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Who made this shotgun

Grunt51
I was given an old single shot shotgun, completely rusted up. The only marking I can make out is XCEL stamped on the left side of the receiver. There are no markings on the barrel. The serial number appears to be E44506. Would anyone know anything about this shotgun?
Thanks
Grunt51
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2 comments

Date Votes
  • fordsix
    hardware brand made by crescent/davis
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  • Ned Fall
    From about 1890 to 1940 there was a great interest in all things having to do with shotguns, making, shooting and selling. Wholesale and retail sporting goods dealers, hardware stores and even Uncle John's Country Corner Store wanted shotguns to sell with names of their own choosing on them. The manufactures were only too happy to meet this demand. The would put any selected name on a gun if the buyer bought a minimum number. I call these guns "Trade Brand Name" shotguns if they were made before 1940 and "Store Brand Names" if made after 1945. Guns with the name EXCEL were made by one of three makers, Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich,CT (1892 to 1932), Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works of Fitchberg.MA (1871 to 1993) and Crescent-Davis (same company as Crescent Fire Arm, just another name) (1932 to 1935). The guns were made for and sold by the Montgomery Ward Company of Chicago,IL. The serial number you give appears to be a Crescent Fire Arms serial number and if it is, the gun was made in 1899. If the gun is as badly rusted as you say, it is unsafe to shoot and has no value except for parts salvage.
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