[stdlrf11]

I'm looking for information on a Waltham Arms 16ga single-shot shotgun. The company's history and the approximate date of manufacture would be nice to know. Also, are there replacement parts available, or am I going to have to have them made?

When my grandfather passed about 15 years ago, my father drove to Kansas to settle the affairs. When he was cleaning out the house, he found a rusted shotgun with the butt stock and trigger guard missing. He went to the garage and cut a 2x4 to protect the exposed end and to keep the hardware with it. He immediately put it in the back of his closet and forgot about it.

About five years ago, I found it. I cleaned it up and made a tempoary pistol grip for it. It shoots, but I haven't shot it since the test firing five years ago.

In speaking with relatives, we have determined that my grandfather used this gun to kill a bank robber while he was a "volunteer deputy" for a small town (I think Carbondale) in Kansas. Aparantly he was so upset that he broke the stock and threw it in the closet never to be seen again.

I want to get a new stock and trigger guard for it and return it to serviceable condition. With the family history involved, I want to keep it around for quite a while.

I will post pictures as soon as possible.

Thank you,
stdlrf11

[stdlrf11]

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/stdlrf11/100_1796.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/stdlrf11/100_1793.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/stdlrf11/100_1790a.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/stdlrf11/100_1789.jpg

Side reads "Waltham Arms Co. No. 223"
Serial Number 105##

Any help is greatly appreciated.
stdlrf11

[TN Shooter]

Hi there-

I have a couple of ideas on this:

1. Keep your eyes open at local gunshows and on eBay, Gunbroker, & Auction Arms for parts

2. Keep your eyes open for another Waltham Arms shotgun (local gunshows, Gunbroker, Auction Arms, Guns America, etc.) that you could use to cannibalize for parts. It seems like this shotgun has a unique history and it would be worth it for you and your future generations to restore it.

3. You might be able to adapt a shotgun buttstock from a similar type single shot shotgun like an H&R, Iver Johnson, etc.

Good luck with your restoration and please keep us posted!

TS

P.S. I couldn't tell from the pics but make sure that the overall length of the shotgun meets the minimum federal requirements (there is a minimum overall length in addition to the minimum barrel length).

[stdlrf11]

Thanks.
I did make sure it is the legal length. I'll keep my eyes open on the auctions.

[stdlrf11]

Wow, 52 views and no information. It must be more rare than I thought. I figured I'd at least get a little history on the company by now.

If anybody knows ANYTHING about this gun, please let me know.

Thanks,
stdlrf11

[JohnBT]

I've looked high and low and haven't found a thing. John
___________________________________________

from armscollector.com (by way of a Google cache):

Waltham Arms Co.
Author: Cecil (---.tmodns.net)
Date: 12-31-05 10:20

I need some help identifying the following shotgun.

My shotgun is stamped on the barrel Patented August 11, 1898 and on the trigger housing Waltham Arms Co. A serial number, 63651 is located in 6 places; inside trigger guard, barrel in 2 places, wooden hand guard, wooden shoulder stock and the trigger housing where the trigger guard screw into.

The gun is a single action, the barrel breaks and has a hammer cock. The barrel is 30 inches and is either a 10 or 12 gauge.


Thanks. Cecil


Reply To This Message


Re: Waltham Arms Co.
Author: Ned Fall (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 12-31-05 16:07

The period from about 1890 to 1914 (for European made guns) was known as "The Golden Age of Shotgunning" and there was a great interest in all things having to do with shotguns and their shooting. Every Tom, Dick and Pieere was making shotguns as fast and as cheap as they could. The United States led the pack with Belgium in second place and England in third. Most of these guns were what is known today as "Trade Brand Name" shotguns. Thatis a gun made by a major maker usually on contract to a wholesaler or retailer who selected the name to go on the gun. There were thousands of these names and not all have been recorded. I'm sorry but WALTHAM ARMS CO is one of these names. However we can at least determine the country of orgin for your gun. Look on the bottom of the barrel under the forearm (handguard) for proof marks. If there are none, then the gun was made in the US. If there are the letters "ELG" in an oval the gun was made in Belgium and if there are crossed halberds with a crown over that, then it was made in England. Let me know what you find and we'll go from there.


Reply To This Message


Re: Waltham Arms Co.
Author: Cecil (---.tmodns.net)
Date: 01-01-06 13:58

Ned -
Thank you for your reply. We were not able to find the markings you suggested. What we found was 1/2 inch above the hand guard "12" is stamped. Under the hand guard, there are no "ELG" letters with an oval nor a crown proof mark, just the letter "G".

Thanks. Cecil


Reply To This Message


Re: Waltham Arms Co.
Author: Ned Fall (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 01-01-06 16:02

O.K. then. As I suspected, your gun was made in the United States and most likely by the Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich, CT (1891 to 1931)
Crescent was the largest maker of "Trade Brand Name" shotguns ever making over 2,000,000 shotguns using over 400 known names and a lot of unknown names. It has been said that Crescent would make as few as twelve guns with a name as long as the buyer paid for the die that was made to stamp the name on the gun. It seems that I find at least one unknown name a month and by just looking at the gun or reading the description, we can figuer out who made it. I have at least six such guns in my collection.
CAUTION!!!Now, the gun is close to or over 100 years old and was never designed for use with modern high pressure smokeless powder ammunition. It was designed for use with black powder or early low pressure smokeless powder ammo and should not be considered safe with modern ammo and certainly not magnum shells or steel shot. If you should ever get an overwhelming urge to try to shoot it, have it checked out by a good gunsmith and follow his advice.
VALUE.Trade Brand Name" shotguns and single shots in particular have little or no collector value. Their value is as shooters (see CAUTION), keepsakes, (priceless to you only), curios or wall hangers. The cash value of the gun will depend on its condition and your location. Cash value can vary from about $150 for one in excellent condition to less that $25 for one that is a good parts gun.


Reply To This Message


Another old shotgun
Author: Cecil (---.tmodns.net)
Date: 01-05-06 10:04

Ned
Thank you very much for you rapid responces to the Waltham gun.

[stdlrf11]

Thank you, JohnBT