doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com American Gun Co. ..410 midget.....

A few years ago I picked up a cute little American Gun Co. .410 midget hammer gun.
Do any of you folks own any?... I'm curious how rare these midgets are. Thanks-Doug

AMERICAN GUN COMPANY Tradename of H. & D. Folsom Company on shotguns made by Crescent Firearms Company.

http://www.hoosiergunworks.com/catalog/cross_reference.html
http://proofhouse.com/cm/codes_markings.htm

A Crescent 410 is not hard to find. They are commonly available. You did not mention if it was a single shot or sxs, hammer or hammerless, etc.

If you check the auction reports, you will find the pricing is all over the place.
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...8e33647660df792

Pete

I have one, it is a hammer gun and very petite.

Pete- it's a SxS hammer gun marked American Gun Co and made on
a midget frame.

reb87- Cute little guns aren't they?...-Thanks-Doug

Their tiny .44XL and .410-bore hammer guns were truely tiny. The hammerless .410-bores were really on the 20-gauge frames. Sometimes they belled the breech end of the barrel to match the 20-gauge frame and later just left them incredibly heavy.

If it is a .44XL, I would be interested if you want to sell it. If .410, can you see any patent markings on it? Have you checked the chamber lengths? Current research says that Parker offered the 1st American built .410 sxs. I have long felt that there was a possibility that Crescent may have beaten them, but it is not documented. The 1st American built .410 single shot was the Stevens, with a patent date of 1915.

Pete

Pete-
I'll dig it out and check for some markings...........-Doug

PeteM,

I got a Cresent Arms single shot hammer (ejector) .410 Victor Special at a yard sale for 50 bucks. The gun is in fine condition. Shot a couple rounds of skeet with it and kinda like the thing. Any idea as to the value? How wrong could I have gone at 50 dollars?

Regards,

Max

Max,

Like anything else condition is the key. These usually Max out at around $200 for a take down version that is about 90%. Enjoy your new shooter. The single shots were very popular at the turn of the 20th century, especially a take-down version. Bicycles were all the craze and many a gun maker was offering a bicycle gun of some sort. Many of the gun makers tried their hand at producing bicycles as well.

I believe the Victor was a later gun. Check the chamber length, it will tell the story.

Pete

Pete,

Apparently, I do not have a take-down version as the forend has no latch. Would this be correct?

Regards,

Max