doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Worst American Double Ever Made

The Savage/Stevens didn't look like its manufacturer liked it or put much effort into its appearance. I've always wondered why Ithaca doesn't appear to have the appreciation of the other old American doubles. Its looks and durability compare favourably, there's lots of myth and loyalty to the old Ithicker but there seems a down-rating---and that could be just me.

In 1930 Savage bought both of them -- Crescent Fire Arms Co., from H&D Folsom, and the Davis-Warner Arms Corp. and combined them into the Crescent-Davis Arms Corp. Savage set them up in Norwich to operate as a competitor to their Stevens/Springfield/Riverside operation in Chic Falls.

In 1931 they offered three Crescent sidelock doubles -- EMPIRE (No. 60) with a jobber price of $12, resale to the trade at $14.50 and list price of $17.75 -- the New EMPIRE (No. 9) with a Jobber price or $12.50, resale to the trade at $15.25 and a list price of $18.75 got you a white bead fron sight, checkering and a capped pistol grip -- the New EMPIRE (No. 88) jobber $15.00, trade $19.00 and list $23.50 got a middle white bead and a Jostam Hy-Gun recoil pad added to the features of the No. 9. All three guns were offered in 12-, 16- and 20-gauges and .410-bore. No chamber lengths were stated.

For their boxlock line of Davis Certified guns they offered -- the "Ajax" Grade (Model 800) with an uncheckered half pistol grip stock for jobber $12.00, dealer $14.50 and list $17.75 -- the "Premier" Grade (Model 801) got you checkered wood, a capped pistol grip and a Lyman ivory front sight for jobber $12.50, trade $15.25 and list $18.75 -- the "Premier Special" Grade (Model 802) got the addition of a Joatam Anti-Flinch recoil pad and the middle bead for jobber $15.00, dealers $19.00 and list $23.50 -- the "DeLuxe" Grade (Model 803) which got you automatic ejectors, twin Lyman ivory sights, checkered wood with a capped pistol grip and hard rubber butt plate for jobber $15.50, dealer $19.50 and retail $26.50 -- the top of the Davis line was the "DeLuxe Special" (Model 805) which added a Jostam Anti-Flinch recoil pad jobber $16.75, dealer $21.00 and retail $28.75. The extractor guns were offered in 12-, 16- and 20-gauges and .410-bore while the ejector guns were only in 12-, 16- and 20-gauges.

The operation didn't succeed and by the later 1930s the remaining boxlock Crescent-Davis doubles were being offered in the back of the Stevens illustrated price lists behind the Springfield line.

The Winchester Model 24 is still the most aweful American double ever made!!!

My little 28ga hammer, American Gun Co (Crescent) is rather neat, trim & nice. At 5lbs it is certinly not clunky. Main & sear springs are separate coils on this one, not the torsion one mentioned. All I need to do now is get it restocked or repaired, but then I've only had it slightly over 30 yrs now, so still have plenty of time.

At some point (I think the early to mid-1920s) H&D Folsom switched over from using the American Gun Co. name to using the Crescent Fire Arms Co. name for their American-made entry level guns. From the parts lists I have the American Gun Co. guns used a coil mainspring on a follower while the Crescents used a bent piece of spring wire as a crude approximation of a V-Spring. Crescent was an old name from before the turn-of-the-century when they made guns that were a cut above the later offerings of that name. The only early Crescents I ever saw were from the late Russ Ruppel.

Oddly enough I also have a 28 gauge double hammer gun marked American Arms. I bought it approx. two years ago at an advertised estate auction. It was laying on a table of parts guns with no left hammer and no forearm and a cracked buttstock. Metal and bore were nice. I made a hammer from a 12 gauge and a forearm from the same. Buttstock got the two ton epoxy treatment. All I remember is a lot of bench grinding, filing, etc. The bid price was $60.00 so I have that in it plus my time. It doesn't look too bad {in a dark room} and shoots well. Worst thing about it is the stock drop, from the side it looks like a boomerang.

Put me down for Winchester M24. Only American SXS I ever owned. I was able to reshape the stock and foreend to fit me well and I could hit with it quite nicely. However, I then found that there is flimzy litte peice of metal on foreend shoe that must push the stop for cocking levers back to where they allow gun to be cocked. It broke, as have so many others that I could never find a replacement. Trashed out the gun to garbage sacks.

Niklas

I had forgotten about the NR Davis....That may be it...I bought a Flues from a local farmer the other day and he had an NR Davis for sale as well.......Had to run to the truck for the garlic and wooden cross, so's it wouldnt get me....Yup, NR Davis...

I thought I'd be the first to nominate the Winchester 24. I have a 16 gauge that is a little loose, and some clown tried to checker the wood with a pocketknife. However, it does have shootable dimensions and I have taken down some long range doves with it. I just won't take it out when anyone can see me with it.

Be veeeery careful I heard TN much like WV is Remington Country.

Easy, the Syracuse Lefevers. Ugly, and unsafe, especially in the smaller guages and higher grades. PM me and I'll do the world a favor and take them off your hands. It's the least I can do. Just the kind of guy I am.