Another old single shot
Today I picked up another old single shot 10 gauge. It was made by Davenport Firearms and as close as I can come to it I believe it was marketed as the Davenport Goose Gun sometime after 1897. The little I have been able to learn about it is that it is chambered for a 2-9/16th shell, which in my limited experience it is something that I have never run into before. It has a 36-inch barrel, locks up tight; the bore is not pitted and is in reasonably good condition for its age. What confuses me is that the information I found about it is that it has a London welded twist barrel and I don't know if that is similar to or the same as a Damascus barrel. I only paid five bucks for the old darling and don't know if I found a treasure or a conversation piece. If anyone knows anything about it please let me know.
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Hello again Walley.
According to my references, only one maker used the name Goose Gun and that was the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company on their Model 89. However look on the bottom of the barrel for an English proof mark consisting of crossed scepters or halberds with a crown over that and letters in the intersections. Now I have references to two, yours and that one. I'll have to enter the name in my reference book. Makers used many names for different types of barrels. I doubt very much Davenport used London made barrels. That's just another name for a damascus barrel. Sounds if you have a treasure, I would call it that at the price you paid and a nice conversation piece.0 -
Here is some of what I found out about the gun.
The Davenport Goose Gun
Locks and frames are case hardened, black walnut stock, checkered pistol grip, London laminated twist barrels, introduced in 1897
8 gauge, single shot shotgun, automatic ejector, available with 36" barrel, price in 1900 $20
10 gauge, single shot shotgun, automatic ejector, available with 36" barrel, price in 1900 $180 -
There are [was] 3 basic types of non-fluid steel barrels. Laminated, twist, Damascus. Sears/Roebuck was the largest seller of all 3 back in the early 1900"s.
There were also combinations of each type combined into one barrel.
Very few are proofed [read that as "safe"] for modern smokeless loads.
London twist was one of the best and most labor intensive to make.
In fact, many high end shotguns of that era refused to use the "new"
barrel making idea.
Old age and weakening of the joining of the strips of steel, I believe now makes ALL of them unsafe for smokeless loads. Use black powder only, or specially loaded shells for antique guns in them.
Your Davenport gun can be found on page 308 of the 1902 sears catalog , It was sold as a goose and long range gun. It cost $13.00, so you got a deal. Bob0 -
Bob:
Fortunately my gunsmith has both a Magnaflux (spelling) and a Rockwell set up in his shop and I will have him check it out. I talked to him about it and he told me that he has the same gun in an 8-gauge that he is willing to let me have if I let him hunt deer and turkey on my place next season. I think that the pair of them would make a nice display in my office so I guess I will go along with him. I don't think that I would fire either one but I sure would feel good if they were both still usable with the right loads. I did fire the other old 10-gauge I got a while ago, light load of Pyrodex RS and number 8 shot, but these old bones aren't up to much more punishment like that. Thanks for your input.0 -
Hello Wally,
To the best of my knowledge, the old 10-gauge guns of that era were chambered for a 2-7/8" shell. I have never runs across any reference that lists a 2-9/16" 10-gauge shell.0 -
Bert:
I ran into that reference in the archives of another forum and that is why I questioned it, as I had never heard of it before. I will have my gunsmith check it to make sure. Thanks for putting me on the right track.0
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