doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Would like to have some information on N.R Davis

Hello Gentlemen:

I would like to have some information regarding my shotgun. It is marked N.R.Davis and is a 20 gage SxS.

When was this gun manufactured? I read that the N.R.Davis Co. existed between 1853 and 1917 Then sold to the Davis Warner Arms Corp. who was in business from 1917-1930. Was this gun made by N.R.Davis or Davis Warner Gun Corp.?

I had a gunsmith open the chokes. He also backbored it without my knowledge and/or my consent. He said the the gun was safe to fire any type of shells. I would not use steel in this gun! Do you consider this gun safe to fire modern ammo in it or should I use only low pressure loads?

I bought this gun for $200.00 from a family member to have as a piece of family history. I also like the way that it handles for hunting over a pointer. The gun is in great shape for its age. No blemishes on the wood or metal inside or out. The gun survived a major mud slide and flood early in the 20th century. It was lost and then found in a barbershop that ws owned by a black barber in the South. The fact that it found its way back to the orginal owner who was White is truly a miracle.

In any case, can anybody give me some information regarding this gun?

Tia,

Franchi

A bit of information here
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23181554

No one on the internet can tell you if the gun is safe. Get thee and thy gun to a double gun specialist smith.

From IGC:

Name N R Davis & Co.
City/Town Springfield
State/Region/Province Massachusetts
Country USA
Trade Unknown
Dates 1853-1932
Notes
Established in 1853 by Nathan R Davis. In about 1917 he merged with the Warner Arms Corp. to become the Davis Warner Arms Corp. Was inactive 1920-1922 but was revived about 1930 as part of the Crescent Davis Arms Corp, which included the Crescent Fire Arms Co., also. Later established at Springfield, Mass., and was taken over by J Stevens Arms & Tool Co., in about 1932. Makers of percussion rifles and shotguns and metallic cartridge arms.

Tim

Hello Drew:

Thanks for the reply.

I did send the gun to a very highly respected double gun gunsmith and he is the one who told me that it was safe to fire any ammo in it. However, I am not going to shoot hot loads in it as I have no idea if this guy can tell the strength of a gun by looking at it! Lol

Stay well my friend,

Franchi

That helps. Please note though that even as Crescent-Davis in 1931 the barrels were still listed as Decarbonized Steel. That is Bessemer process with a tensile strength about 63,000 psi; well below even early 1900s fluid steel.
It would be reassuring to know the actual wall thickness, but if adequate, and used with loads for which it was originally intended ie. 7/8 oz. 2 1/4 Dram it should be OK.

If he didn't measure BWT or use a borescope, his free opinion is worth what you paid him.
There are still a great many guns floating around with barrels made from very weak steel, Also, their barrel hooks are soft as butter.

Earlier today, someone wrote that their smith had backbored their barrels without their asking. That is BS of the higher order. He'd be buying that gun from me.

Any smith that just eyeballs a shotgun and renders an opinion is lazy, and a fool with his insurance company's money.

I cannot trust my eyes or hands to someone's eyeballing of a shotgun's barrels.
If they cannot afford the tools, or the training to use them, go somewhere's else.

N.R. Davis guns were mostly marketed through J.C. Penny & Co. and perhaps Sears & Roebuck.

Best Regards, George

Hello ClapperZapper et. al.:

Yes, I was upset about the smith backboring the barrels, $100.00. on my gun without consulting me. The gun is a family heirloom close to being a wall hanger. I have used it with my low pressure reloads and it killed a pheasant for me. I am not convinced that backboring does much if anything to improve the performance of a shotgun. Less recoil? Show me!

I aint very smart or versed on the strength of "old" shot guns, but I will not take advice if it contradicts my "common sense." There are too many unknows with this gun.

As a reloader, I avoid high pressure loads as a personal saftey precaution. On the other hand, reloading must have a built in saftey margin to protect the fools and the ignorant. I have seen guns blow up! I have seen guns that were destroyed by overloads and I wan NO part of that scene!

Thanks for all of the replies.

Stay well my friends,

Franchi

It's not your eyes and hands I care about.

It's those of some kid 10 years from now that sticks a baby magnum into Grandpa's old gun and touches it off. Because it now fits.

A soft hook, just goes off face, Lengthened chambers, back bored, reamed and polished, let go right ahead of the chambers. It's one of the reasons we can seem so anal about barrel mods on this board. For the next guy.

Did he back bore it or ream out the chambers to 2 3/4"? Did he hone the barrels to clean them up? Did he measure the wall thickness to be sure the barrels are still safe? These are the questions I would want to know the answers to before I shot that gun. Some gunsmiths use the wrong word or phrase to describe what they did. Not sure if they don't know the correct one or want to make minor things seem major and the price charged a bargain.