Ugliest shotgun ever made

[Bill Murphy]

I have never seen a double barrel Davenport, as pictured. A neighbor at the Baltimore show had several high condition big bore Davenport singles on his tables, but they were priced out of my range. However, in the recent past, I have acquired a 36" eight and a 40" ten, both in very high condition, at attractive prices. They are well built guns. I have seen N.R. Davis guns of exceptional quality, but missed out on the purchase of one at Allentown. I thought I would see another some day, but I was wrong. All Davis guns I have seen since are junk. The pictured Stevens .410, represented as an ugly gun, would sell for over $1000 today if in high condition. The Model 24 Winchester, not so much.

[Researcher]

A Bing search found pictures of a couple of the W.H. Davenport double.

Early Hammer Double 01.jpg

Early Hammer Double 02.jpg

The only W.H. Davenport Fire Arms Co. catalog I have contains only single barrels, like my Maternal Grandfather's ratty old single in my safe, but included folders for both a hammer and a hammerless double of more conventional design.

780 02.jpg

I've yet to see one of their hammerless doubles.