Old Shotgun ID

jallman

I recently aquired an old shotgun from some relatives that has just been handed down a few times. I am having trouble finding information on this gun and the company that manufactured it. "STANDARD" is the only identifying mark on the gun, as well as several patent dates around the turn of the century. (DEC.15.91.OCT.2.94.AUG.11.96.AUG.14.00.MAY.27.02) There are some numbers on the bottom of the barrel you can see when you take the gun down, they are "515 18".

I haven't found any information indicating the Standard Arms Company in Delaware around that time making shotguns at all, just rifles. It also does not appear to have a Damascus Twist Barrel, but I'm not sure. I did find an old thread in the archives of this site that I think was a similar gun, but it did not have any manufacturer information.

I will post pictures ASAP, any help would be appreciated.

Mossbergboogie

Pictures are worth a thousand words

Spider7115

I assume this is a single-barrel hammer shotgun. Pull off the forestock and look on the bottom of the barrel near the breech for proofmarks. If you see "ELG", it's a Belgian import. If not, it's probably a utility gun made by Crescent or Stevens.

captkirk3@dslextreme.com

With Patent Dates it won't be Belguim...My database says exactly what You have said about Standarms Co., Wilmington, DEL., 1909-1911 and being makers of an Semi-Auto Rifle and a Slide Action Rifle...Maybe HeDog will come along with His List of Makers and Cross referance the name for you......

jallman

Tried taking the front stock off, nothing on the barrel but the same numbers that are stamped on the breech are also stamped inside the forestock on the wood. Here's a link to some pictures. [http://jpallman.blogspot.com/]

bigcountry_75214

Looks similar to an H&R I've got, but it's hard to tell. Mine just say's Volunteer on it.

He Dog

My interests and resources run to double guns, but I did find a listing for a Standard Arms Co. mark on a double gun. This one was apparently made in about 1880 by J.P. Clabrough & Sons of Birmingham, England and imported to the US by Homer Fisher and C.E. Overbaugh (circa 1855-1888). It has proof marks from the Birmingham Proof House. It is a 20 gauge double, but at least indicates that Standard Arms did import shotguns.

According to Bothroyd, John P. Clabrough was in business from 1871-1915. It appears that Clabrough was in business in San Francisco in 1867, and in 1872 returned to England to begin building "guns and pistols." By 1875 he established a factory to cope with demand. He manufactured shotguns of all grades. It seems the San Francisco store continued until 1930. Combined with the above, it seems possible to probable that this is the builder of your shot gun.

jallman

Thanks for all the info, now I know it was linked to the Standard Firearms Company anyway.

I was able to track down some of the patents from the dates on the gun, they are made out to William H Davenport of Norwich, CT. I know there was a Davenport Arms company (or WH Davenport Arms) out of Norwich. Do you know of any links between Standard Arms and Davenport Arms? Did they have any ties to John P. Clabrough?

I also found it intersting that some of the patents have "Geo H Remington" listed as a witness, but there is no mention of him and the Remington company at all as far as I can tell.

Thanks again for all the help.

He Dog

William Hastings Davenport (1828-1915)started the Davenport Fire Arms Co., in 1850, manufacturing shotguns and rifles. Became insolvent three years later. Davenport worked thereafter at a number of arms companies, including several of his own. They included: The Davenport Arms Co. of Providence, R.I., in the 1870's, Bay State Arms Co. of Uxbridge Mas in 1883, and the W.H. Davenport Fire Arms Co. of Norwich, Conn. in 1890. Five yers after his death the company was purchased from his widow by Hopkins & Allen Arms Co. Davenport guns have his patented key take-down on the right side of the frame. Patent dates found on the frame are Dec. 15, 1891, August 11, 1896, Aug. 14, 1900 and May 27, 1902(this is looking good, isn't it?). Davenport guns are said not to be of high quality, yet reasonably well built. Occasionally guns of this type are found with trade names other than Davenport, indicating thay they were sold under trade brand names. An illustration shows a double with hammers fixed directly behind each chamber (like the one in your blog). The frame looks similar to a boxlock and has a horseshoe shaped round wire main spring with each end contacting the hammers. No half cock or safety provision. Hope that helps jallman.

captkirk3@dslextreme.com

He Dog....You're the Best.......

jallman

That's exactly what I have, with the unique davenport takedown key just branded as Standard Arms. Thanks a million He Dog!

He Dog

Jallman that is why we are here. Fun for us too. Stick around, we can use the help.