"DAVENPORT FIREARMS CO.
Providence, Rhode Island
Norwich, Connecticut
DOUBLE-BARREL SHOTGUNS
Text and prices by Nick Niles
William Hastings Davenports company also made and marked double-barrel, visible hammer guns in Providence, R.I. on Orange St., 1880-1882 and in Norwich, Conn. ca. 1890-1909. All are monbloc designs of which there were four models. The 1st model made at Providence, ca. 1881, had hammers rising out of the boxlock frame. The 2nd model, made in Norwich, Conn. about 1898, is a typical boxlock. The 3rd model made in Norwich, Conn., ca. 1909, has small sidelocks set in larger boxlock frames. Its barrels have unnotched extensions and notched underlugs. The 4th model, also from Norwich, possibly made after the 1901 takeover by Hopkins & Allen, also has sidelocks set in boxlock frames but the barrels have half moon lugs and notched barrel extensions. Few Davenport doubles are seen although single barrel guns are often found."
So, Rather than describing them as W.H. Davenport guns, especially since they're the "4th Model" wouldn't the Iver Johnson reference would be more appropriate?
Maybe I am wrong but...
The way I read into the above paragraph these are all Hammerguns.
The 4th model is the small sideplated boxlock action w/half moon lug and a Notched dollshead extension. I have never seen a 4th model marked Davenport. Most are marked H&A.
This should be the 4th model:
Notice the Half moon lug and notch in dollshead extension.
Somewhere in this forum is a thread showing that Iver Johnson bought the patent rights to the H&A Hammerless Sideplated Boxlock after H&A folded in 1914. The IJ version does not show the Hammer pin through the sideplates. The Davenport version I just acquired looks similar to both but is different mechanically from the H&A. I have not had an Iver Johnson apart to see the mechanism.
Some how they all tie together. With No patent dates on the Davenport gun(HLsplBL) there is little to go from,
John
