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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,784 Likes: 15
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,784 Likes: 15 |
Pete,
Could you please give the names of the Austrian immigrants? I would like to find out which part of Austria-Hungary they came from. Thanks.
Jani
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,912 Likes: 214
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,912 Likes: 214 |
On a hammerless 12ga pump shotgun:
Meriden Firearms Co. Meriden Conn USA
Savage Patents Granted. Mar. 5, 1912.
>
Also on the top of the barrel;
Fluid Steel Krupp Essen
>
The gun is not at all familiar to me. I've never seen another one (maybe they're as common as toothpicks!). 3 digit Ser#.
Any thoughts as to the Savage connection?
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651 |
A lower grade Meridian is still a much better gun than a Crescent. I have had both and the fit and finish is much better on the Meridian.
I place Meridian at about a Baker level of fit and finish, much higher than any Crescent we commonly see. I know that some here do not pay much attention to either because they are not a Smith or Lefever. High grade Bakers were as nice as they come and the two higher grade Meridians that I own are very well made as well. I suspect that most makers could and would finish their gun to a much higher level for their own higher grade guns. We just see so many field grade guns that we forget that better guns could be had if the shooter wanted them and had the money.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,457 Likes: 336
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,457 Likes: 336 |
Kutter, your gun represents the reality that Sears thought they were seeing. They made, after 1910 , pump rifles, one of Savage design. The gun you refer to was touted in Meriden's catalog, The Man Behind the Gun. That catalog doesn't have much on their guns, but has 25 or so pages of testimonials. In addition, they say that coming on Oct. 1, 1913 will be the "Meriden Repeating Hammerless Shotgun. Better than the rest." It was to have perfect balance, handsome lines, and "Genuine Krupp Steel Barrels". I am not sure I have ever seen one.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598 |
Pete,
Could you please give the names of the Austrian immigrants? I would like to find out which part of Austria-Hungary they came from. Thanks.
Jani Jani, Here is a snippet from the 1910 US Census track.  This is way off topic.... Notice the 2 lines above also have origins in Austria Poland. It appears Meriden, CT was a center for immigration from Austria Poland as there are large numbers of residents where that is listed as their birth place and the birth place of their parents. This is a common pattern in America during this period. People tended to settle where their family or former neighbors had. Again, it is impossible to tell from these records which "Gun Shop" these individuals were employed at. Pete
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 227
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 227 |
Pete-
Very nice find! I wonder how bad the pitting is in the barrels because that is not a run of the mill Meriden. It is engraved and it has the higher grade damascus barrels. Somebody paid around $22.50 in 1908 dollars for that identical shotgun which was marketed as "the AJ Aubrey Finest... millionaire's gun for the common people."
Doug
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,945 Likes: 144
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,945 Likes: 144 |
I've always found Crescent to be in Norwich, CT. In my small stack of H&D Folsom catalogues, in No. 18 their cheap gun is called American Gun Co. and their primary sidelock hammerless gun is the No. 6 Knickerbocker. Catalogues No. 23 and higher show their cheap gun as Crescent Fire Arms Co. and their hammerless gun is the No. 6 "Peerless" (The Old "Knickerbocker" Improved). The parts lists in catalogues No. 23 and higher show "Finished Repair parts for Crescent or American Gun Co. Guns." By catalogue No. 31, dated 1929-30, the same picture of repair parts says for old models, and the parts for New Models shows a bent piece of wire "V-Spring" replaces the coil mainspring on the lockplates.
All these models are bolted by an underbolt and wedge off the top lever into a slot in the rib extension.
Revdoc,
Colton was a forerunner to Union up in Toledo, Ohio, and involved in another SR&Co. adventure to outfit a factory to assemble Spencer pump guns from the remnants Bannerman unloaded on them. As I recall one of Uncle Dan's boys went to work there after D.M. Lefever ceased to exist.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598 |
Doug,
It is nice. I was tempted, but already have way too many project guns. If I bought it, I would not be able to sleep. I would hear it crying every night to have the barrels redone, the stock sanded... Then there is that Colt 1883 I keep looking for or the Pieper Diana 10ga or the Remington 1 1/2 rolling block in 22lr...
Pete
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