16 ga help needed

[Marshall]

Hey you guys,

I have a 16ga side x side made by Century Arms of Saint Louis. It has a 30" barrel and has the numbers E50342 marked on the inside of the forearm and stamped on the inside the block on the left hand side where you can see it when you break the barrel open. It has dual triggers and no hammers. It a beautiful gun, in fantastic shape, not a single rust blem or blueing mark and shoots very nicely. I remember my Grandfather having it when I was young, I'm 47 now so I know it's at least 38-40 years old but that's all I know.

I'm trying to get an idea when this gun was made and if the barrel is a full/full or full/modified, I'm assuming it's one of those with that barrel length, and anything else someone can tell me about it. It has no other telling marks anywhere that I can see other than it is a 16ga.

Thanks.

 

[huntsman]

you sure it's not Central Arms st louis MO ? if so then it's cresent made for shapleigh hardwhare co. can't find a century arms.

 

[Marshall]

It probably is, I am probably remembering it wrong. They were bought by Stevens wern't they? So would it be a Stevens?

 

[Dave McCracken]

Crescents were sidelocks, does this one have sideplates? On these, sometimes itr's easier to figure out our genealogies than those of our old shotguns. Companies worked under many names, they formed and dissolved partnerships, the whole mess was incestuous as heck.

Ask down on Harley's forum, some of those guys don't get up here that much....

 

[Marshall]

Thanks Dave,

No, it does not have side plates. It's one solid piece that the barrel and forearm connect to, and of course the stock. Pardon my ignorance but what does that make it, a non-side plate? Does that give a better idea of what the gun is?

 

[Dave McCracken]

That makes it a boxlock,Marshall, like Parker, Ithaca, Lefevere, Fox, and an host of other US makers. Crescent, LC Smith and Baker are the only US sidelocks I can think of.

Sidelocks have the plates to mount all the innards to. Boxlocks mount everything to the back of the receiver or the tang.

There's also the Darne style action, the Dickson Round Action,etc, but 95% of all doubles are either sidelocks or boxlocks.

I dunno what yours is, but I do know now it's NOT a Crescent....

HTH....

 

[Marshall]

Thanks again Dave, I'll keep poking around and I'll go see Harley too. I appreciate your help.

 

[Jagermeister]

CENTURY ARMS Co
Made by W.H. DAVENPORT
FOR SHAPLEIGH HARDWARE Co ST LOUIS MO

I can send you the Davenport story by separate email if you'd like to have it.

OR

My new book will be out in a couple of weeks. You can view the cover and sample page at

http://firearmsinstitute.tripod.com

JM

 

[Marshall]

Thanks, yes that would be nice. [email protected]