Bay State Arms co faling block .32 - info and value

juliansk

juliansk

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Good day,
I'm helping with an estate sale and am looking for info and a value on a:
Bay state arms co (Uxbridge, Ma) falling block .32
Octagonal barrel, stock and metal appear aged but in very good condition.
From the ol' Google it seems Bay area operated making songle shot falling block rifles and shotguns from 1870.to 1902 thrn was bought by H & A, who continued to make shotguns under Bay State name.

Anyone know more about these, a potential value, or want to buy one?
Thanks!

Https://imgur.com/a/dw5MpvT

Kindly ignore the sporterized Long branch #4, or make an offer on it. Your call.
 
I wouldn't consider H & A guns to be high end guns. Locally I would guess around $200 - $300. The shortcoming of H&A rifles I think is that the extractor does not bring the shell back very far

cheers mooncoon
 
Yes, a true falling block but still soft steel. I converted one of their (H&A not Bay State, but H&A used that basic design) small frame shotguns to .32 S&W, same design only slightly larger. One originally in .32 RF should be .32 Colt only, or keep it RF IMHO.

Not worth much, IMO only if in excellent condition I'd suggest ~$300 for a .32 RF; I've bought them for $150-175 in typical decent used condition, tight and good rifling.

Only my 0.02, and the Canadian buck isn't worth much these days.
 
Last edited:
I type slowly and so will be brief.
Bay State came first, building William Davenport's falling block design. Davenport was a prolific designer and inventor in the late 19th century, eventually starting his own firm which made, among other types, his evolved design of the same falling block action.
The Bay State rifles are not very common and there were constant variations according to whatever patent William had just achieved. For example, a 32 cal was made with a moveable firing pin for RF or CF. Takedown systems varied as well.
Bay State failed around 1887 and Hopkins & Allen bought their machinery in 1887.

I can't place a value on your rifle but a collector of H&A, Merwin Hulbert, and Davenport arms would likely be very happy to get their hands on the relatively scarce grand daddy of the line.
 
Waba said:
I type slowly and so will be brief.
Bay State came first, building William Davenport's falling block design. Davenport was a prolific designer and inventor in the late 19th century, eventually starting his own firm which made, among other types, his evolved design of the same falling block action.
The Bay State rifles are not very common and there were constant variations according to whatever patent William had just achieved. For example, a 32 cal was made with a moveable firing pin for RF or CF. Takedown systems varied as well.
Bay State failed around 1887 and Hopkins & Allen bought their machinery in 1887.

I can't place a value on your rifle but a collector of H&A, Merwin Hulbert, and Davenport arms would likely be very happy to get their hands on the relatively scarce grand daddy of the line.
Click to expand...

Yes, but the design itself was also carried forward by the successors. A common trade practice. Some variation, but generally it's the same design. Value will be highest in the eyes of an H&A collector (and there are some) but it still won't be a high value item. These were not, as Mooncoon says, a high end gun. Rarity does not equate to value.

Only my 0.02 as I say but I have picked up the Bay States before, they are around.
 
juliansk said:
So how would I also figure out which of the dozen .32 calibre cartridges this takes?
Click to expand...

do a chamber cast with paraffin wax. Plug the bore in the beginning of the rifling with some paper towel or a cloth patch and tie a piece of string to the plug so that if the wax cracks while removing it, the pieces are still all together. Check the hammer nose and/or breach face and it will probably show that the cartridge is a rimfire

cheers mooncoon
 
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