doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Utica Fire Arms co.

So where does Utica Fire Arms Co. fall in the realm of American manufacturers? I saw my first one the other day with London Fluid Steel barrels. Very interesting and intriguing.

It was a "Trade Brand" made for Simmons Hardware Co. and actually made by someone else. We'd need to see pictures to tell who really made it. Most of them I've seen were made by Forehand Arms Co. or later Hopkins & Allen Arms Co.

I had a Utica 20 which was made by the Toledo Arms Co. I've seen other in 12 which were clearly Crescent doubles. Ithaca bought out Toledo Arms. As noted I suspect Utica Arms was just a trade name.

I have seen other Toledo Arms pump guns and another double which used the Lefever ball and socket joint. Much to my regret Mike99 out bid me for that one and I never saw it again. I suspect when DMLefever closed for good in Ohio one of his sons who must have worked for Toledo Arms for a short while where they used a design he had been using all his life. This is the only non Lefever maker I've seen using the ball and socket joint system.

Thanks Jon; that's something new to me...Geo

After Uncle Dan's passing, Frank Lefever took the single barrel parts and moved down to Wheeling/Moundsville, West Virginia, and became plant superintendent of the Three-Barrel Gun Co. Charles F. (Fred) Lefever and probably some of the other brothers finished up some of the remaining materials of D.M. Lefever Co. and marketed the results under the Waverly Arms Co. name. I've also seen doubles marked Waverly Arms Co. that look like the lower priced Union Model 21 --



In fairly short order Fred went to work for Union Fire Arms Co. in Toledo, Ohio. Fred designed the single trigger used on the Union --



Union Fire Arms Co. eventually became, or at least used the name, Toledo Arms Co. and Charles F. (Fred) Lefever went on to have a 42 year career with Daisy Manufacturing Co.

This is how I understand it went. Any clarifications, additions and/or corrections welcomed.

I have read several passages in the past of Toledo marked (Union F.A. ) doubles having the Ball & Socket pivot but I have yet to see a gun or pictures of one. The Waverly Arms SxS most definitely has it and a Lefever-esque cocking hook.

I will go with Hopkins & Allen as the maker of the gun you inquired about, as they used the "LONDON FLUID STEEL" stamp on their rib extensions.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Item/646396577



John

One quick note, even though it was made by Hopkins & Allen, they were still using the Forehand design and patent for their better boxlocks. The gunbroker gun looks like a Twist barrel gun.

Regards
Ken

Thanks guys, yeah H&A definitely fits the bill. Interesting I never have seen an H&A, same with the Forehand. Very interesting!

The evolution of Forehand is interesting. It started with Ethan Allen, then Forehand & Wadsworth, who married Allen's daughters, then Forehand alone, and was finally bought by Hopkins & Allen.

Regards
Ken