Need Some Help Here!

A

Arub

New member
I'm not a shotgun person, have had no real use for one in 20+ years. However, I just tripped over an interesting piece at a local shop. Details:

Central Arms Company
Model(?) 3012 (3012 stamped with mfg name and patent #)
Patent # FFR(orB)10-1914
Serial # 11977

Anyone know anything about this scattergun? Barrells appear to be around 28 to 30 inches, double hammers (dog eared) and double triggers. It's functional, actually shoots. In pretty good condition appearance wise.

I figure if nothing else, this will make a good wall hanger.

Approximate worth?
 
D

Dave McC

Staff In Memoriam
Harley's forum will give you better input, but the chances are this is a hardware gun, made cheaply and for low pressure shells. Shooting it w//o having a smith check it out is playing Russian Roulette with a grenade. DON'T DO IT!!!
 
A

Arub

New member
I'm not familiar with Harley's forum. Would you give me a link or directions to it?

Thanks again.
 
H

Harley Nolden

Staff In Memoriam
Shotgun ID

Arub
YOur Shotgun is what is called, "a hardware gun," in that it was made by a gun maker for a hardware company , using the name spcified by the purchaser.

The Central Arms Company is a trade name used by W.H. Davenport Firearms Co, back in the late 1800's to mid 1900's, on shotguns made for the Shapleigh Hardware Co of St. Louis. Mo. To fully inderstand the "Hardware Gun? here is the story.


CRESCENT ARMS

This Company mfg’d good quality, inexpensive side by side and single Bbl shotguns and was founded in 1883. They were bought by the H&D Folsom Arms Company of New York, importers and distributors of firearms and sporting goods.

After the purchase of Crescent, the Folsom Company was able to offer a complete range of shotguns, imported English French, Belgium and American made Crescents. By the turn of the century Crescent Arms produced huge quantities of “Hardware Guns” it produced guns under direct contract to distributors, mail order housed and hardware distributors with any brand name the customer requested. Crescent also produced guns for its parent company, as Folsom house brands that were sold to customers that did not want their own brand name.

By the lat 1890's Crescent was producing basically five grade of dbl bbl shotguns offering a model for most tastes. The Crescent /Folsom Arms Company continued this type of business until 1930 when it merged with Davis Warner Arms Corp and became the Crescent-Davis Arms Corp. In 1932 it assets and machinery were bought by Stevens Arms Company, a victim of changing tastes and the depression.

Your shotgun should not be fired unless checked by a reputable gunsmith.

HJN
 
C

Crimper-D

New member
A good candidate for a wallhanger

Even if the gun has a good lockup and the barrel steel is adequate, a lot of these older cuns were chamberd for shorter shells than the now standardized 2 5/8ths. shells even if you could get a 2 5/8ths shell to chamber, the resultant higher chamber pressures would be dangerous both to the gun and the shooter.
There is one loading I've seen advertised that might work on older guns... the Aguila firm of Curnevaca Mexico apparently makes 'Mini' shot shells in 12 ga. I've never seen one, but am told they are approximately 1/2 the length of standardized shotshells.
Might br worth checking out further.
 
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