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

Willy, that gun looks to be in great condition. How are the bores? Is it original or do you think/know there has been some rehab work. Love the idea of the 32" barrels!
 
Canvasback:
The bores are excellent in it. Apparently the 32" barrels are pretty scarce but I'm still trying to learn about these guns myself. I'm having a knowledgable Tobin guy have a close look at it to discuss the originality question but as far as I can determine at this time it is original except the butt plate has been replaced. It had a reddish ventilated recoil pad on it at one time. Those rubber recoil pads tended to fall apart with time and so I think it was a legitimate replacement. The replacement plate came from Connecticut Shotgun Machine Co down south and has the same pattern / appearance as the plate on another Tobin that I have. I can track the previous 3 owners of this gun and 2 of them never fired it and the guy I got if from fired 12 rds in it. The seller only parted with it because he had made the decision to let go of all of his 'non American' made guns in order to control the numbers. He is a serious 'double gun' guy, belongs to the LeFever Double Gun club and attends a lot of their group shows and other US shows. A lot of the Americans are very well versed on the Tobins because of the early Norwich, Conn connection.
 
Ive been to Woodstock quite a few times over the years and never heard of Tobin shotguns before reading this thread. Its amazing how something can be right under your nose and you will have no idea. What is the history of production on these guns, were they gone from Woodstock for a long time now.
 
Many of the dates are a bit fuzzy but the Tobin factory closed down in the early 20's...................then a gunsmith / employee [Crandall] bought out the remains and continued to assemble and sell shotguns up into the early 50's, oftens referred to as the 'Crandall Years'. The factory started up in 1909 I think it was but then had to contend with WWI just a few years later AND probably even more important was the fact that single barrel pump and automatic shotguns were now on the market and so most buyers sought out the new toy on the block instead of the old reliable side by side.
 
Woodstock native here. Used to get all my shoes at the Tobin Factory when it was Aiden. Trying to remember what it was before that. Been looking for one of these shotguns for a long time. I think the reason most Woodstonians have never heard of it is because they only produced guns for a short period of time before WWI (1909 to 1914 according to http://hfcollectibles.com/tobin-shotguns/). I'm 3rd generation here and even my grandfather wasn't around when they were producing guns. So it's not surprising to me that it's not common knowledge.

Here is a fun fact I haven't seen mentioned. There was a munitions factory just down the road on Tecumeseh. My uncle thinks they just did shell casings but I worked there briefly when it was a lighting warehouse and the owner said it was a full on munitions factory. He pointed out the powder rooms with super thick concrete. Pretty neat. I'm going to check online for something about it right now. Edit: didn't find anything online. It's one of the old run down places by the treatment plant. I remember showing up to work there (temp job) and driving by thinking it was abandoned.

Also want to add, thanks for posting all your Tobins. Mad jealous. If anyone is looking to sell, hit me up.
 
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Thanks for your input Lou. I think your explanation as too why the local people are largely unaware of the Tobin name is bang on the money. Thats a very informative article in the HF magazine by Jim Stewart. I have seen it before but thank you for the link. It mentions that the Black Diamond grade of gun is very scarce. I happen to have 'parts' of one; the frame, both side plates and the trigger plate. Most of the black parts, now to find a barrel and couple pieces of wood. Yea, right!
 
Very cool. I would say the side plates are the most important part. I have another link stashed in my Tobin bookmarks folder that maybe you have not seen. It is from an antique tools blog. Someone found an auger bit with Tobin stamped on it and connected a few dots.

http://progress-is-fine.########.ca/2015/08/we-used-to-make-things-in-this-country.html

I don't think I've seen it mentioned anywhere else online that other things were made at the factory. The Sharptail he writes to and quotes had a site of pictures up and a lot of detailed info. He is referenced to in almost every mention of Tobin on various internet forums. His site is down right now though. Are you Sharptail by any chance haha?

By the way, do you have any of the catalogues still? If so I will PM you my details.
 
Great thread! Im 15 mins from Woodstock and only learned about Tobin's a few years ago. I drove truck all around the area so I've seen the building many times but never knew.... I'm also on the hunt for one as well. Is it one of you fellows that has the wanted ad on kijiji?
 
Lou Para said:
Very cool. I would say the side plates are the most important part. I have another link stashed in my Tobin bookmarks folder that maybe you have not seen. It is from an antique tools blog. Someone found an auger bit with Tobin stamped on it and connected a few dots.

http://progress-is-fine.########.ca/2015/08/we-used-to-make-things-in-this-country.html

I don't think I've seen it mentioned anywhere else online that other things were made at the factory. The Sharptail he writes to and quotes had a site of pictures up and a lot of detailed info. He is referenced to in almost every mention of Tobin on various internet forums. His site is down right now though. Are you Sharptail by any chance haha?

By the way, do you have any of the catalogues still? If so I will PM you my details.
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Sharptail is/was a member here under that name. Haven't noticed his posts lately so I don't know how active he is or if he left.
 
canvasback said:
Sharptail is/was a member here under that name. Haven't noticed his posts lately so I don't know how active he is or if he left.
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He's still around, but has been busy with other things for the better part of a few years now. See Post# 17 in this thread where I posted the link to his current web site.
 
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