Tobin - Help w/grandfather's 12ga sxs - 5 Pics

B

B-lever

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Tobin 12ga sxs, double triggers, double auto ejectors, safety, brass bead front post. Front trigger fires right barrel and rear trigger fires left.

Tobin.jpg

Matching serial #s 17631
Does the butt pad look original?

Triggers.jpg

Tobin Arms MFG Co Ltd
>Makers<
Woodstock Ont Canada

Barrels.jpg

No markings on barrels except for serial # and "B" inside a circle.
Bores are bright and look almost perfect, except for small ding in left barrel.
How are the barrels choked from the factory?

Safety.jpg

Pat. May 28 - 93
and Patents Pending
Stock wrist in good shape with no cracks.

We believe the date of manufacture is about 1914

What value should I have on it for insurance?
What is the best source for a history of the Tobin?

Forearm.jpg

Forearm
 
Sharptail (Forum member + few other members here) should've enough knowledge to offer detailed insight - provided he happens across your thread.....it's just that we don't see him here much now-a-days. Rumour has it that he has developed a strong interest in tactical shotguns and doesn't care much for anything else any more :D:D:D
 
Are you sure that it is ejectors and not extractors?????????????
Any markes on the barrel flats?
that is where the choke is on some.
I would think chokes full and mod or full and full.
Measure with a dime
Have you checked to make sure it is 2 3/4" chamber?
That is a must before it is shot. NO Steel shot.
Imay have some info on these, but would be a day or so
before I could look.
There are some here that will have some history info.
I have had 2 or 3 over the years, but poor ones.
There should be more markings than what you list.
looks to be a higher grade than the usal ones.
Marshall
 
Oh man... I have one just like it that belonged to my Dad, and was given to me when he passed on. Mine has a home made (by a blacksmith, back in the day) fore-end and a dog and quail inscribed on the sideplate. My Dad used that shotgun for shooting Ruffed Grouse and Prairie Chicken. Both barrels are full. Kicks like a mule. That was the only 12 ga. I had for years. Every year, I would cut my second finger on the sharp old trigger guard, but that was just a rite of passage, I guess. Dad only ever used Imperial Special Long Range. Man, they did kick!! I have another one, too, that I bought at a gun show. I think it is even fancier than my Dad's. Great old shotguns, Canadian all the way!!:p
 
Quoting RESEARCHER on THE DOUBLE GUN BBS: June 16, 2002
"I may be the guru of Tobin as I've had four articles published on that company. I discovered Tobin in the 1980's when I was researching things Fox at the Library of Congress and feeding my findings to Mike McIntosh for his book on Ansley H. Fox. Mike encouraged me to continue the Tobin search and writhe about them. Frank Major Tobin, Canadian by birth, was a gun salesman for various companies around the U.S. from the 1880's to after the turn of the century. Somewhere he aquired the rights to a shotgun patent of Clarence Wollam of San Francisco and set up a company in Norwich, Conneticut, to manufacture the gun. Tobin operated there from 1904 to 1909, then moved to Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, 1910 to about 1916. My Tobin articles were published in Volume Five, Issue 1, and Volume Eight, Issue 1, of The Double Gun Journal; Voluime 39, Number 12, May 1994 of The Gun Report; and Volume 34, Number 3 of (the Canadian Journal of) Arms Collecting. Mr. Gooding saw my display of Tobin guns at a Maryland Arms Collectors Association show and asked me to do an article. Volume 14, Number 1 of Canadian Journal - Arms Collecting reproduced tobin catalogue #311 from the factory in Woodstock. The Tobin gun was offered in 12- and 16- gauge and a variety of grades from $30 to $250 with options of ejectors and a single-selective trigger. Tobin also made guns for the trade, that don't say Tobin anywhere on them, but they can be confirmed by the patent stamp. PAT. MAY 23-93 AND PATENTS PEND'G. Serials to a bit over 11,000 were made in Norwich, and above that in Woodstock. G.B. Crandall, a gunsmith in Woodstock that had worked for Tobin took over the remains and from about 1922 billed himself as successor to Tobin Arms. He probably assembled around 500 guns in the high 18,000 and low 19,000 range until he retired in 1951. I believe he was more noted for his varmint rifles."
 
Nice old gun for its age and useage, I have one similiar in 16 gau. Just the fact in was made in Canada (albeit by a American) makes it a keeper for me. There is a gentleman on <Doublegunshop> by the name of Ted S. who has made a study of Tobin, you could perhaps join and post your query & pics. there, I'm sure he will be interested and answer.

As far as value a guess on my part would be between $200 to $300. --- John303.
 
B-Lever, what you have there is a standard grade gun with extractors. Given the serial number, I would say it was built closer to 1916 than 1914, but with Tobin serial numbers there is no sure thing. While Tobin's serial number system did make some sense, examples of out of order production show up all over the place. The butt plate looks original from what little I can see of it.

Bring the gun to Hinton for the Provincials and I will bring along some low pressure ammo for the gun, you can shoot the old girl. I have all of David J. Noreen's published articles on Tobin, as well as some correspondence with him, Ted S. and others, as well as a catalogue; you can peruse them.

I am happy that you finally laid your hands on the old girl, I know you have wanted it for many years. Congrats.

Sharptail
 
FYI, I believe the original Tobin gun "factory" still exists in Woodstock and is now a shoe store. I should go take some pictures some time for Sharptail.
 
Ahsan Ahmed said:
.....it's just that we don't see him here much now-a-days. Rumour has it that he has developed a strong interest in tactical shotguns and doesn't care much for anything else any more :D:D:D
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I am not posting as much as I used to. I am having trouble finding the time to spend in front of the computer doing things other than work. I do read the forums quite often, if not daily. I have been shooting quite a bit, and traveling some. Besides, there are plenty of well educated double gunners on the board these days (yourself included).

Who blabbed about my newfound taste in tactical shotguns? :redface: Actually, I wouldn't know "tactical" if it hit me in the face. I much prefer strategic shotguns.

Sharptail
 
MauserMike said:
FYI, I believe the original Tobin gun "factory" still exists in Woodstock and is now a shoe store. I should go take some pictures some time for Sharptail.
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Please, please do! My web page is well overdue for an update, and I have a bunch of new info to incorporate, so the timing would be good.

Sharptail
 
what type of ammo is available for this old gun? I just inherited my grandfathers (actually my great-grandfathers) old Tobin. I know he used to shoot it up until around 15 years ago, but I had planned on taking it to a gunsmith to have checked out. I would love to be able to take it out occasionally . thanks
 
B lever ,One of those went through a local gun-shop here in Ontario about 2 months back and they were asking 900.00 for it. Same gun as yours but really nice shape.
Shop clerk said it was the finest Tobin he had ever seen. I have one (Grandfathers gun)
that I really abused the #$%@ out of as a kid generally in the same condition as yours.They are a clasic old shotgun, well made, quite a find to have and collect.
Certainly one of the finest made in this country anyway.
 
Green Machine best to have it checked by a smith. Many of these fine old girls are a little loose now after nearly 100 yrs. I used to shoot high base Imperials 2-3/4 when I was younger 30 years back (give or take) It handled them fine but mine is a tad loose now unless 2 are in the chamber.
 
Sharptail said:
Who blabbed about my newfound taste in tactical shotguns? :redface: Actually, I wouldn't know "tactical" if it hit me in the face. I much prefer strategic shotguns. Sharptail
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LOL! I was just kidding :D.

Thanks for the compliment although you give me more credit than actually due.
 
green machine said:
What type of ammo is available for this old gun? ... I would love to be able to take it out occasionally . thanks
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Green Machine, fortunately there is ideal ammo available in Canada for shooting old Tobins. It is made by Gamebore, and distributed by Kent, so it is available through anyone who sells Kent ammo (you will probably have to order it in).

In 12 gauge there are two loads available, the Pure Gold F2 with a plastic hull and (my favourite) Pure Gold Paper Case. Both loads use a pure fibre wad, have low pressures and are very effective on all types of upland birds. They are 2 1/2 inch hulls, not needed for the Tobin, but it makes them useful in other short chambered guns. They are available in English sizes 5 through 7 (equivalent to our sizes 6 through 8).

In 16 gauge Gamebore offers the "Game & Hunting" load, with all of the attributes of the 12 gauge Pure Gold load. Watch out, though, because Gamebore also offers a Pure Gold 16 gauge load which is NOT like the 12 gauge loads - it is a 2 3/4 inch shell with a plastic wad and is a modern load in every sense.

As has been said, have a gunsmith check out your Tobin to make sure it is safe to shoot, order some shells, and go have some fun.

The reason you do not want to shoot modern shells out of the old Tobin is because of the stock. Due to the design of the locks, a lot of wood has to be taken out of the head of the stock. The risk of cracking the stock (or loosening the action) is just too great with modern shells. Preserve the old gun and shoot the right ammo.


Sharptail
 
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