doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shooting an old Crescent 410

I know this has been covered but Im struggling with the search function.

I know about chamber lengths and barrel pressures and barrel wall thickness and action lockup but Im having a really hard time figuring out if I can use modern 2.5" 410 ammo out of a Crescent 410. Its the 2.5" chambered model. Im not talking buckshot or anything, just a nice 1/2ounce load at around 1200fps. Not for trap shooting either, just the occasional plinking and shooting. Yes...No....??? Thanks in advance....

I would strongly advise erring on the side of caution here. If you let us know where you live perhaps we can refer you to someone in your area whose knowledgeable and can look it over.
Jim

I can measure everything once it gets here if I buy it but in the mean time Im just wondering. What ammo would I use besides reloading. Can I shoot a vintage American 410. Its hard to get any lower pressure when your shooting 1/2 ounce 410 at 1200 fps. Lower pressure meaning low for a 410.

The early Crescent Fire Arms Co. Quail Hammerless guns with the belled breech ends of the barrels --



to mate to the 20-gauge frame they were built on were chambered for 2 1/2 inch shells in the days when the 2 1/2 inch .410-bore shells contained 3/8 ounce of shot.



We had one of these in our family for many decades. My great uncle Gus bought it new for his son Morris in the early 1920s. In the 1940s Gus's brother Art, who was a gunsmith in Seattle, lengthened the chambers to 3-inch, and Gus gave the gun to his grandson young Art. After young Art married and moved to Japan, the Quail Hammerless came to our house and we used it from the late 1950s into the early 70s with all manner of 3-inch .410-bore shells. Probably about a case of shells in a decade. Last time I saw it it was just fine. Sometime after I'd gone in the Navy, my Father returned the Quail Hammerless to its original owner Morris, and about five years later it, along with his .257 Roberts Model 70 and 16-gauge GHE-Grade Parker Bros. were stolen.

This is the gun exactly! Its not labeled the Quail anywhere but it has the belled breeches, 26" barrels, and it looks like its on a 20ga frame. Researcher, your story gives me hope that I may be able to pull this off pending everything checks out good.

Anyone else have any luck with a similar Crescent?

Just shoot the thing and have fun with it.

I had the exact same Crescent for 10-12 years. used it with my beagles while training them on rabbits and such. Both boys used it on bushy tailed tree rats. Never had an issue with it shooting off the shelf 2.5 inch Remington and Winchester loads. The breeches balls are extremely thick. There is nothing trim and slim with that 410 action.