This second part will examine H&A XL solid frame revolvers.

by Brian R Smith

In the last issue, the single action, spur trigger Hopkins & Allen revolvers were examined and disassembly procedures outlined. The second Hopkins & Allen revolver type under consideration is the XL solid frame, double action, extractorless model and its similar H&A siblings. These were predominantly sold in .22, .32 and .38 caliber, and some were fitted with loading gates. Less expensive models had only rounded loading grooves in the right side of the recoil shield, allowing clearance for cartridges to be inserted in and removed from the cylinder. On the larger-framed examples, H&A offered an optional extractor assembly mounted on the cylinder axis pin, making the revolver on which such an assembly was mounted appear not unlike a Colt Single Action Army.

The specific XL model described here is the solid frame H&A XL in .32 Short Colt featuring a hinged loading gate. It’s a small nickel-plated handgun featuring a hexagonal barrel and hard rubber grips. The other XL models are chambered in .38 S&W as well as .32 Short Colt with the .38s being proportionally larger. They resemble the smaller Harrington & Richardson New American and Victor revolvers.

Take down of the solid-frame XL begins with…

Read more in the August 2020 issue.

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