Guns that you turned your nose to but have changed your mind

[Dean Romig]

Didn’t I warn you? Those extra tight chokes are contagious!





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[BRDHNTR]

You did warn me Dean. I have shot skeet and trap very well with this Sterly and i can not put it down. It is a fun gun to shoot. My parkers are crying in the gun safe. Lol

[Bob Brown]

Thanks Researcher, for posting the info on the 44-40 and 44 XL. Never seen those ads before. I've been thinking of working up a load for what I think is a 44 XL I picked up a little while back. It is a Walters and Son stamped laminated steel, but the worn areas look like fluid steel. The pattern is visible below the forend. Belgium made posing as British. Tiny little thing.

IMG_0646 (2).jpg

[Mike of the Mountain]

I always had a soft spot for the Crescent Arms hammer doubles. Had a few of them and they all held up their end of the bargain. I also have a soft spot for the Stevens 311. That was my Pappy's favorite (and only) double gun and in 16g too. It took countless rabbits and pheasants on the farm. Still have it. Only thing I ever did was add a recoil pad to give it some length. Still a good, solid gamegetter.

[Researcher]

Until shortly after The Great War, H & D Folsom Arms Co., owner of Crescent Fire Arms Co., had the guns they marketed marked American Gun Co.

H & D Folsom Arms Co. Catalog No. 11 --

Catalog No. 11 Small Bore Double Barrel Guns.jpeg

H & D Folsom Arms Co. Catalog No. 18 --

Catalog No. 18 Small Bore Double Barrel Guns.jpg

H & D Folsom Co. Catalog No. 23 --

Catalog No. 23.jpeg

[Craig Larter]

Dave, were the Cresent's made in Batavia?? Where was the manufacturing plant??

[OH Osthaus]

Crescent guns were made in Norwich Connecticut until bought up by Savage

[B. Dudley]

Folsom later acquired Baker in Batavia and some Baker guns were made with the crescent name on them, among others.

[Researcher]

H & D Folsom Arms Co. bought the fire arms part of the Baker Gun & Forging Co. circa 1919, and moved production to their Crescent Fire Arms Co. factory in Norwich, Conn. A lot of the Folsom era Bakers don't have an address on them, just BAKER GUN CO. on one lock plate and BATAVIA LEADER on the other, but here is one with the Norwich, Conn. address --

16714F 01 Batavia Leader, Baker Gun Co., Norwich, Conn. left side.jpg

16714F 02 Batavia Leader, Baker Gun Co., Norwich, Conn. right side.jpg

All the Folsom era Bakers have an F in the serial number. It appears the Batavia Leaders and the Black Beauty Specials have a lower serial number range --

16714F 03 Batavia Leader, Baker Gun Co., Norwich, Conn. watertable.jpg

4049 04.jpg

While the graded guns are in the 201xxx range --

201171 07.jpg

[Researcher]

Crescent guns were made in Norwich Connecticut until bought up by Savage

J. Stevens Arms Co. combined the Davis-Warner Arms Corp. and the Crescent Fire Arms Co., both of which they acquired early in The Great Depression, as the Crescent - Davis Arms Corp. which continued in Norwich, Conn. until 1935, when it was dissolved and the remains moved to the J. Stevens Arms Co. factories in Chicopee Falls, Mass.

Crescent pg 1.jpg

Crescent pg 2.jpg

Crescent pg 3.jpg

Crescent pg 4.jpg

Davis pg 1.jpg

Davis pg 2.jpg

Davis pg 3.jpg

Davis pg 4.jpg

From 1937 to WW-II the Crescent - Davis guns were listed on the last page of the J. Stevens Arms Co. Wholesale Price List.

Crescent -Davis 1938.jpg

But the pictures they used were old Springfield No. 311 and 315 pictures. From this time period we see some really strange combinations of Stevens, Crescent and Davis parts put together.