Crow Busters Forum

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Old Boomsticks.

NGillespie10 · Senior Member

definitely a cool old shotgun! Getting it to a safe firing condition on the other hand....

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Remember that old ___________ (fill in the blank automobile name) you wanted to rebuild? And you told the wife that the entire project would only cost $________ (multiply by 2X at least). Automotive lust? Well, I got over that years ago. But now I might have a case of Old shotgun lust. Help!

crow187 · Veteran Member

Well, one source says it was made by H&D Folsom Arms Co. that merged with Crescent-Davis Arms, and another couple of sources say Andrew Fyrberg & Sons, but all the sources say it was made for and sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co. around 1902. I think the patterning on the barrel is etched on, and is not a result of it being Damascus-twist. It looks like you may be able to get parts from Numrich Gun Parts Co. if you can match up the components of your shotgun with schematics of some of the Crescent Arms hammerless models. That old "punkin' chunker" is as good a restoration project a man can get his hands on. Keep us posted with lots of pictures. You know we don't like to read.

nhcrowshooter · Guru

Well that has deteriorated more than my old timers. Folsom and Crescent were the economy guns of their day and have little to no collector value. However a family gun should be considered a treasure certainly worthy of being maintained as room decoration and if possible for use. I can't tell if that is Faux Damascus or not, I have heard of it being done but have not actually handle a gun with fake damascus. Here is a pic of a good 2nd half opening day 2010 with a couple of oldies, my Parker NH 10ga from 1893 in the foreground and 10gacrowshooters 10ga EH from 1889.

-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Wednesday 21st of August 2013 12:59:10 PM

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Love it!

I'm going to check this ol mess out soon. At a minimum, clean it up so it adds some aroma of Hoppe's to the closet. Also to check whether Damascus or not. Or, hang it up in the Arms Room all nice and clean.

-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Wednesday 21st of August 2013 03:30:39 PM

-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Wednesday 21st of August 2013 03:47:16 PM

10gacrowshooter · Senior Member

These old guns still killing crows and waterfowl 1 and 2 shots at a time for 124 years, nothing makes you feel better than that on a cold frosty morning. 10gacs

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Just for fun, looked up 10 ga. doubles with Damascus barrels last night on GB. There's some spensive' ones out there! In fact, most of them.

10gacrowshooter · Senior Member

Old Artilleryman wrote:
Just for fun, looked up 10 ga. doubles with Damascus barrels last night on GB. There's some spensive' ones out there! In fact, most of them.

Yes they are but you will get your money back on resale after you enjoy it, NH always said "I am guessing, we are the only 2 people hunting crow in the country with 100 + year old 10 ga. guns" you could be number 3, you will enjoy crow hunting (or hunting) a lot more. 10gacs

nhcrowshooter · Guru

OA, it is still possible to find a good deal from time to time but you have to be patient and keep looking. One of the factors that makes finding a good one hard are stock dimensions. In the era most hammerless 10 bores were built, about 1890 to 1910 (their popularity dropped tremendously when 10ga was banned from live bird and trap shooting), people seemed to prefer guns with a lot of drop at both comb and heel. Sometimes you have look past some warts and see what is possible when shopping. Warts that can be easily fixed will keep the price down. Here are some before and after pictures of the forend on the Remington 10ga Mod. 1894 I posted in your blueberry thread. I think the gun had been used to push down fences in the field. When I got the gun I thought I would look for another forend but it's amazing what a good gunsmith can do, $100 and 3 weeks later it was fixed.

-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Thursday 22nd of August 2013 09:11:02 AM

Old Artilleryman · Guru

That's nice. What was used as a filler for all of those craters? I have the same problems.

nhcrowshooter · Guru

I don't know what was used, obviously some filler. probably some staining. Then a checkering refresh and some finish.

Lone Star Phil · Senior Member

That's some fine restoration work!

crow187 · Veteran Member

Here's an antique Iver Johnson 12ga. single barrel I bought for $20 thirty+ years ago. The buttstock was splinters, and I had to tape it together to trace out its profile to make a replacement. I did have to remove the surface rust, but the old girl still shoots, and this thick barrel on this steel receiver takes a 2 3/4 in. shell. I don't shoot any crows with it, because I'm afraid of missing out on a second crow if the opportunity presents itself, but it works as a just-in-case gun behind my truck seat.