doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com N R Davis & Son Norwich CT

Came across a Davis 20 bore AJAX grade sn D2525 the other day- 28" steel barrels but monoblocked, DT, extractors- even test fired it- Has the opening in the receiver floor for the barrel lump (like a Smith or Fox) modified doll's head rib extension and the bolt trip in that recess, extractor and cocking lug a bit like a Flues Ithaca design- this grade is listed in my 2008 ed. of Dan Scheiler's book of Gun Values- anyone shed any light on this? Hardware store gun? N R Davis- did they only make shotguns, or did they also make rifles?

They were based in Assonet,Freetown,maine.1880s-early 1900s
They made good quality guns generally and mad a lot of
Shotguns for Sears and Roebuck.

Short History of N.R. Davis & Sons Shotguns

This information written by and reprinted with the permission of Joe Vorisek

N.R. DAVIS ARMS COMPANY

This company. located in Assonet, MA from 1853 until at least 1917, operated under the following names:


1853 to 1883 N.R. DAVIS ARMS COMPANY- Freetown section of Assonet, MA
1883 to 1917 N.R. DAVIS & SONS CO.- Water St., Assonet, MA
1917 to 1930 DAVIS-WARNER ARMS CORP.- Brooklyn, NY and Norwich, CT (There is some evidence that the Assonet factory remained in use until 1925.)
1930 to 1935- CRESCENT-DAVIS ARMS CORP.
The company was owned and operated by the Davis family until 1917 when N.R. DAVIS & SONS CO. was merged with WARNER ARMS CORP. to form DAVIS-WARNER ARMS CORP.
Davis-Warner seems to have made both Davis shotguns and Warner pistols in small quantities with the guns being made at the Warner plant in Norwich, CT from parts made in the Assonet plant until about 1925.
Beginning in 1925, Davis-Warner seems to have regained its ability to make and sell firearms in quantity. Perhaps because the Assonet plant was closed and production consolidated in Norwich. It also appears that the Warner automatic pistols were dropped from production in 1925.
When the Assonet plant actually closed is speculative, some sources use the 1917 date, while others use 1925; unfortunately the Assonet Town Records do not reflect the year of its closing. It was definitely closed and not in use when it burned in 1928 and newspaper articles about the fire indicate that it had been closed for some time.
DAVIS-WARNER ARMS CORP. became a part of CRESCENT DAVIS ARMS CORP. in 1930. For further information regarding this merger see CRESCENT FIRE ARMS CO.
N.R. DAVIS shotguns were marked, in addition to the names above, with at least the following trade names.
• E.C. MEACHAM ARMS CO. PAT'D AUG. 3, 1886
• ASSONET GUN WORKS (probably) no specimens seen
• RIVAL (hammerless double made in the 1880's)
N.R. DAVIS & SONS may also have made some shotguns for Sears, Roebuck, but this has not been confirmed by observation of any actual specimens.
Still another possibility has surfaced, namely that N.R. DAVIS may have made some shotguns that were totally unmarked except perhaps for a serial number for a few of the larger hardware wholesalers; but again this has not been confirmed by observation.
As may be apparent from this rambling discourse, very little hard evidence exists about N.R. DAVIS operations, despite its being a well known and well respected gun maker. One reason for this is that over much of its life it was family owned, and such firms rarely make much information public.
Even the question of how many shotguns it produced is a mystery. Some shotguns have serial numbers, while others have only a 2 digit assembly number; and there appears to be no rhyme or reason as to why some are serial numbered and some are not. Serial numbers of their lack will occur in the same models.
Much more specific research needs to be done on this company. I can only hope that this material will at least serve as a basis from which to start.
N.R. DAVIS & SONS made shotguns under at least the following patents:
• 66,913, July 16, 1867 breechloading firearm
• 81,348, August 25, 1868 method of attaching gun barrels
• 217,001, July 1, 1879 firearm
• 293,719, February 19, 1884 breechloading firearm
• 294,772, March 11, 1884 breechloading firearm
• 346,536, August 3, 1886 breechloading firearm
The principals of N.R. DAVIS & SONS CO. before 1917 were as follows:
• Nathan Russel Davis
• N.W. Davis (son of Nathan R.)
• W.A. Davis (son of Nathan R.)
• David C. Thresher (Thrasher)
The following is an abstract of the Articles of Incorporation of the Davis-Warner Arms Corp.
Corporation Name: DAVIS-WARNER ARMS CORPORATION
Incorporated In: New York
Date of Incorporation: January 4, 1917
Principal Place of Business: Manhattan, New York City
Names and residences of Subscribers and Shares Subscribed:
Franklin B. Warner, 1549 New York Ave., Brooklyn, NY 8 shares
Frank Harvey Field, 274 Sterling Place, Brooklyn, NY 1 share
Richard L. Phillips, 2 East 128th St., Manhattan, NYC 1


Directors:
Franklin B. Warner
Frank H. Field
Richard L. Phillips
Henry B. Moore, 540 W. 113th St., Manhattan, NYC
Sigmund Faust, 1219 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Capital Stock: $200,000 (2,000 shares at $100 par)
In 1921 the Officers of DAVIS-WARNER were
Franklin E. Warner- President & Treasurer
C. Chester Warner- Vice-President
I.M. Janowsky- Secretary
It should be noted that both the Warners were incorporators of KIRTLAND BROS. CO. a sporting goods retailer in New York City.
The serial number ranges of Davis made shotguns may be impossible to recreate with any accuracy until some reason can be found for why some guns were serial numbered and some were not.
However one item does appear to be fact. That is that all Davis model shotguns made by DAVIS-WARNER ARMS CORP. or CRESCENT-DAVIS ARMS CORP. had a letter prefix to the serial number. Whether this prefix denotes the year of manufacture is open to conjecture.
One clue as to when a Davis-Warner shotgun was made may be obtained from the very last guns produced in 1929 and 1930. These shotguns are marked on the water table, PAT. NO. 1,692,995. This patent was granted to a J.J. Murphy on November 27, 1928.

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