound condition and I've been putting off loading 32 Short BPs for a long time now. You've inspired me to get off my butt! :D
I think Hopkins and Allen guns are totally underrated.
Waking up every morning with a New Ian s video brings a Smile to my face
Absolutely adorable little wheelgun.
This pistol is like a large version of the North American Arms 22s. Safety notches on cylinder , trigger style and loading on non swing out ones. It’s like it’s great grandpa lol
It is 1864. I'm a private in the army making $13 a month. I am sent into battle with some chance of hand to hand combat with a muzzle loading rifle. I want one of these in my jacket pocket. For $2.50? Heck yes. Nobody around me has to know I have it until I use it to save my life.
If its 1864 and there is going to be hand-to-hand combat, you'd be better off saving up for a bowie knife than a little rim-fired revolver. Just saying that's how things went down back then.
Always enjoy the historical element of all your videos,g'day from Aus
What I'm really wanting , Ian is a post-mortem report concerning the Calico ,after round 3. You have, hopefully included brass and likely cleaned, then another 100 rnd shooting. I'm interested in one, I'll keep you posted on whether I can get one, or is it defunct. I love the concept, thanks, Rick
There could be a full playlist at this point of "Ian tries to rehabilitate Hopkins & Allen's reputation" videos.
XL-6 sounds like such a modern name for a handgun.
There was a bacon arms company? How has nobody resurrected that brand name?
Honestly, it could be for a food company, a clothing company, a firearms company, etc. That's an amazing name that should be re-embraced.
@Jake Roberts I mean, is there much better than a bacon creek? Maybe a bacon torrent or bacon tsunami.
Also, bacon tsunami sounds like an amazing sandwich. #trademarkingthatshitnow
@Jake Roberts A constant reminder that no matter how bad everything gets, a little bacon makes things better.
@Jake Roberts Well to be fair, the amount of things named after Daniel Boone in KY is excessive.
I believe this model was marketed as the Down-on-His-Luck Southern Gentleman Gambler Special.
Watching this reminded me of the rumors a few years ago that NAA was working on a little 32acp, 5 shot revolver as a big(er) brother to their mini revolvers. I wish it happened because that sounds like a nice little backup and I already love their 22wmr revolvers.
H&A were very innovative. I had one in 38 sw, case hardened, with a 5 or 6 " barrel. Made about 1887-88. Real nice. It still had black powder rounds by Rem Umc.
Great antique. The black powder 38 has a stronger kick than I thought. I wish I had kept it
The XL was a play on the roman numeral 40. Hence the xl-6 was the model 46 spur revolver.
Oooh! That’s one I have marked to bid-on in Sept.
I collect 19th Century “Off-Brand” Revolvers, mostly top-break and pocket-revolvers. I really want another Merwin & Hulbert .32.
This one is “Lot# 1104” in the September Premier Auction, with an “Expected Value” of $1,600 to $2,400.
The Black-Powder Pocket-Pistols are kind of a “niche,” and I am slowly starting to learn who my “Competitors” are, who also bid on these things.
I just won a fairly decent “Smith & Wesson Model 1-½ 3rd Issue,” and a “Model 2 Safety Hammerless (Lemon Squeezer)” that was really the “Find” in that lot, where I got both for about ½ of what they were really worth (having inspected the guns, I caught some things on them that the Auction House didn’t, that I knew would make them a bit more “desire-able” than was listed).
But I am really wanting some more Merwin & Hulbert, and this Hopkins & Allen caught my attention EXACTLY because of the “Swing-Out Cylinder.”
I REALLY WISH that RIAC would have more auctions that had the 19th Century “Ideal Reloading Tools” that we’re often sold with these. Some guns had a wooden box, typical of 19th Century Revolvers, where an Ideal Reloading Tool was included with the gun, along with a little crucible for melting lead, and a few strips of lead, and a Powder-Bottle with a “Measuring-Spout” (The bottle would contain enough Black Powder for reloading between 100 & 200 Rounds, and the “Spout” was sized exactly to be filled with a precise charge of powder, and the tip of the spout sized to fit the mouth of a cartridge exactly, so you just had to put the spout into a cartridge, and then press the button to measure the powder, and then a second button to empty the powder into the Cartridge). Basically everything you would need to reload for a good long while while “out-West” in the US Territories, exploring areas that few “European” eyes had ever seen.
I really wish that I could manage to win one of the damned auctions where the gun still has the original wooden box. I think if I saw a Model 1-½ 3rd Issue, or a Model 2 1st Issue (Baby Russian) that were not only Blued (instead of Nickel-Plated), but also contained the original case, I would be willing to sell something to bid whatever I needed to in order to win it.
Cool! I just bought 42 rounds of antique .41 caliber rimfire ammo, some day I'll find something to shoot it in.
An old Derringer would be the classic example.
At first I thought the bacon manufacturing company meant like a butcher or something.
It's almost always surprising to see a gun with a feature we take for granted existing on an old gun that didn't sweep the market when it was new.
In another video you mention the "We don't need no newfangled gadgets" mindset but in this case it strikes me that it was because the axis pin/ejection tool wasn't captive and was therefore just something else to fumble with and possibly drop/lose while reloading.
Thanks again Ian, for showing us the "might have beens".
Thank you , Ian .
Thank you Ian!
Really cool little pocket revolver.
Ian been finding some real gems recently
Handsome package for close work as a hide out gun.
Looking at the gun, that's basically a rich dude's special tool. You don't need that much bling unless you plan to blind your enemies with it.
Gambler's gun.
From a time when "dress to impress" meant all the accessories and accoutrements, even and especially for guys, not for the ladies.
Price certainly plays a big role in the success of most guns in competitive market segments. It would be interesting on some of these to have a better idea of what was competing against a particular forgotten weapon, and what their respective prices were at the time.
Beautiful!
Holy mother of crap!! This seems like an actually decent pocket pistol!! Who knew Hopkins and Allen was actually capable of making ONE decent gun?
That swing cylinder is really neat!
And yes _of course_ I'm interested in your video on the XL-8!
But in closing, I leave you with a quote :
"Engravings give you no tactical advantage whatsoever"
It sure *does* look _pretty_ though!
2:04 I laughed probably more than I should have on this one!
I actually said, "ooohh." When the cylinder spun out.
Reminds me of the I☆XL trademark used by the George Whostenholm and sons knife company from Sheffield.
I could actually see you reloading the less advanced one faster. carry a few extra, preloaded cylinders with you pop out the spent one and put a new cylinder in hell on wheels style when you need to reload.
With a gun that small they just used to carry spare preloaded revolvers instead
It's been tried on a timer. The video should still be up. Nope.
@@luisnunes2010 I haven't seen a video of it being tried with this gun but it takes less than 10 seconds to replace the cylinder of an 1858 new army revolver.
@@Doc-Holliday1851 Not in field or match conditions.
@@luisnunes2010 I guess. I haven't seen that
What a beauty.
Cool. Wouldn't have guessed "XL" dated as far back as the 1870s (at least). 👍👍👍
That's a really good looking gun.
Wow last time I was this early the powder was still black lol.
Nice looking revolver btw. Why is it so many of these early handguns are so pleasing to the eye?
Last time I was this early so was Michael Jackson
@@KenMabie HAHAHA
That rod you pull out to swing out the cylinder strikes me as something that would very easily be dropped and lost. I hope the gun came with extra rods.
The balliatics of a black-powder cartridge with what looks like a 1" barrel can't have been very impressive.
Charles, Charles Hopkins and Hopkins
Sound like an amazing company name tbh.
Cute little handful of a revolver.
Ian, can you comment on the development of the fully opening crane arm/star ejecting revolver cylinder, compared to the system used here?
From the makers of "the big iron" and "the fairly sized iron", now comes an iron for everybody:
The mini iron!
AIRHOOOOORNS!!!!
It wasn't big enough for one and nineteen more notches, but it did have one and four more hammer notches for added safety.
Beautiful
This is such a nice take on a really small pockett self defense revolver! I wish I could buy something like this, but more modern... Why gun makers stopped making this kind of thing?
@Howie Felterbush Oh wow so this is wny... It does not make any sense... People can still use a regular frame .38 to go on "saturday night specials" lol... heck, people can USE ANY gun if theu can conceal it... It's rather dumb prohibit something in this manner...
Danilo Nakazone Never ask the government “how stupid can you get “
They’ll take it as a challenge
"The Bacon Arms Company" is a name that really raises your expectations.
That cylinder design looks to me like it's better for a left-hander than a right, which, much as I approve, seems an odd choice, especially for the times.
Colt SAAs and many other guns of that era load left handed too, I think the idea was to hold the gun in your non-dominant hand so your dominant is handling the fiddly little individual cartridges, as opposed to keeping a firing grip when changing mags like we do today, their reloads took a while longer lol.
"... 3 pixels worth of gun"... ROFL. Very interesting firearm.
I have a Hopkins and Allen Safety Police from 1914ish, not really a horrible revolver other than normal wear and tear. I shot it many many times without issue up until the main spring snapped. Bought it for 60 bucks back in 2008 lol. Looks cool, so will probably become a display piece.
Isn’t it about time for a Callico video?🤣
I like that swing out cylinder trick. I find guns intended for civilian use very interesting, particularly those sold through old mail order catalogues.
If only they'd actually made the ejector rod pivot out attached rather than loose, could have been a real game changer to compete with the 1873 colt
Your videos are awesome and I never miss an episode. Are these type of firearms called "spur-hammer" or "spur-trigger"? (technically both? there is a definitely a spur-hammer, but I think a distinguishing characteristic on this particular example is the spur-trigger)
Well this is a single action so if it didn't have a hammer spur it would be unshootable lol, but yeah this could definitely be referred to as a spur-trigger pocket revolver, though later this model also had trigger guards like Ian said, so that isn't really a reliable characteristic of the XL6 for ID I guess.
Looks great and hard to shoot well.
it's recommended distance is the length of a poker table :)
@@dosmundos3830 Spot on!
Never thought id hear the phrase "bacon went bankrupt"
Omg, they should have had this in the original Wild Wild west replacing the 2 shot deringer, would have been so good
Out of curiosity and as confirmation: Were the Suicide Specials called such because the build quality was so terrible they were just as likely to blow up in your hand than actually fire a bullet?
@@SycFuk2000 Ah, thanks!
If nothing else, you can be sure S&W, Colt and others took note of the swing out cylinder and it seems strange that they started making such about the time the patent ran out. Another story?
It s a model suitable for lefthanded people. The cylinder swings open to the right.
So...Does no one see the "mini skull" in the thumbnail...?
I had to look at it for a while but then I saw it.
Kinda sorta... 😉
I saw that straight away..
Was thinking about it before I read your comment
At first i didnt recognize its a Forgotten Weapons video because of that. Cant unsee it!!!
It's like an 1800s Chief's Special
hey Ian! I would like to see you with some modern guns I don't have any interest in firearms but I'd like to know technical details with ur presentation.
There are such videos. He likes guns that're unusual in some way, so you're liable to see anything from an old wheel-lock, up to something like the .45 H & K the SEALS use
The Kel Tech of the late 1800's has now become collectible!
Is there like a giant lot of Hopkins & Allen stuff this auction?
The spring's the thing.
A cute lil gun
Hmmm...I actually like this little thing. Would be an interesting piece in a collection. One thing though: Either I missed it in the vid or it wasn't there, but do we know the approximate date this one was made?
6 degrees of Bacon Manufacturing
Hopkins and Allen: Hi-point in the 1880s
Would be interesting to hear the original price of other guns you review, assuming that info is available.
Yes tell me t price
I wonder if anyone who owned an XL-5 ever mentioned it's 'fireball'...
3:13 *kopoink*
Tactical-poink
If it were on the left side I’d be sold even more.