Baker Paragon

[Grantham Forester]

Looked at a Baker 12 gauge Paragon today- Double triggers and selective ejectors-- A few things I noted: It has a top cross bolt, like found on the Greener shotguns I have seen. It has functioning ejectors, but has a plain snap on forearm with no release mechanism, as found on my VHE 12 Parker- and although engraved on the lock plates, no markings at all on the Nitro steel barrels, and no tip insert at the front of the splinter forearm. When did Baker go out of business?

[Jawjadawg]

Daryl Hallequist on the Doublegunshop.com forum knows a lot about Baker shotguns. He's written a few articles about them. If you post a Baker question there, he will likely respond within a day. Might even be a member of this forum. Dunno. Of course, there are also some knowledgeable people to be found here.

[Drew Hause]

Lots of infro here, and pics of some beautiful Paragons.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17434920

The crossbolt was introduced about 1915. Baker Gun & Forging sold their gun business to H.& D. Folsom in 1919, and it was renamed Baker Gun Co. VERY few Paragons were made after that.

Also check www.bakercollectors.com which Daryl runs

[Researcher]

Here is the Paragon from a circa 1915 Baker catalogue --

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Drew Hause

Lots of infro here, and pics of some beautiful Paragons.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17434920

The crossbolt was introduced about 1915. Baker Gun & Forging sold their gun business to H.& D. Folsom in 1919, and it was renamed Baker Gun Co. VERY few Paragons were made after that.

Also check www.bakercollectors.com which Daryl runs

The Baker Paragon that I was looking at sold two days ago. Nice shotgun and I'm sure the new owner loves it, as he should. There is another Paragon for sale. I'm also looking at a Greener that Sherman Bell owned. I have been a fan of the late Mr. Bell for decades and I miss his writings. I saved about 20 years of copies of Double Gun magazine which is chocked full of articles written by Mr. Bell. He was a wonderful shotgun guy.

[Daryl Hallquist]

The serial numbers of the Paragons in this discussion would help get better understanding of the guns. Pictures would be even better.

[Stepmac]

Can someone here tell us some things about the Baker Paragon? What made or makes it great? Should I buy one? Why? I have heard about Baker shotguns for years, but to date have never heard about the Paragon.

[Daryl Hallquist]

Steve, here is a website that we put together a few years ago. Drew Hause saved it and you can read a lot about Baker guns.. If you click on the Baker Gun and Forging Company guns in the Table of Contents, and then reclick on the address that appears, you can see info on all models including the Paragon, which was a Made to Order model of high quality. Started in 1892 the Paragon was the highest grade at the time. Most later Paragons were engraved by Frank Mason, one in house very good engraver. The very latest models were engraved by Rudolph Kornbrath.

https://www.bakercollectors.com/

[Researcher]

Guns by the Baker Gun & Forging Co. don't come with the consistency of Parker Bros. BG&FCo. went through several management upheavals and it seems like every new issue of The Baker Gun Quarterly or later The Baker Gunner, newspapers that served as the companies catalogs to at least 1909, the offerings changed slightly. The original Paragon with the "draw-block" wings on the barrel lug that fit into recesses in the frame and had simple wedge bolting in the rib extension, was essentially a slightly nicer version of the A- and B-grades. From the May 1903 issue of The Baker Gun Quarterly --

Paragon Grade, May 1903, The Baker Gun Quarterly 01.jpeg

Paragon Grade, May 1903, The Baker Gun Quarterly 02.jpeg

These Paragons that I have recorded have three-digit serial numbers. A bit later they called the Paragon the P-Grade and the Paragon Krupp the N-Grade and these I've recorded are in the 10xx serial number range.

For 1909 they added a new Paragon Model Nineteen Nine which dropped the "draw-block" but added "roller cocking" and a vertical rotary bolt. From the 1911 pocket catalog --

Page 8.jpeg

These I've recorded have 11xx serial numbers.

The next BF&GCo. catalog I have is circa 1915 and the Paragon now had a Greener cross-bolt --

Paragon Grade 1915 Catalog 01.jpeg

Paragon Grade 1915 Catalog 02.jpeg

These Paragon versions that I've recorded have serial numbers in the 201xxx and these roll on into the H & D Folsom Bakers after 1919 with an F after the serial number.

[Daryl Hallquist]

Researcher has a good description of the Paragons of different periods. The Paragon types related to the 1915 catalog show up in various serial no. ranges. I have seen them in the 38,000, 42,000, 48,000, and 51,000 ranges. In general , when Folsom started making the Paragons, most were in the 201,000 range, although I remember seeing one in the 6000 range. The Folsom made Paragon serial numbers usually contained an F.