Hopkins & Allen revolver?

[TWeatherford]

I have a chance at a H&A 38 revolver. It is not a top break. From what I've been able to gather these were made around the turn of the century, and the top break ones were a bit weak, or at least for todays ammo. If I were to buy this gun it would be a beater for the truck or saddlebags on trail rides. I can get my CCW in a little less than a year (when I turn 21) so if I am broke as usual then it might even be a CCW piece until I can get something with a little more track record and a few less years on it. This thing looks to be in decent shape (from the pics I have), I would probably have a gunsmith check it out before firing, but I don't want anything to do with it if its going to blow up in my hand. What do you all think?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[archer51]

From what I've been able to gather these were made around the turn of the century, and the top break ones were a bit weak, or at least for todays ammo. What do you all think?

Well since it is only about 8 years old it should handle most modern ammo with no trouble!!!!!!

Seriously though, if I were buying it, it would be as a collector item, not something I would want to take out and shoot.

[Captain Crunch]

Your H&A is a wall hanger, not a shooter.

You can research it here.

[blackhawkbill]

oh its a shooter , if you are real handy at loading up blackpowder 38 shorts ? i think the load was 15 gr of blackpowder a 98 gr soft lead roundnose bullet with a velocity of about 600 fps , not much of a manstopper even back in the day ?

i am a collector , seriously it probably isn't safe to shoot anymore even with the proper ammo , they were not well made ,an there was all kinds of them blown up then , it was a saturday night special {a 2 dollar pistol } and if you could fire a cylinder full without it blowing up you had got your 2 dollars worth , don't shoot it .....

[TWeatherford]

You'd think 8 years into it I'd remember what century we're in. Or millennium for that matter. Oh well.

Thanks for the advice, it doesn't sound like something I'm interested in.

[crzy4guns]

I would pass on it. If money is tight, look at Charter Arms, or Keltec. Decent guns and no problems firing modern ammo. Seriously, wait and save your money to get one of these and not some old curio and relic. Later on you could upgrade if wish to a more expensive brand of handgun.