Inside the Tobin Arms factroy! For Tobin Shotgun [Woodstock] fans

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Willy Tincup

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A few weeks ago I was in Woodstock, Ont and asked a number of people if they knew where the former Tobin Arms Co. factory was located. All negative responses except one who knew a bit about Tobin shotguns but did not know anything about the factory location or if it was still standing.
When I got home to the ole computer I did some searching and found the location and a picture of the building.
This past weekend I was back in Woodstock so I drove to that location. I was happy to find that building still standing and looking just like it did in the picture I had found earlier. It now contains a light fixture store and 3 or 4 other types of business outlets. Most of the building is 2 stories, although the rear portion [maybe 1/3rd] is only one story and appears to have a basement level under the entire building. It sits at the corner of Drew and Winniete [not sure of spelling] Streets along side an operating rail line in a mainly residential area in the N W corner of town. Its 3 blocks west of Highway 59 North and 3 blocks north of Dundas street.
I happen to have a Tobin Arms 12 ga SxS and so it was nice to see its place of origin.
Tobin Arms is an important part of Canadian firearms history and it is nice to know that building still exists; too bad more of the local residents arn't aware of it.
Please feel free to jump in with more Tobin Arms stories or experiences.....Cheers...wTc
 
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My family hails from about 45 mins from Woodstock. My Great Grandfather shot 99/100 live pigeons with a Tobin SxS. The one he missed was because the auto safety was on. He "fixed it" after that. My Uncle has the medal he won and my Dad has the gun. My Grandad lent the same gun to a friend who took it to the prairie pothole region and got caught doing something that resulted in it being seized. The guy bought Grampa another one but it was eventually released so he ended up with two guns (both leader grades). Lots of people in SW Ont used to buy them right at the factory apparently and many farms had one in the barn.
I have a soft spot for Tobins. I have a really nice 12ga Leader that I had the forcing cones lengthened and chokes opened to skt1 and skt2. It's a good solid field gun. I have a 16ga "black diamond" with outstanding curly walnut stocks. Chokes are skt1 and imp mod (factory). It's awesome. My third Tobin really isn't. I own GB Crandall's wife's 12ga Tobin. It's finished in black, engraved, and has European walnut stocks. Barrels are demoya steel choked damn near cylinder and imp mod. It has no ser number and modified springs inside where Crandall substituted coil springs for leaf. It's a cool gun.
 
I've also sought out the factory. It's pretty cool that it's still there by the tracks. I wonder how many workers lived in the houses close by?
 
fishslinger said:
Been to Woodstock many times and in that area, but had no idea there was a shotgun factory once.
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I've lived in Woodstock for 30 years and only found out about the Tobin shotgun factory from reading about it on CGN to be honest. I don't think I can remember anyone here ever bringing up the topic or knowing anything about the factory itself, at least that I can recall.
I have seen the odd one for sale here and there so there must be a certain number of them still in circulation.
 
I have lived in Woodstock for a couple of years and this is the first I am hearing of it. I know the building referenced. I will have to research it some more.

Scott
 
I live 20 minutes from Woodstock. I have checked out the building a few times. Always had a soft spot for Tobin shotguns.have had a few over the years. Thy were a well made gun for sure
 
Willy Tincup said:
Great guys; we are passing on some Canadian firearms history. Neat stories Dilly, thank you for sharing them with us.......wTc
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This is a great thread!

Wish I knew about this before I met you the other day to grab those decoys, but it will now definitely be on my list to check out next time I make it out to Woodstock!

I really appreciate the firearms history around this area, being a relatively new import, and having folks that know the lore passing it along for people like me is great. You could almost do a firearm appreciation tour around here with how many places of interest exist. (would just have to find a wine tour or something to send my wife on at the same time, hahaha) Keep sharing if you know more about spots like this!
 
A little footnote to the story on the Tobin my Dad currently owns...it is in really rough shape and the wrist has been wrapped with electrical tape since I was a kid. As the story goes, my Grampa sat on it while it was lying on the seat of the car and it snapped at the wrist clean through. Apparently when he got home (according to my Dad) his wife, my Grandma was berating him about breaking his gun when he stopped her to explain that while hunting jack rabbits that day, one of the guys he was with, finished off a rabbit by butt stroking it while reaching over a fence. The gun (not a Tobin) went off into his armpit. The rush to the hospital was what caused the gun to be sat upon and broken. I used to see that man around town as a kid and didn't know why he only had one arm until my Dad told me the story as an adult.

Sorry...I am drifting off a bit. Anyways, here are my three below.
nrDV2XR.jpg
 
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Dilly, that's quite a Tobin collection!

Willie, thanks for digging up the factory location and starting the thread. Not down that way much any more but can be sure I will take a drive by next time I am.
 
Thanks for the location info! I work at Standard Tube (Arcelor Mittal Tubular Products) and have been driving by that building, completely unaware, for 20 years. Nice to know some history. There are some pretty old houses and buildings in that area.
 
Thanks for the pics Dilly; thats a nice little collection of Tobins. I just have one of them, kind of a plane jane but it has checkering on both pieces of wood and a big wide beavertail forend. I love to shoot it and when we have Nostalgia day on the Sporting Clays range its my favourite one to take. I'm gonna keep my eyes n ears open for another one after this little spurt of historyitis....:)
 
Ontario out of doors had a write up on Tobin shotguns last year. I've never had the pleasure of seeing one but I have lived only a few blocks from the building for years and have been in it once when It was a shoe store.

Jeremy
 
There was also at least two builders of Pipe Organs in Woodstock. I live in Stratford, and we were more agricultural while Woodstock was more industrial.
 
Sharptail's web site, which includes his page on Tobin history and images of his Tobin, has moved once or twice, but it can now be found at:

ht tp://macnetserver.myasustor.com

I found a beat up old Tobin at an auction last winter. The stock was a mess and the forestock was seized and hadn't come off for many years. I know this because the gun has one of those gun registry serial number stickers for guns with no serial numbers. A bit odd, considering every part on the gun bears the same serial number. The part that makes it even more obvious is that none of the instances of the serial number can be seen without dis-assembling the gun.

I took my time and repaired and refinished the stock during the winter. It's not the nicest Tobin I've seen, but it's at least a good example of the grade as built.
 
I have a wonderful little Tobin sxs in 16ga that belonged to my uncle. 30" barrels choked full/full. I posted it a while ago in the show your sxs thread but I'll put a pic here too. It is funny how many people around the Woodstock area have never heard of Tobin.
pTCjS8w.jpg
 
I have my Dad's old Tobin 12 ga. It has a hand made fore end, metal wood and all. Dad bought it without the fore end and had a local blacksmith make one for him. Not sure when Dad bought it, but likely in the 30's or 40's. I have good memories of going "chicken hunting" with him as a kid. I was the retriever. He only ever use paper Imperial Special Long Range. I used it for a long time after he passed away in 1965. The old thing kicks like a mule.
 
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