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New Haven Arms Co

washmo66washmo66 Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
edited July 2005 in Ask the Experts
Found a shotgun (double) in excellent shape marked on the top "New Haven Arms Company". On the bottom it hase a dog in a circle and it says pat Aug 12th 1884. It has Damascus twist steel and is in as good a shape (almost 95% on blue and wood) as any double I've seen.

modest embellishing.

What is this gun and what is the worth? IS this a Winchester of some sort? I'm confused....
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello washmo66...

    No, it is most definitely not a real Winchester. According to the information that I have it is a "Trade Name" shotgun made in Belgium. New Haven Arms Company: Trade name found on Belgian shotguns imported by either E.K.Tryon of Philadelphia, or the Great Western Gun Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Belgians were famous for putting names on shotguns that made them appear to be something that they were not. If you inspect the gun closely, you will most likely find the infamous ELG proofmark in an oval (usually stamped on the bottom of the barrels under the forestock, or on the water table.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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    washmo66washmo66 Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks Bert. The serial # is 50286. Would anyone know what the manufacture date of this shotgun would be? I am just trying to figure out its approximate worth and its potential for a collector.

    I just can't seem to find any info on the web on this gun....
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    XracerXracer Member Posts: 1,990 ✭
    edited November -1
    If you don't find the "ELG" proofmark, "New Haven Arms Co." was also one of the many tradenames under which Crescent Firearms Co. of Norwich, CT, made shotguns.
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    only winchestersonly winchesters Member Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Good morning washmo66: In the early years of Winchester, they did "import" SxS, however they were from England not Belgium. Guns were from such makers as Bonehill, Messrs, WC Mcantree & Co. and WC Scott and Sons. Most had the famous "WRA" engraved on them and some actually had Winchester Repeating Arms Company engraved on them. Winchester imported these doubles during 1879-1884. Most had serial numbers under 3,000. It has been estimated that about 10,000 were imported during the above years.

    So with that said, I do not think your gun was imported by Winchester.

    Regards Dave
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by washmo66
    Thanks Bert. The serial # is 50286. Would anyone know what the manufacture date of this shotgun would be? I am just trying to figure out its approximate worth and its potential for a collector.

    I just can't seem to find any info on the web on this gun....


    There are no known serial number records for Belgian imported shotguns. What I can tell you, is that 99.9% of those old Belgain scatterguns with damascus barrels were imported into the U.S. between sometime 1890 - 1913. Typically, they have no collector value, and are most often used as mantle decorations. Normal prices run from $50 - $250.

    As a side note, damamscus barreled shotguns of that era should never be be fired with modern ammo, as they were designed for black powder shells only, and they have shorter than standard chambers.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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