Lovely gem in .410

[James Purdy]

Crescent arms Knickerbocker, Not from a great maker, but to find a period “utility grade” small bore shotgun in such great shape is unusual in my neck of the woods. I think its pre 1920, as I have read the later guns had Quail model added. Bores and barrel bluing is pristine,

[Ted Hicks]

Wow,that is indeed a lovely gem! Thanks for showing it to us.

[Dave Noreen]

Lovely piece. The early guns, like the one pictured, had the bell-shaped breech end of the barrels to fit the frame.

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A family member had one of these with the bell-shaped barrel breech ends marked "Quail Hammerless" that I used some in my high school and college days. His father bought him the gun new shortly after WW-I. His Father;s brother, a gunsmith in Seattle bored it out for 3-inch shells in the late 1930s. Morrie's house was broken into and it was stolen along with his GHE-Grade Parker and his Model 70 .257 Roberts.

In the early 1930s, after H & D Folsom Arms Co. sold their Crescent Fire Arms Co. to J. Stevens Arms Co. and Stevens combined it with their recently acquired Davis Warner Arms Corp. as Crescent - Davis Arms Corporation, Norwich, Conn. the barrels were heavier with straight walls at the breech. I have one of these that is marked "New Empire"

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[James Purdy]

Beautiful example. Mine retains the 2.5 inch chamber. It has no choke or proofmarks on the barrels only “not for ball” I have yet to measure the chokes but they are visually very tight.

[CraigThompson]

Very nice ! I’ve got a Crescent Arms 410 but in no where near as nice shape . But the little thing does very well at our clubs five stand course or atleast it did the couple times I tried it there .

[Bill Mullins]

I have an early “Quail Hammerless” serial number 683. Probably first
year production? It has the bell shaped barrel breech. It has been well used but thankfully not abused... all original with still lots of case color on the side plates. Barrel blue is thin in the usual wear areas. These little guns were utility pieces that many farmers used as tools to eradicate vermin, etc.

[James Purdy]

Interesting, this gun of mine has a four digit serial 9127. No “quail hammerless” just the Crescent arms co knickerbocker. I would have thought that mine was earlier than guns with quail hammerless markings. A person can only guess with what little info is out there.

[Kevin McCormack]

I saw a "Quail Hammerless" at a firehouse gun show some years ago and wanted to buy it as an entry into my new collecting mania of "American .410 Bore Hardware Store Guns". It was in very good condition but not as nice as the one you pictured. I offered cash but he wouldn't come off of his (I thought) very high price of $1400. I figured it would have been a wonderful $800-900 gun. I even went back the second day of the show and tried the "4PM; Give the Dog A Bone" ploy, but he gave no joy. Neat gun, but I don't really miss it that much.

[Dave Noreen]

Kevin, were you with me down to the Roanoke show in August 1984, when I bought mine?

[Phillip Carr]

I bought SN 6892 this past week it was also stamped not for ball and marked Quail Hammerless. Decent shape with the exception of the buttstock. Not enough there to even duplicate.
Gave it to a friend that can remedy that issue.
This was the 3rd crescent 410 I have owned. Nothing fancy about these 410’s but decent little guns for the money.

[Kevin McCormack]

Kevin, were you with me down to the Roanoke show in August 1984, when I bought mine?

No Dave; the closest I ever got to the Roanoke show were those that were held at Harrisonburg. I wanted to go there but it seems that the shows were never scheduled the same weekend (which is perfectly understandable) and I didn't want to make the trip down "flak alley" (VA I-81) and duel with all the 18-wheelers more than once a semester!

[MARK KIRCHER]

My gun is stamped Crescent - Davis Arms Corporation. 56000 serial number range. Looks much like the Empire posted by Dave but I cannot find any name or model number on it.
Fun little gun and I shoot it pretty well. 26 inch IM/F I would guess. Pistol splinter DT . all original finishes. Shot very little. LOP a bit short. better with a pad.

[Dave Noreen]

Must have been old Harry Smith that went with me to the Roanoke shows. That was a long schlep down I-81. Hundred fifty miles of sameness. For quite a while when I lived in Virginia I-66 wasn't punched through all the way to I-81.

Ahh... The Rockingham County Fairgrounds Show. I picked up several interesting things there. My first Tobin comes to mind.