Has anyone heard of a Henry Arms Co. 12 gage double barrel shotgun?
I have a Henry Arms Co. 12 gage double barrel shotgun.On the barrel it says twist finish belgium.I’ve foung the stamps that say its bout 1870-1890.That all I know.
can you tell me more about it?
Tagged with: belgium • double barrel shotgun • gage • stamps
Filed under: double barrel shotgun
Yes.
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http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/Henry_Arms_Co_shotgun
Answer
Henry Arms Co. was a name used on shotguns distributed by H&D Folsom c. 1900. It may have been manufactured by Crescent Firearms, Meriden, CT, or it may have been imported from a Belgian maker. No relation to the famous Henry Repeating Rifles which were the forerunners of the Winchester lever actions. Value is something less than $200 unless it is in like-new condition.
Answer
Lyle – A single shot would bring less than $79. That’s what a new utility single shot sells for. Even though yours may be old, there is no collector interest.
http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/How_old_is_a_Henry_Arms_double_barrel_hammer_shotgun_with_the_words_twist_finish_Belgium_on_the_barrel_and_what_is_it_worth
How old is a Henry Arms double barrel hammer shotgun with the words twist finish Belgium on the barrel and what is it worth?
Belgian Double Barrel Shotgun
This gun was manufactured by Anciens Etablissments Pieper, Leige, Belgium, c. 1905-1914. It should not be fired unless it is checked and approved by a competent gunsmith, so it’s primary value will be as a mantle decoration – $150-$250.
http://www.gabelguns.com/QuestionsAndAnswers/ViewQuestion.asp?QuestionNumber=1011
Question:
Ron; This is in reference to Q#1006. I appreciate your reference to Q#388, but I’m afraid it left me more confused. You made reference to the Folsom Arms Co. I looked that up in a book entitled "The Shotgun Book" by Jack O’Conner. It states that shotguns with the name W. Richards on them were cheap replicas mass produced by the tens of thousands by the Crescent Firearms Co. of Norwich, Connecticut, and are, in fact, not guns made by Westley Richards. Yet your answer to Q#388 indicated that an oval with the initials E over LG indicated the shotgun was manufactured in Belgium. My brother’s shotgun has that mark. Do you know if the information in the O’Conner book is accurate? Is it possible that the mass-produced versions were also stamped with the initials E over LG? Or were there actually Westley Richards guns that simply said W. Richards, and did not print out his entire name? Either way, should we, can we, assume this shotgun is from the late 1800′s or early 1900′s? Or is that not possible to deduce from the information given? Thanks for your time, Esther Bozeman
Answer:
Esther: Easy to see why you might be a bit confused. The Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich Conn. were makers of single and double barrel shotguns. The original Crescent guns, made in Conn., were sold until about 1895 after which the Crescent made guns were retailed under the brand name American Gun Company. The H&D Folsom Arms Company secured control of the Crescent Company about 1893 and retained control of the Crescent Company until 1932. W. Richards was a house brand name used on Belgium made shotguns that were distributed by the H&D Folsom Arms Company. The Folsom began importing these shotguns in 1890, just prior to gaining control of the Crescent Fire Arms Company. The ELG proof mark is the standard proof mark for guns made in Belgium. So your brothers gun was made in Belgium, sold through H&D Folsom Arms Co. in New Yory around the turn of the century, when the Folsom Company was in control of the Crescent company. Still confused??
http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/What_is_information_on_the_Folsom_Arms_Co
H&D Folsom was a large sporting goods retailer and distributor in New York City. They didn’t manufacture any firearms, but from 1893 to 1930 they owned Crescent Firearms in Norwich, Ct. They also bought guns from other arms makers, especially Belgian manufacturers. Haven’t ran across a W Richardson, but many of the Belgian imports were marked W Richards in an attempt to make buyers think they were getting a product of the English gunmaker, Westley Richards. I’m guessing that you have one of these. It probably has damascus or twist barrels and side hammers. A perfectly good utility gun when made, but after 100 years the barrels will have deteriorated and are probably no longer safe to use, and absolutely should NOT be used with modern ammunition.
Answer
I bought a Folsom Arms import at auction, highly engraved, with "Rowland Watson" as part of the engraving. It was imported from England with English proof marks. I’d appreciate any information or educated guesses as to what I have.
* You might look into this a bit closer. Does it have British or Belgian proofmarks? There is an English gunmaker using the W Richards mark. The Belgian knockoffs with this name are usually junk but these are not. The company now trades as W Richards (Liverpool) Ltd at 10a The Pavement, Pocklington, York, Yorkshire, YO42 2AX; Tel: 01759 305088 Fax: 01759 368559. Some records are available.
http://forums.forthehunt.com/post.asp?method=ReplyQuote&REPLY_ID=885054&TOPIC_ID=139291&FORUM_ID=2
AMERICAN GUN COMPANY…Trade Name of H&D Folsom Company on shotguns made by Crescent Firearms Company…
Crescent Firearms Company…Established in Norwich, Conn., in 1892. Manufacturer of shotguns and handguns, it was purchased by H&D Folsom
in 1893, and absorbed by J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company in 1926
The caliber of shotguns is measured in terms of gauge or bore (the British English term). The gauge number is determined by the number of solid spheres of a diameter equal to the inside diameter of the barrel that could be made from a pound of lead. So a 10 gauge shotgun has an inside diameter equal to that of a sphere made from one-tenth of a pound of lead. By far the most common gauges are 12 (0.729 in, 18.5 mm diameter) and 20 (0.614 in, 15.6 mm), although 2, 4, 8, 10, 14, 16, 24, 28, 32 gauges and .410 (10.4 mm) 9mm (.355 in.) rimfire and .22 (5.5 mm) rimfire calibres have also been produced (although 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, .410, and .22 are the only legal hunting gauges/calibers in most U.S. states). To further complicate matters, typical handgun chamberings such as 9 mm Luger, .45 ACP, .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .44 Special/.44 Magnum, and .45 Colt have been brought to market by CCI/Speer and others bearing a "shot" load–either crimped in or in a plastic casing that takes the place of the bullet. These are not generally considered "shot shells" by shotgun users, and the patterning performance is questionable since they are fired through rifled barrels. Thompson/Center makes special pistol barrels in .38/357, .44 and .45 Colt that have "straight rifled" chokes in them to reduce the spin of the shot column and produce better patterns, but they are still suitable only for pest control at very short ranges. Larger gauges, too powerful to shoulder, have been built but were generally affixed to small boats and referred to as punt guns. These were used for commercial water fowl hunting, to kill large numbers of birds resting on the water. Although relatively rare, single-shot and two-shot derringers have also been produced that are capable of firing both .45 Colt (also known as 45 Long Colt) and .410 shotgun shells in the same chamber; they are commonly known as ‘snake guns’, and are popular among some outdoorsmen in the South and Southwest regions of the United States.
The .410 bore is unusual in that it is measured in inches instead of gauge, and is approximately 0.410 inches (10.4 mm) in diameter—this would be approximately 67 gauge using the traditional measuring scheme. The .410 bore was created to impose maximum handicap upon skilled shooters in the game of skeet, by throwing a relatively small charge of shot. The .410 bore was not created for hunting, but some people do use it for that, especially in expensive side by side and over/under models for hunting small bird game such as quails and doves. Inexpensive bolt-action .410 shotguns are a very common first hunting shotgun among young pre-teen hunters, as they are used mostly for hunting squirrels, while additionally teaching bolt-action manipulation skills that will transfer easily later to adult-sized hunting rifles. Most of these young hunters move up to the 20-gauge shotgun within a few years, and move up to 12 gauge shotguns and full-size hunting rifles by their late teenage years. Still, many who are particularly recoil-adverse choose to stay with 20-gauge shotguns all their adult life, as it is a very suitable gauge for many popular hunting uses.
I have a Magnum Revolver no just kidding !
But it’s illegal to nature don’t kill animals without permission to the
Government !
I have seen a few and I have a single shot, I have been told you ARE NOT suppose to shoot the twist finish, I heard the barrel was not designed for the newer more powerful ammo and it can come apart.
I would do some research before firing it to much.
DO NOT shoot it AT ALL. Modern ammo will burst the damascus barrels.
Is it a side by side, double trigger, with exposed hammers?