Who were the makers of old single-shots?

[Bud Tugly]

The single shot break-open shotgun was once a mainstay in nearly every household in rural America. Cheap, simple, and mostly reliable as a stone, they often could be found leaning in a corner or mounted on a rack where they could be quickly brought into action fending off predators or intruders.

I know that Rossi, H&R/NEF, and Remington/Baikal still sell them. I also recall a friend years ago who used an ancient one in 16 gauge made by Winchester. I also have an old Stevens model 94 that still works perfectly. Then there are also many expensive models marketed mainly to dedicated trap shooters.

Millions of the cheaper models must have been sold over the last 100+ years. Does anybody know who some of the other (probably now defunct) manufacturers of this simple tool might have been?

 

[marksman13]

I've got an old Cannon Breach that my grandfather left me. I don't shoot it anymore as it has worn down to a hair trigger and falls apart with the recoil.

 

[Milkmaster]

Counting the manufacturers of single barreled shotguns are like trying to count the stars.

Lots of manufacturers were started and then bought out over the years by the major manufacturers as the country grew etc. A lot of them had some sort of patent on their design that was desirable to the purchasing entity

One I own was made by Riverside Arms before Savage and Stevens subsequently owned the brand.

 

[RonE]

Winchester had the Mod 37, H&R also made single shot shotguns as did Iver Johnson I believe. There were lots (hundreds) of single shot shotguns made to order under a "House" name. For example "JC Higgins and Ted Williams" were house names for Sears Roebuck and Co. Western auto had a house name and any large hardware store had house names too. Also many manufactures sold guns under other names so that they wouldn't have to discount thier brand name. I would guess that you could find as many as 100 brands of old single shot shotguns, perhaps more.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Everybody and their brother , it seems like. And the ones who didn't make them, had their company names stamped on guns other manufacturers made- aka 'store brand' or 'hardware store' guns. There are dozens if not hundreds of names on old single shots.

Here's one list with some of the names: http://proofhouse.com/cm/codes_markings.htm

lpl/nc

 

[Slamfire]

My 1908 Sears Catalog has a $3.94 "White Powder Wonder" single shot.

"In contracting with the New England Gun Company...." ,

They were also buying single barrel shotguns from a company they called "A. J. Aubrey. A little later they state "they are made in our own factory, the Meriden Firearms Arms Company of Meriden Conn". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriden_Firearms_Co.

Must have been tens of thousands of these cheap shotguns made.

I do know the H&R Topper was made for a very long production period. Lots of the good ole boys around here had one as a teenager. Countless squirrels, rabbits, doves, were taken home with these shotguns. They were cheap and they worked.

 

[mossberg]

Cooey of Canada manufactured them before being bought out by Winchester. I have an old .410 single shot break. Wouldn't sell it, wouldn't trade it.

 

[ArmedBear]

I suppose you mean truck guns, not trap guns.

Some higher-end names have made them, too.

Ithaca

Lefever (bought by Ithaca in 1916)

Beretta
http://www.berettaweb.com/Beretta_Folding_Shotguns/Beretta_412_series.htm

 

[Onmilo]

Don't forget Crescent Firearms Company.
They made a good chunk of the hardware store marked version.
Hopkins and Allen offered several single shot shotguns too.

There were a bunch of reject Trapdoor Springfields converted to 20 guage shotguns by Bannermans around the turn of the century.
These turn up even today offered as "Genuine Military Issue Trapdoor Forager shotgun."

 

[JesseL]

My old single shot shotgun is a Savage 220A in 28 gauge.

 

[ARGarrison]

My Grand Dad (on my Mother's side) had an old Eastern Arms Company 12 ga. single shot break.

My other Grand Dad had a single shot 12 ga also, but it's been years since I seen it. It wasn't much to look at back then. He and his brother made firing pins out of nails. They would only last a few rounds then need replaced. Soft steel in the nails and all.

 

[Bud Tugly]

OK, so far we've got Rossi, H&R/NEF, Remington/Baikal, Winchester, Stevens, Cannon Breach, Riverside, Savage, Iver Johnson, A.J. Aubrey, New England Gun Company, Cooey, Ithaca, Lefever, Beretta, Crescent Firearms, Hopkins & Allen, and Eastern Arms as past and present makers of low-end single shots. I'm sure there must be others.

The reason I'm asking is I was thinking about starting a bit of a collection of old guns. I've always liked single shots plus I figure if I start with the cheapo models I can keep the costs reasonable.

 

[evbutler462]

Over the past 50 years, I have owned quite a few single barrels. Probably the one I liked the best was the Winchester 370. I have owned several Stevens 94s, Iver Johnsons, and a host of other hardware store brand names. I was raised toting a Palmetto brand made in Philadelphia by God knows who for some hardware chain. My mother got it during the Depression for $1.00 and a box of snuff from a neighbor. It was an old gun then. My son has it in his gun safe in a sacred place of honor, complete with a nail for a firing pin that has been lost many decades. I used it until I got a job and could buy a better piece.

When I was a kid, single barrels sold for $29.95 or less when Sears had a sale. JC Penny, Sears, Montgemery Ward, Speigel, and National Bellas Hess sold many thousands of JC Higgins, Belknap, and a host of other brand names made for them by Meriden and other outsourcers.

 

[4H_trapt]

i have an old iver johnson champion single shot 20 gauge that i was wondering about

 

[Capstick1]

I know the Browning BT99 is an excellent gun for single shot trap. I've seen this shotgun used by some serious competition trapshooters quite a bit.

 

[Goblin]

Local pawnshop has a Winchester single shot 20 ga. for $139.00.

 

[jack the toad]

I think the Great Depression caused many of the manufacturers to go belly-up.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Collecting old single shots? Sounds like a fun thing to do. And there are some rather unique single shots out there for only a few $$. Seems like every pawn shop, gun shop, hardware store, etc. has some gathering dust in a corner that they would like to get rid of. Decided on a gauge or just any of them? Seems like the old 16 gauge guns go for very few $$. Good luck.

 

[yenchisks]

when did H&R/new eng come out with the single 223-243,ect?

 

[Mr.Brown16]

I got an old 20 gage that says its made by the USSR

 

[Cards81fan]

My father has a H. & D. Folsom Arms Company "Nitro Hunter" break-open shotgun. It was his paternal grandfather's one and only gun he ever owned and needed.

I think he got it at an Otasco right around the turn of the century, even though everything I can find says they were made for Belknap Hardware. Supposedly made by Crescent Firearms of Norwich, CT.

Yes, this was a thread ressurection. I would be curious to read any more info on these old heirloom hardware store guns.

 

[Leadhead]

Here's an old Cooey 84 pre winchester,

 

[Bill B.]

You might want to look for an old single from Belknap Hardware. I don't know who made their singles but I have seen several different variations.