Crescent Fire Arms SxS

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Mainsail

Mainsail

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I let my FFL friend know I was looking for an old side-by-side to cut down to make a coach gun, and he found me this Crescent Fire Arms 12 gauge with 30 inch barrels for a buck-fitty. It was sold to my FFL as a shooter, and it appears functional. Both triggers release their respective hammers. I think it should be OK with regular 12 gauge shells.

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Does anyone have any information on these old guns? There are no markings other than Crescent Fire Arms Norwich Conn and the three matching serial numbers on the three main parts. The furniture is pretty beat and the PO cut the stock and added an ill-fitting recoil pad. There's no finish left; just a nice patina made with age.

I'm undecided on cutting this down. Part of me wants to keep it as is because it's pretty cool with the long barrels and exposed hammers, and because I already have a modern nickle plated Stoeger (that's a lot of fun in a small gun). If I do cut it, it won't be for some time in the future as there are lot's of higher priorities on my list.

Sidebar question: What's a good way to hand this thing on the wall?

EDIT to add: The internets tell me the 398,XXX serial number puts it around 1919 for a year of manufacture.
 
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Marking

Is there no stamping on the watertable or on the underside of the barrels?

Pete
 
Tons of these made by Crescent, or its parent H&D Folsom. Would make one or a dozen with your company name on it if you wanted. White Powder Wonder, AJ Aubrey, American Gun Co, are just two of the versions I've had. Most choked full and full.
Would not shoot short magnums or steel and be sure they are marked "fluid" steel and are not damascus.
 
I gave it another look this morning and I can find no other markings anywhere. The SN is actually in four places, two on the handguard (one on the wood and one on the metal), the action, and the barrel lug. There is a "2" stamped above the SN on the barrel lug and a "4" on the bottom of the lug.

I dug out a 3" shell and it drops in the chamber easily (don't worry, I won't be shooting a three incher). The 2¾ shells drops in as well, although it doesn't look all that much shorter than the 3" shell anyway.

It does not look like Damascus steel at all, just plain old steel.

This was a lot harder to type out thanks to the jeep video ad trying to run and locking up the browser. C'mon THR, ads are bad enough but video ads? Seriously?
 
The chamber length is what it takes to handle a fired shell. Iow, will a fired 2.75" hull fit the chamber. Measure an unfired 2.75" round, it's well under 2.75".

I don't think they standardized on the 2.75" chamber until the '20s and early '30s.

John
 
My concern would be once you cut the barrels. Sometimes these old doubles were not soldered full length and you COULD have a problem with barrels separating. :scrutiny:
 
Crescent shotguns are actually fairly well built. Sort of the Mossberg 500 of their day, nothing to look at but functional and affordable. They probably made 10 times as many shotguns under other names than ones marked Crescent. The stocks tend to crack at the wrist, so make sure it is tightened up properly and avoid heavy recoiling loads. I have one that belonged to my grandfather, and shoot it occasionally. Doesn't point very well and kicks like a mule, even with light target loads.
 
Thanks to everyone for the info! It's staying a 30" barreled gun for the foreseeable future.

If it isn't chambered for 2¾ shells, what is the proper shell then? I looked around the Sportsman's after church and all they sell (and there's like an acre of shotgun shells) is the 2¾, 3, and 3½. I guess I could order some mini-shells, those are always fun.

Also, if I shoot a 2¾ through it, what is the potential harm; difficult extraction?

I've been wanting to reload 12 gauge, so this may be just what I need to push me into buying the equipment.
 
Mainsail said:
Thanks to everyone for the info! It's staying a 30" barreled gun for the foreseeable future.

If it isn't chambered for 2¾ shells, what is the proper shell then? I looked around the Sportsman's after church and all they sell (and there's like an acre of shotgun shells) is the 2¾, 3, and 3½. I guess I could order some mini-shells, those are always fun.

Also, if I shoot a 2¾ through it, what is the potential harm; difficult extraction?

I've been wanting to reload 12 gauge, so this may be just what I need to push me into buying the equipment.
Click to expand...
2-9/16" was very common back then, but you really should get a chamber casting to be sure. Don't forget that the shell will be a bit shorter than it's advertised length, as that number refers to length AFTER being fired when the crimp has opened up.
 
So these are the options as I see them currently:

- Hang the gun on the wall.
- Roll my own using trimmed shells
- File enough plastic off the tip of the shell so that the crimp detaches from the shell and exits the barrel with the load
- Use an adapter and shoot .410s through it
- Source some mini shells (expensive and always out of stock)
 
The Crescent Shotguns were made with various names for a couple of decades in Meridian Connecticut from about 1878 to around the turn of the century and a bit later under other names. They were actually good quality guns for their time. Many of them were made with damascus twist barrels and probably should not be shot. Those marked "armory steel" are safer with low-pressure shot shells of the correct length. These were made for the 2 1/2" shot shell. Some were especially made for all brass shells with a tighter chamber and may not chamber modern shot shells. Shot-shell length designation is measured on fired shells. It is possible to load a 2 3/4" 12 gauge shell in a 2 1/2 chamber but there is no place in the chamber for the crimped part to open up, making the shot charge and wad column have to run over the shell mouth and causing very high pressures. Itis easy to make 2 1/2" shot shells by trimming longer shells and using roll-crimp with over shot wads. Even better buy some Mag-Tech 2 1/2 inch all brass shells and load them with black powder or smokeless equivalent loads.
 
One I had was 2 3/4, one was not. Shot black powder shells at matches in Union Grove and the first shot out of the "short" chambered one kicked enough that I stopped using it and made shorter shells. (the fired shell was not completely open at the crimp. 2 9/16 was common.
 
You can find short length and low pressure shotshells on the internet. RST is one manufacturer that comes to mind. They're more expensive than standard over the counter at Wal-Mart shells, but they won't break the bank.

http://www.rstshells.com/

A lot of times it's not the metal you have to worry about, it's the 100 + year old wood that will fail.

I've got to order some RST's myself. I just got a 1921 Parker Trojan I want to shoot.
 
That indicate a problem. If it is necessary to deepen the chambers it may cost more than the gun is worth.
Click to expand...

Last year a friend had a gunsmith ream the 2-9/16" chambers on an old Fox to 2-3/4". He paid less than $100.
 
The following is JMO - Crescent (Folsom) made bazillions of these but this one looks at least to be on face. That's good. You stole it for this price. It would be fun to shoot it with the RST shells. I bought a case of each gauge and they are great.

On short-chambered guns, if I am going to shoot them quite a bit I get the chambers lengthened. It's a simple process and fairly inexpensive. It could be a lot of fun for you...
 
I have one just like it but mine is marked under the trade name US arms. Mine does have 2 3/4 chambers. The barrels came three ways, Armory steel, twist steel, and damascus steel. Mine is marked genuine armory steel right in front of the chambers on the top of the barrels. Mine points and handles perfectly for me and the recoil is not bad at all with 1 1/8th once game loads.Mine has bagged more than a few squirrels and a bunch of crows that i love to call. Any good gun smith should be able to measure your chambers to find out if it is a 2 3/4 inch gun or not. I know where another one is that is in top notch shape and has some beautifull walnut in the stock but he is asking $500 for it. I do gun smithing for that shop so i am hopeing to make a deal with him on it after i finish some guns i am working on for him.
 
kituwa said:
I have one just like it but mine is marked under the trade name US arms. Mine does have 2 3/4 chambers. The barrels came three ways, Armory steel, twist steel, and damascus steel. Mine is marked genuine armory steel right in front of the chambers on the top of the barrels.
Click to expand...
Mine has no markings other than as described above.

How does one determine this? It looks like plain old steel to me, so I highly doubt it's Damascus, but what would I look for to determine twist steel?

Does anyone have 'smith they recommend? I could ship the barrels. Not many 'smith options here.
 
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