doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Baker SxS question and help

Hello Gentlemen,
SxS are new to me so forgive the simple questions.

I purchased a Baker at the Gun show yesterday.

On the right side stamped Baker Gun Co.

On the left side Batavia Leader

serial number 5701F

Hammerless

12 gauge

28 inch barrel

No original butt plate (pachmayr installed)

No engraving or special features

I want to clean it up a little how do you separate the barrel lugs from the hinge pin/receiver end?

The forearm does not have any type of forearm latch.

Is there any place that I could get a schematic for this type of shotgun or even a reproduced owners manual?

Thanks for any help,
Steve

Hello
Pull the forend away from the barrels, it has a spring loaded tongue, Then holding the barrels in one hand and the action/stock in the other, open the gun and the barrels will seperate



Mike

Skeettx,

Thanks for all you input, it was easy, once you explained it.

Regards,
Steve

A Batavia Leader with an F after the serial number is a gun made after the Baker Gun & Forging Co. sold off their gun business to H & D Folsom Arms Co. of New York City, around 1919. H & D Folsom Arms Co. owned a gun factory in Norwich, Conn., where they manufactured their low priced guns under their American Gun Co. and Crescent Fire Arms Co. brands as well as hundreds of "trade brands". H & D Folsom Arms Co. continued to make/assemble Baker and Batavia guns at their factory up to at least 1929. In 1930 H & D Folsom Arms Co. sold the factory and the Crescent Fire Arms Co. name to J. Stevens Arms Co. and Baker and Batavia seem to just disappear.

Walter,

I have a nice Leader, 12ga 30" twist barrels. Ser # 888xx. What would be the production date?

Thanks.

Craigster,
Not to be presumptuous. but I think you mean Dave Noreen, the Researcher.

Now that I think about it, I think your right. Thanks.

The Baker Gun & Forging Co. added a lower priced line of sidelock Batavia guns in 1903, with serial numbers starting at 75000. The Batavia guns didn't have the hammer block safety or the transverse drawblock through the barrel lug that mated into recesses in the frame, of the graded Baker Guns. The Batavia Leader had Twist steel barrels, The Batavia Damascus had Damascus barrels and the Batavia Special had Homotensile steel barrels. Baker Gun & Forging Co. dropped the Batavia line about 1915 and replaced them with a gun called the Black Beauty with steel barrels and the lockplates and frame with a black-oxide finish. Serial numbers of the Batavia line seem to run up to 161000. In that no records are known to survive, 75000 to 161000 and 1903 to 1915, so make a calculated guess. After the H & D Folsom acquisition of Baker they reintroduced a Batavia Leader with a color case hardened frame and lock plates with steel barrels, kind of similar to the old Batavia Special.

Thank you Dave.

Researcher,

Thanks for your post, picture and information on the Baker Co.

Much appreciated.

Steve