Three Barrel Gun Co. Post-Hollenbeck 26″ 12 GA/.32-40 Win. Drilling, C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,630.00
WOA#: WY240611RD062
Make: Three Barrel Gun Co.
Model: Grade 1 Three Barrel Gun
Serial Number: 1272
Year of Manufacture: 1905-1908
Gauge: 12 Gauge, 2 1/2” Shells over .32-40 Winchester
Action Type: Top-Break Shotgun/Rifle Combination Gun (Drilling)
Markings: The top of the right barrel is marked “THE THREE-BARREL GUN CO.”, the top of the right “WHEELING W. VA.” and the top of the rib “FLUID STEEL”. The serial number “1272” is marked on the barrel flat, forend iron, guard, and shoulder of the receiver. The opposite shoulder has patent dates. The receiver has decorative scroll and border engraving with a bear scene on the left and a buck on the right. The guard is engraved with a fowl scene and there is some light motif on the barrels. The bottom of each barrel is marked “-FLUID-STEEL-KRUPP-ESSEN-“.
Barrel Length: 26″
Choke: Modified, Fixed
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a white beaded blade dovetailed to the front of the rib. The rear sight is a six-position “U”-notch, adjustable for elevation in a base screwed to the rear of the rib. The sight is adjusted by hand, up and down, stoping at one of the six-positions.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered walnut with splinter forend, capped pistol grip, straight comb and ventilated brown rubber Pachmayr recoil pad. The stocks have some light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is minor cracking and a tiny loss at the rear edge of the top tang. The checkering is well defined. The LOP measures 14″ and 13 1/8″ from the fronts of the triggers to the back of the recoil pad, 13″ and 12 1/8″ to the back of the wood. The pad has light wear and remains fairly supple. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: The case color appears Original, the barrels have been refinished.
Bore Condition: The bores are mostly bright with infrequent minor erosion. The rifling is sharp. In this writer’s opinion, the bores rate 8 or 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This gun retains about 87% of its current metal finish. The barrels’ new finish is generally strong with some minor wear at the muzzles and some finish wear along the edges of the ribs. There is scattered finish wear on the rear sight assembly. The receiver has some strong case color toward the top-rear and in protected areas with more muting and wear toward the bottom-front. There are some minor nicks, scuffs and small scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are legible, the engraving is notably more crisp on the receiver. Overall, this shotgun is in about Very Good condition as partially refinished (see Mechanics).
Mechanics: The selector for the rifle barrel is a lever in front of the trigger guard. During our function check, we found that the front trigger will fire the rifle barrel when the safety is engaged. If the safety is not engaged and both the rifle and shotgun barrels are cocked, the trigger acts as a progressive trigger, firing first the rifle and then the right shotgun barrel when pulled slightly further. It is not clear if this is correct, the other examples we have examined functioned the same. Otherwise, the action functions correctly. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: Frank Hollenbeck certainly got around the American shotgun making scene in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He worked with L.C. Smith and Baker, founded his own company Syracuse Arms Company in 1893 and would go on to establish the Hollenbeck Gun Co. in 1901 in Wheeling, West Virginia. The quality of the guns made was quite high, but so was the price. Demand was low and Hollenbeck eventually would leave the company which would have its assets sold and reorganized into the Three Barrel Gun Co., which went through the same process, becoming the Royal Gun Co., with the entire enterprise eventually closing in 1910. Over the course of these 10 years some 2,000 guns had been made, mostly drillings, a rarity for American gunmaking. A much smaller portion of production was double barrel guns with even fewer single barrel trap guns.
This example is a Grade 1 Three Barrel Gun chambered for 12 gauge shotgun shells over a .32-40 Winchester rifle barrel, produced during the Three Barrel-Gun Co. period. The gun shows light wear for its age, having had the barrels refinished but retaining original finish on the receiver and guard. The bores are in quite good shape and the gun still locks up tight. The gun has an odd mechanical quirk in which both the rifle barrel and the right shotgun barrel will fire if the rifle barrel is selected while the safety is disengaged. It is not clear if this is a result of the original design or if there is a part of the sear assembly which has worn or broken. This is a neat vintage drilling made by one of America’s very few three-barrel gunmakers, an interesting addition to any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
