[Researcher01]

The Hopkins & Allen line of side-by-side double barrel shotguns were carryovers from Forehand Arms Co. that they took over circa 1901. We would need some pictures of your gun to tell which model it is.

Forehand -- Forehand evolved from Ethan Allen & Co. From 1865 to 1871 it was E. Allen & Co.; from 1871 to 1890 it was Forehand & Wadsworth; and from 1890 to 1902 Forehand Arms Co. After 1902, guns marked "Forehand or "The Forehand" were made by Hopkins & Allen Arms Co.

The "old model" hammer double was a sidelock gun with double underbolts made in 10- or 12-gauge and with Twist or Damascus barrels from 1880 to 1892.

The "new model" hammer double was a box-frame gun bolted by a large dollshead rib extension, and offered in 12- or 16-gauge and with Twist or Damascus barrels.

The hammerless double was also box frame with bolting by a large dollshead rib extension, and offered in grades 0, 1, 2 and 3, in 12- or 16-gauge with Twist or Damascus barrels.

These box frame guns appear to be built on the M. Bye and E.G. Parry Patent No. 490,065 granted Jan. 17, 1893.

My August 1895 Chas. J. Godfrey catalogue offers the Forehand Arms Co. hammerless No. 0 with Twist barrels, list price $50, for $30; and the No. 1 with Damascus barrels, list price $60, for $35.

I saved a Forehand Arms Co. ad from a January 1896 issue of "The Sportsmans Review and Bicycle News" that shows a very elaborate gun and offers ejector and non-ejector hammerless double guns. I also saved a similar ad from the September 1896 issue of "The Amateur Sportsman". I have never seen one of these guns with ejectors.

Volume 15, Issue 3, of The Shotgun Research Newsletter reproduces a 1902 Hopkins & Allen catalogue of their "Forehand" guns. The top-of-the-line hammerless was the AA Grade with a list price of $100 which was elaborately engraved, stocked and checkered. Other grades of the hammerless gun started from $25 with Twist barrels and $30 with Damascus barrels. The hammer models were list priced at $18 with "decarbonized steel" barrels, $19.50 with Twist barrels and $22.50 with Damascus barrels.