Southern Arms Co.? Cracker Jack Shotgun?

[zero_chances]

I have a friend who inherited an old single shot break action 12 guage. Many parts on the gun look to be hand made. ie. the hammer and ejector. The only markings we can find say "Southern Arms Co." "The Cracker Jack" Then on the other side of the receiver, very small markings seem to be various dates. They are very hard to read. I cant remember what they said at the moment. From what my little knowledge of old guns, the barrel does not appear to be a damiscus(or however its spelled). Does anyone have any information on this gun. I googled it, but I found nothing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hexidismal]

While I can't be sure about the "Cracker Jack" model specifically. Your friend's Southern Arms Company shotgun was very likely actually made by the Crescent Firearms Company. Crescent Fireams Company was making guns 1892 to 1935 and was owned by the H&D Folsom Arms Company after 1893. There were 90+ names under which Crescent firearms were sold for different retailers. Just one of which was Southern Arms Company. There were other guns, not produced by Cresent Firearms that were sold under the Southern Firearms name, but very few and nothing like you describe. These others would have been made by Joseph Janssen of the Janssen Fils & Co. I believe the shotgun you're speaking of though, was one of those made by Cresent Firearms Co. As I said, Crescent's guns were sold under 90+ different names, and I believe ( without having seen it ) that your friend's gun is the same gun (only with different name markings for a different retailer) to a Crescent made gun that sold under the Colombia name. It's a single shot 12 gauge external hammer break action shotgun. That's just a guess, but definately an educated one. Cresent made guns really retain little or no collector value, and the actual book value of that shotgun would be very little. Ranging from $25 - $75. .. and probably toward the low end of that for that type of model.

hexidismal bustin' out the knowledge .. oh yea !

 

[zero_chances]

thanks for the info I guessed it was made around 1900. so i had a good guess. I will get pictures of it and have it on here maybe sunday or monday. Once again, thanks

 

[Jim K]

Here is an article that may be of interest:

http://www.briley.com/articles/grampas_shotgun.html

Jim