Need info on Crescent Fire Arms .410 shotgun,
I am helping a friend research a shotgun he has had since his youth !! It is a .410 ga Victor Ejector from Crescent Fire Arms Co. Norwich, CT. I looked in the Blue Book and I know that the company made generic guns that were sold under different store brands !! There are three that are listed as rare models including the Victor Ejector, but these are pistol types. The gun I am trying to find a value and some history on is a long barrel .410 Victor Ejector and it is not listed as having been made at all !! Does anyone have info or insight on this !! Or at least where I might look for a value !! I know that Stevens bought the Certified model from Crescent and Savage bought the rest from the Blue Book info !!
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Ned Fall one of our frequent posters has substantial knowledge on many of the old "Store Brand" and "Hardware" shotguns. Hopefully he will chime in shortly.
Not much is known about the various old Crescent made guns, other they were in business for going on to 50 years. And must of made hundreds of thousands of inexpensive single barrel utility grade guns during that time frame.0 -
When I was young (like 40 years ago) a family member gave me an old Crescent single shot 12 ga. Since then I've been interested in learning about them. As Rufe says, there not alot of info availble. But from snippets I've run across here and there over the years. And based entirely on memory, I will offer what I can.
The Crescent Firearms Company dates back to mid-late 1800's. And they were once one of the most prolific manufacturers of guns in America. The vast majority of which were "field grade" guns that garner little to 0 collector interest/value. Unless in pristine condition.
Because many of their guns were made prior to the introduction of smokeless powder, many examples found may be unsafe to fire w/modern ammo. As I recall, they eventually were bought out by the Stevens Arms Co. .0 -
I can add to what you already know !! They were in business from 1888 - 1931 !! Stevens Arms bought one model from Crescent and that was the Certified model !! Savage Arms bought the rest in 1931 !! They assembled guns from all the remmaining parts and those were sold under the Crescent brand only !! They moved the factory in 1932 after they lost the property for back taxes !! If they made guns from all the leftover parts,, this long barrel Victor Ejector may be a hybrid that was made from whatever they had available !! Or at least thats my thinking !! The three listed as rare are Knickerbocker, Victor Ejector and New Empire all of which are pistol types !! This info is from the Blue Book of Firearms by Fjestad !! Not sure what year this book is !! 0 -
Victor Ejector was one of the many names including just plain Victor, Victor Arms Co, Victor No 1, Victor No 10, Victor No 11, Victor No 15, Victor American Gun Co, Victor Ejector American Gun Co, Victor Junior, Victor Plain American Gun Co, Victor Thompson U.S. Armor Steel and Victor Special made by the Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich,CT (1892 to 1931). All were made for and sold by H & D Folsom of New York City, a large wholesale and retail sporting goods dealer except the last one which was made for and sold by the Hibbard Spencer Bartlett Company of Chicago,IL. Incidentally H & D Folsom owned Crescent Fire Arms and whatever Folsom wanted, Crescent made. And what they wanted was a lot of inexpensive (read cheap) shotguns fast. In their forty years of making shotguns, Crescent made over 2,000,000 shotguns using at least 450 known names. It has been said Crescent would make as few as twelve guns with some selected name as long as the buyer paid for the die need to stamp the name on the gun. Many of these names were never recorded. I find at least one (new?) unknown name a month. As to value. These guns were inexpensive even when new and have not appreciated much since. They sold new for $15 to $25 back when the wages were two dollars a day. Value today depends on the guns condition, the amount of original finish remaining on the metal and wood as well as the mechanical condition. A prime condition example that appears to have come out of the factory yesterday afternoon might bring as much as $125 (.410 bore a bit more) while a rusty rotten incomplete piece of junk fit only for parts salvage or as a fire place poker might bring as little a $10. Most I have seen sold on the various gun auction sites have sold for between $50 and $95. Price reference books like the Blue Book don't list these generic names because there just too many of them (I have listings of over 850 names that were used). 0 -
Thanks for all the info,,and thanks to all that answered !! This gun is stanped Victor Ejector, Crescent Arms Co. Norwich, CT ,, So I can tell him not to go buy a new car or anything !! I appreciate the help but I am sure he may still have someone else look at it !! It is in what I would call a fair copndition and would be a wall hanger in my opinion !! 0
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