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

[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.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Researcher, you need to write a series of books!!

[Mills]

Another thread idea is ones you wished had turned your head and left your heart alone. Thing is I have been trying to forget about those

[Phil Yearout]

Often listed alongside the Winchester 24 as the ugliest side by sides ever made are these Stevens/JC Higgins/Model B/etc. .410's. The squared off receiver might be a little off-putting, but they are tons o' fun for not a lot of money (although the prices do seem to be going up)…



Actually I never turned my nose up at mine; I've always rather liked it !

[Bill Jolliff]

I guess we're showing off our 410 doubles.

Here's my Ithaca Lefever Nitro Special 410 with 26" M/F barrels. As you can see, it's a later one. Weighs 5# 12 oz.

I've had this one for 51+ years. Paid $150.00 + $7.50 tax from Pearson's Gun Shop in Auburn, NY.

It has accounted for many cottontail rabbits and a few grouse.

In fact, I was grouse hunting with a PGCA member (Tom) quite a few years ago and was standing in some heavy cover with some tall Norway Spruce trees scattered here and there. I noticed something dropping from above.

It was grouse poop and some of it landed on the stock of my 410. Have you ever had a grouse poop on your gun? Almost justification to shoot them in the tree but it took flight and away it went. No shots taken.

All in good fun and sport.