Anyone ever heard of Davis Guns:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Davis-Guns-Original-...7#ht_500wt_1081

OWD

N,R. Davis. Good looking guns in the old ads that were in Field & Stream. The UNH library has or used to have these old magazines tied up in bundles of string, lying on the floor. I used to love to spend hours, thumbing through them. I remember the ads for these guns.

N.R. Davis guns were high quality merchandise in the days before they became hardware store guns. I don't know where to get information about the old ones.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23181554

I own a lot of old gun paper, but I sure can't buy any at Olebear prices!!!

N.R. Davis & Sons of Assonet, Mass., was one of the first U.S. manufacturers of breech loading double barrel shotguns. N.R. Davis was taken over by Warner Arms Corp around WW-I. Warner moved the assets from the original factory in Assonet, Mass. to their plant in Norwich, Conn. in 1919, and became Davis-Warner Arms Corp. They continued to manufacture Davis doubles until about 1926 when they closed the plant and tried their hand at importing guns from Belgium. In early 1930 Davis-Warner was purchased by J. Stevens Arms Company (owned and operated by Savage Arms Corp.). A Stevens memo dated May 23, 1930, announced the acquisition and the intent to resume manufacture of the Davis doubles. Another Stevens memo dated December 15, 1930, announced the purchase from H&D Folsom Arms Company of the assets of Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich, Connecticut. The memo went on to say that the assets of Crescent would be merged with those of Davis-Warner Arms Corporation and that the newly formed firm would be known as The Crescent-Davis Arms Corporation, Norwich, Conn. Crescent-Davis would be operated as a competitor of J. Stevens. The new firm was no more successful than its predecessors. On November 4, 1935, an order of dissolution was filed with the New York Secretary of State. So, after that the remains must have been moved to Chicopee Falls and assembled and sold off under various names. Crescent-Davis and Springfield guns shown in the 1938 to 1941 Stevens paper I have all appear to be variations on the 311. The Springfield 311 had a casehardened receiver while the Crescent-Davis 600 and 900 had blued receivers.

Hunting & Fishing August, 1929

SPORTSMAN: Ask your dealer for THE DAVIS AUTOMATIC EJECTING GUN.
Price $26.50.
Every shooter who wants the latest up to-the-minute gun should see this one, before buying any other.
The Davis Ejector Double Gun is noted for its excellent qualities, its stand up qualifications and its record for always ejecting the fired shell only at the proper time. Made in 12, 16 and 20 gauges.
Do you shoot Skeet? We have designed a special Skeet gun with automatic ejectors. It will improve your score. The illustration shows the graceful the graceful outline of the arm, the balance and hang of the gun simulates the very high premium price imported guns.

It is astonishing what beauty and excellence we have incorporated into this arm and at so small a price. A shooter recently had one at a trap shoot and several members thought it a hundred dollar gun. People everywhere are asking, “How can you do it?” Correct designing, equipment and organization is our answer. Davis Guns have been made since 1853 and nearly every year has seen some progressive step forward in gun designing and manufacture, until today we stand near the head of the line for producing guns that function properly, that are correctly balanced and nicely finished at prices that are lower than others.

These qualifications also apply to our low-priced Double Hammerless Guns with plain extractors which retail at from $19.75 up and in Single Barrel Ejector Guns as low as $10.50 each. All our guns are being made with a solid forged lug and Diana Reinforced Sleeve Breech. Our guns are proof tested with excessive loads which develop a much higher pressure than field loads. All gauges from 12 to 410. If your dealer does not have Davis Guns, address us direct for circulars and address of dealers who stock them.

THE DAVIS-WARNER ARMS CORPORATION
Dept. H
Norwich, Conn.


1925 Ad:

Davis HY-POWER chambered for 3” shells, kills ducks at 80 yds. Made in 12 gauge only, 30 and 32” barrels. Price $35.00.
Davis PREMIER made in 12-16 and 20 gauges. 26-28-30-32 inch barrels. Price $30.00.
Davis MAXIMUM, specially built and choked for short range and Target 70% at 35 yds. 12 ga.-24 in. barrels. 16 ga.-22 in. barrels. 20 ga.-20 in. barrels. Record of 21 successive wing shots and 21 killings have been made with one of these guns. Price $30.00.
These guns are highly finished. REMEMBER you need not pay over $35.00 for a Long Range Duck Gun if you select a Davis. Every gun Proof Tested.

If you want a plain low-priced Gun write us or ask your dealer about Davis AJAX. Built expressly for the man who wants a good, plain, reliable knock-about Gun at a low price. Made in 12-16 and 20 gauge. Every Davis Gun, whether lowest or highest priced, is proof tested with an excessive load. Davis Guns were established in 1853 by N. R. Davis and are going stronger than ever in 1925. This 72 years of service and durability should mean something to every gun buyer.

DAVIS –WARNER ARMS CORP.
90 Chambers Street, New York

Hmmm, one of his cheap ones. How about a WRA catalog:
http://cgi.ebay.com/WRA-All-Engraved-Gun...=item27b856ad58

Or this Remington paper
http://cgi.ebay.com/Remington-UMC-Arms-C...=item27b84ae92d

He sure is proud of his paper collection.

Pete

Looks as if very little has been done on Davis in Double Gun Journal, except going back to very early issues. Would be worth a good article, I think.

I don't know whether the publication is still available, but Shotgun Sports put out a paperback compilation of some of Don Zutz's columns called "Grand Old Shotguns". That book includes a short article on N.R. Davis, in which Zutz has some positive comments about both the early hammer and hammerless doubles. The hammerless guns, per Zutz, used coil rather than leaf mainsprings.

There is a very good article by Cdr Gunther on N.R. Davis in the April 1990 issue of The Gun Report, Volume 35, Number 11. There is a little article by Charles E. Carder on the N.R. Davis sliding breech pin-fire in The Double Gun Journal, Volume Three, Issue 2, page 88.

I have had the opportunity to purchase two wonderful early N.R. Davis hammer guns, one at Potomac Arms in Alexandria, Virginia, and one at the Allentown Gun Show. I failed both tests although I was impressed by the quality of the guns.

Thanks for the info.

It's a neat catalog, but I don't know who would ever pay $185 for it.

$18.50 seems like a more reasonable price.

OWD

Another (cheaper) catalog can be found at:

http://www.davidcondon.com/

Hi All:

I recently purchased a N.R,Davis 20 ga. SXS from my wife's uncle. It is a neat gun that had a great story that came with it.

The gun itself is a very trim gun that handles very well. It was off face and I sent it to Mike Orlen to open the chokes and bend the stock to fit me and put it back on face. I asked Mike about the quality of the gun and he said that I could use any modern ammo in it. With the gun, I also got a large number of 20 ga. magnum shells. I fired the gun twice with these shells an got one pheasant. I love the way that the gun handles!

This is the gun that I was asking for low pressure load recipes for as a lot of people suggested that the gun would not like modern day pressures. I guess that low pressure means about 7000 psi. I plan to use Win AA cases for reloads. Anybody have good low pressure hunting loads for this gun?

It must be a good gun because it says, "As Good as the Best" on the receiver!

Good shooting,

Franchi

A couple of years ago I was asked to make a firing pin for an NR Davis hammer gun. No problem says I, I will just copy the remaining one. I took out the remaining pin, and saw that it was crooked, so Thought that I would have to make two instead of one. I made the new pin, and found that it wouldn't go into the gun unless it was doglegged like the one I took out. The frame on that gun was made in two pieces, and that may be the reason for the crook in the pin. Otherwise it seemed to be a well built gun.

The Condon catalogue makes statement of blocking the sears. Is this similar to the blocking sears of the upper Baker entries? Any other American guns have such a feature? Thanks to those who know.

Franchi, have you measured the chambers on that gun? If they're still original, there's a very good chance they're 2 1/2". If by "magnum" you mean 3" magnum, I don't think it's a good idea to shoot those in a gun that has--or had--2 1/2" chambers. If the chambers are still short, that's enough extra hull length that you're going to be well into the forcing cone when the mouth of the shell opens. But even if they're only the "short" magnums--2 3/4"--in either case, you're firing a heavier shot charge than that for which your Davis was designed. 1 1/8 oz in the short magnums, 1 1/4 oz in the 3". Maximum pressure standards are no higher on 3" 20's than on 2 3/4", but you'll get a lot more recoil because of the heavier shot charge, and that's not good for old guns. You may do bad things to the stock in particular. I'd stick to nothing more than an ounce, and preferably 7/8 oz.

It's very difficult to reload below 9,000 psi using 20ga AA hulls. With Federal hulls, you can get down around 8,000; hard to get much lower than that with the 20ga period. Check the Hodgdon and Alliant websites for recipes using various combinations of hulls, powder, primers, and wads.

Hi All:

Thank you so much for the replies! I do have some comments and questions.

The only load that is "low is made with with a Federal hulls. Where will find these shells?

I have my Mec set up to throw 16.6 grains of Unique behind 7/8 oz. of shot. This has been my go to skeet load for many years. I have no idea as to what the pressure of this load is. It makes perfect loads in an AA hull. I will research it and see if it is low enough for the Davis.

I have no idea as of how to measure the size of a chamber. I can drop a 2 3/4" shell int the chamber with ease but does this mean it is a 2 3/4" chamber? Perhaps I am entering the forcing cone of a 2 1/2" chamber thinking that I do indeed have a 2 3/4" chamber. Any suggestions as of how I may check the chamber depth of a shotgun?

The shells that came with the gun are marked Remington 2 3/4" 3 11/8 6. I have been using them for pheasant hunting in my Franch 48AL with great success. I asked the uncle as to how may of those shell that he had fired in that gun and he replied about a box. At age 95, he may have forgotten about a few other boxes.

Larry: You mentioned that the gun may not have been designed for "high" pressures. What can you tell me about this? Is it due to weaker materials and/or less than a strong design? Any information that you may be able to offer will be greatly appreciated. I tried to get a definition of "low" pressure but I could not get a quantitative number. Any numbers as to what constitutes a low pressure?

Well enough for now. Thanks again for all of the replies.

Franchi

http://www.polywad.com/index.html


Just order their "Vintager" and "Doublewide" 2.5" low pressure shells and your gun will last a while longer and you will be amazed at how light a load will work on most game...Geo

Norm, the Baker guns block the firing pins, not the sears. Both try to achieve the same result.

Here're a couple of Davis guns from different periods.

Franchi, per the Alliant guide I have, 16.6 grains of Unique pushing a 7/8 oz load with an AA hull, assuming Win 209 primer and the Claybuster 20ga wad (substitute for the WAA20) ought to be pretty close to the 20ga ceiling of 12,000 psi. The book says that recipe, but with 16 grains rather than 16.6, will give you a pressure of 11,200 psi. If you drop down to 15 grains of Unique and use a Remington RXP 20 wad, the book says that will drop your pressure to 8700 psi. If you want to use AA reloads in your Davis, that would be a pretty good formula. You can check the Alliant website to see if they have any other good recipes: www.alliantpowder.com. You can only go a few hundred psi lower than that with Federal hulls, so if you like the AA's and have them on hand, that's the way I'd go.

The issue with pressure is that most guns built before roughly 1920 had short chambers (2 1/2" in the case of the 20ga) and were not made to withstand the pressures generated by current American factory loads. That did not change until after Olin developed the Super-X in the 20's, and the gun manufacturers started switching over to 2 3/4" chambers as standard.

I would definitely NOT shoot any more of those 1 1/8 oz loads in that gun. That's a short magnum load, and definitely not what your gun was designed to handle. Way more recoil because of the heavy shot charge. Your wood is old; heavy loads can do nasty things to old wood.

Hi Larry:

Thanks for the reply.

I will drop my powder charges to 15 grains as I can not see any need to run a 20 ga. at that high of a pressure.

At 8000 psi., I think that they will be fine in the Davis.

After all is said and done, I thank all who replied to my post!
Sincerely,

Franchi

Hi Larry:

I checked the weight of the powder charge that my MEC was throwing and it was throwing 15.5 grains of Unique today. I did find a powder bushing that would throw 14.5 grains but I soon ran out of Unique

I can sleep a little bit better tonight knowing that the pressures in my Beretta SP will be a bit lower!

Thanks again,

Franchi

14.5-15 ought to be fine in the Davis, and you will like it better in your Beretta as well. If you get some "punky" sounding loads in cold weather, you may discover that 14.5 is too light. If so, you should be OK moving up a bushing.