Merwin, Hulbert & Co revolvers

[Tall Dark Slim]

Well I'd say that whatever state they were incorporated in should be a great place to start a fraud suit. It's really a shame that people are being cheated out of what looks like a really neat design. I'd definitely bite if they'd produce the product. I'm going to need a production run seen felt and shot by others to get involved.

[Short Knife Johnson]

I guess some things are just not meant to be.   

[Story]

Thread on the prototype, with pics
http://www.forum.merwinhulbertco.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1761&an=0&page=0#Post1761
http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z480/SharpsMilSpec/MerwinHulbertCo/IMG_0031.jpg

[Major 2]

Just this one in 3 years  ....

"Shot"  IS the SHOW.... a sample in the new Products section at  Shot last week in Vegas,
would have gone along way ... "seeing is believing" as they say.

[Story]

No dog in this fight, just reposting what the man said.

[Major 2]

Not dishing the Messenger....Story

Just questioning the HIPE... for all we know the photo is a heavily over worked original.

[St. George]

I'd be surprised if it wasn't - I've seen it done before, when someone was seeking seed money for grandiose schemes.

Didn't work for them, either...

I'm going to close this thread - it serves no purpose.

Most are agreed that they'd like one - few are willing to pay the price, since they're used to big store Ruger pricing - and everyone wants to see some sold and write-ups from someone who's 'not' in the CAS system and therefore not biased, before ponying up an amount that's better spent on something with some history.

Meanwhile, any information on whatever model of 'real' Merwin, Hulbert you've managed to winkle out will be more than welcome.

Start winkling!

Scouts Out!

[Short Knife Johnson]

I'll give him my $250 for what's there in that picture. 

[Deadeye Don]

St. George,   

I do feel that this thread might have some use as a cautionary tale to those new shooters to help prevent them from sending in "seed" money on speculative projects. 

[St. George]

Deadeye,

I'll give that some thought, but it won't affect the 'True Believers' out there, because for them, Hope Springs Eternal, and cautionary tales don't apply.

Probably why so many of their ancestors were sold the Brooklyn Bridge...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Professor Marvel]

Well here is a link to their website, showing pics of partial prototypes as of Dec 28- it appears they have most of the parts to build 5 :

http://www.forum.merwinhulbertco.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1761&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1

no updates since then ...

yhs
prof marvel

[Leverluver]

A little update.  There was a town council meeting in Glenrock where a new gentleman presented his case to the council.  This gentleman (I don't recall his name but will post a link at a later date when this stuff comes out in the newspapers) is a "money fixer".  He job is turning around businesses and he has the connections to pull it off because he apparently has an excellent track record of getting the job done at providing return on investment.  I will save details for later but to the point; he was asked specifically about the MH revolvers.  His reply was that under him, folks will get the revolvers they ordered OR they will get their money back.  He stated that he would not do it any other way.  There was no time frame mentioned and the inference was that the MHs will be later rather than sooner but at least that is the best news to come out for those that have paid full or partial down payments.  Mike Blanc is no longer at the wheel.  Mike was a good guy but had too many things stacked against him.  It took a heavy toll on him personally and financially.  Of course Art (who's also out) is suing everyone in sight but that is what Art does best. 

[Professor Marvel]

Ah well Dear Readers, it appears that the Merwin & Hulbert Saga may be drawing to a close.

After relieving Friend Art of his duties, Mike Blanc attempted to move forward with what appeared to be the build of
at least 5 prototype open tops. He had promised to keep the Faithful informed via the Merwin & Hulbert website
Forum, and appeared (at least on the forum) to be attempting to make good somehow on pistol deliveries,
even without ever demonstrating a working prototype or posting photos of any completed pistols.

But at last glance when I dropped in at the beginning of April, Mike seemed to have stopped responding around the beginning
of March.

Now, most interestingly, the Merwin and Hulbert website does not seem to be up at this time:

http://www.merwinhulbertco.com/

however we can see from Whois http://whois.domaintools.com/merwinhulbertco.com
that the domain name is still owned by
Registrant:
Sharps Rifle Company, Inc.
   109 East 17th Street
   Cheyenne, WY 82001

and the server IP pings as "live"
and this site shows that they had "some" traffic in the last month:
http://urlspy.co.uk/www.merwinhulbertco.com#visitors

interestingly the sharps rifle website is also unwell
http://sharpsriflecompany.com/

As is their facebook page  where a fellow is asking if they exist, since he bought one of their AR clones:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sharps-Rifle-Company/164653802115

and lastly, the Glenrock Independant reports upon the untimely demise of A-Square :

"A-Square defaults on lease–CEO closes doors, proposes new business"
Thursday, March 1, 2012 10:44 am

http://www.douglas-budget.com/glenrock/article_423700e2-63c6-11e1-b007-0019bb2963f4.html

And the town council approves Sharps taking over the lease
"Sharps Rifle Company, Inc. signs lease for former A-Square buidling"
Friday, March 30, 2012 11:43 am

http://www.douglas-budget.com/glenrock/article_d3628d36-7a8f-11e1-8d4b-001a4bcf887a.html

At least one can find "something" about Sharps Rifle out there:
http://www.truthisbinary.com/Sharp/principals.html

and yet the Town Council  seems to be oblivious that A-Square, Sharps Rifle, and Merwin and Hulbert were all ... ummm.. how can I put this delicately...

Related!

That's it, we shall call them "related" .

so sad for those who sent money.

yhs
prof marvel

[St. George]

P.T. Barnum's observation about some folks is as true today as it was when first quoted.

Scouts Out!

[Trailrider]

Abraham Lincoln is supposed to have said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all the people all of the time."  On the other hand, Bret Maverick's Daddy was quoted as sayin', "Ya can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time...an' those are mighty good odds!"    It's too bad, as the MH would have made an interesting piece, but I doubt it could have been made for sale at even a semi-unreasonable price.

[CRM]

I don't think Mike Blank ever intended to take a mans money without giving him a gun.

What I think happened is as follows:

Mike himself can not build a gun from scratch, but niether could Oliver Winchester.
Mike was told by men that have 4 and 5 axis CNC Machining Centers, that the Machines could build these Guns, and he believed them.

Men like Horace Smith, Daniel Wesson, John Browning, Bill Ruger, they could build guns, and they built successful companies.   Oliver Winchester is the exception, but he had all the above (except Bill Ruger) work for him.

Mike had Art Jones working with him !

It an't easy my friends.

I do not think those who gave a deposit were fools, especially at the begining.

I did not make a deposit on a Merwin, but I did give another Old Boy a sizable (non refundable, tooling charge) to extrude some custom brass for me. He told me at the beginning there would be a 40 week wait !

I have not seen or heard from him as yet, but it's not been 40 weeks.

Maybe I will never see my Brass or my money again, was I a Fool ?

I don't think so.

A Mans honor should be priceless, I trusted him, if I get nothing, then he will have sold his honor for a few hundred bucks!

How sad

Charlie

[Professor Marvel]

Greetings My Dear Story -

Thanks for the photo (which was dated Monday, December 12, 2011 2:37:36 PM ) . At that time they were showing some progress, although slow, and were willing to post this & other pics  which seemed to show ~ 5 prototypes in the process of being fitted and assembled

unfortunately the M&H website is still down so we just don;t know where they stand now :-(

yhs
prof marvel

[Deadeye Don]

This is an epic thread that deserves a sticky.  That way when the next "project" comes along asking for money upfront for a product that is barely on the drawing board we can all refer people to this thread.  Lesson learned for all of us.  Thanks for keeping this open St. George.

[fowler]

   Well pards the final product will be out this year. Everything is going to plan and the first Model open top in 45 colt will be the first model shipped.  I have been contacted by the New Merwin &Helbert Company and all is solvent production is near. Nay sayers will crying where,s mine. I know mine will here soon. The finest western pistol ever made!!

[RickB]

   Well pards the final product will be out this year. Everything is going to plan and the first Model open top in 45 colt will be the first model shipped.  I have been contacted by the New Merwin &Helbert Company and all is solvent production is near. Nay sayers will crying where,s mine. I know mine will here soon. The finest western pistol ever made!!

Pardon me for being doubtful but I'll believe it when I see it and can hold one in my own two hands.