Shotgun help for a friend

[gfrey]

Hi,

A friend has 4 shotguns, some he has shot (Not recently) and some are heirlooms.

He is curious if they are anything special, and he is interested in what they are worth.

I looked at them, and took notes on what I could see.

the first

is a 12 ga SxS with external hammers, about 32" barrels.
The only markings I found were interlocking BCI on buttplate.

the second

a Stevens 12 ga SxS 28" barrels says 5100 on side of receiver, looks new except crack in stock.
I think it said SELECT forged steel on top of barrels.

the third

a stevens 12 ga SINGLE with external hammer says CHOKE BORE and appears to have CHAMPI-- on side below Stevens name.. (Looked like CHAMPION, but not certain.
(It may have said Select Forged steel instead of sg#2... Sorry)
it looked new, maybe only fired a few times.

and the last

Spencer Gun Co. Ejector model 1895
external hammer 10 ga. single shot 30"barrel

I can reexamine them if I need to, but he was just curious about them. I hope my limited descriptions are enough to get started.

(Two he inherited and ARE special to him, but since he is retired and doesn't hunt much he wants some idea of what they are.)


TIA

gfrey

[James K]

I regret to say that those guns are nothing special and have little collector value, though they may well have considerable sentimental value.

The unknown gun may be foreign. A check of proofmarks might determine where it came from; their absence would indicate that it was American made. If there is any intent to shoot the gun, it should be checked by a gunsmith to determine if the barrels are Damascus (built up from small strips of steel and iron). If so, the gun should not be fired. Value cannot be determined but probably around less than $100.

The two Stevens guns are utilitarian hunting shotguns, and should be OK to shoot. The crack in the one stock can probably be repaired and it is possible that a stock might be obtained. If one has to be made, it would probably cost more than the gun is worth. The double could bring $150-200 if in working condition and if the stock can be repaired, the single less around $100.

The Spencer gun does not appear to have been made by the Spencer Arms Co.; Spencer could have been a trademark used by Crescent or some other mass maker and marketer. It too, could be foreign, and again the warning on Damascus barrels applies. Again, value is indeterminate, but probably in the same $100 range as the "BCI" gun.

HTH

Jim

[Harley Nolden]

According to my records the Spencer Gun Company was a trade name used by the H&D Folsom Arms Co on shotguns they retailed. Here is the Folsom Story, )Crescent)


CRESCENT ARMS

This Company mfg’d good quality, inexpensive side by side and single Bbl shotguns and was founded in 1883. They were bought by the H&D Folsom Arms Company of New York, importers and distributors of firearms and sporting goods.

After the purchase of Crescent, the Folsom Company was able to offer a complete range of shotguns, imported English French, Belgium and American made Crescents. By the turn of the century Crescent Arms produced huge quantities of “Hardware Guns” it produced guns under direct contract to distributors, mail order housed and hardware distributors with any brand name the customer requested. Crescent also produced guns for its parent company, as Folsom house brands that were sold to customers that did not want their own brand name.

By the lat 1890's Crescent was producing basically five grade of dbl bbl shotguns offering a model for most tastes. The Crescent /Folsom Arms Company continued this type of business until 1930 when it merged with Davis Warner Arms Corp and became the Crescent-Davis Arms Corp. In 1932 it assets and machinery were bought by Stevens Arms Company, a victim of changing tastes and the depression.

HJN

[gfrey]

Thanks,

I'll let him know. I know at least one has sentimental value to him, He wasn't certain of the history.


Gfrey