I have had this shotgun for many years, has always shot great. But a few years ago the forearm stock was damaged and the gun has been a wall hanger ever since. But I’d like to get the forearm stock fixed so it can be used again. It does function as is but as you can see the taped stock makes it unsafe. Can anyone ID this gun? I can provide as many more photos as needed. The serial number stamped on the breech is 12. The only texts I can find on the entire gun are the words NR Davis & Sons. No text on the barrel or elsewhere. Any help is greatly appreciated. More photos of any area of the gun can be taken at request.







-NVF (BlackSabbath)

Here is a 1902 catalog listing for the BS (steel barrel)



The buttstock has been replaced, then cracked and repaired.
I would strongly suggest cleaning off the rust and hanging it back on the wall; it is likely to fall apart with the next shot.

BTW a restoration video; but for the later model "Diana Breech" Davis with a pull-off FE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzcM9mgFf4s

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Welcome to SGW ! !

As Drew mentioned, it was made about 100years ago - which means that even in excellent condition, it shouldn't be used with any modern ammo, save specialty/lo-pressure shotshells from the likes of RST, Kent, etc.

Ammo companies upgraded shotgun cartridges in 1926, which forced many gun companies to either discontinue or upgrade their shotguns.

Most companies either introduced the upgrades as new models, or went out of business due to the lack of capital for upgrades.

N.R.Davis & Son was located in Connecticut, and went through several different mergers (Davis-Warner, Crescent-Davis) one of the many small companies making guns in the late 1800's to the early 1900's that were eventually bought out by Crescent Firearms, also of CT, in the early 1900's.

AFAIK, the "Davis" portion of the name ceased being used, eventually becoming the Crescent Firearms Co.

Nathan R. Davis started making firearms before the US Civil War, in 1853 - introducing SxS hammerless boxlock shotguns like yours in 1900.

Your gun was likely made between 1890 (due to the low SN) and 1917, after which the Davis-Warner logo would have been put on it.

Today, replacement parts being made of un-obtainium, repairs would have to consist of re-building existing parts or making new parts from scratch - a money pit, in any event.


IMO, the best thing you can do is to protect any innocent folks trying to shoot it in the future by filling the insides of the action with epoxy.


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I will add a note on Davis Serial numbers:

Early examples of the hammerless doubles from N.R. Davis & Sons had batch numbers (not serial no.) Thus there can be multiple guns with the same number. When a design change happened the numbers started back from #1. I am not certain of the dates when regular serial numbers were started but likely around 1910.

More info: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23181554

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?
ubb=showflat&Main=41449&Number=509582#Post509582

Crisco, as usual, has the history all screwed up. N.R. Davis & Sons was in Freetown, Mass. September 1900 ad --



then in Assonet, Mass. December 1906 ad --



N.R. Davis & Sons was one of the first U.S. manufacturers of breech loading double barrel shotguns. N.R. Davis was taken over by Warner Arms Corp around WW-I. Warner moved the assets from the original factory in Assonet, Mass. to their plant in Norwich, Conn. in 1919, and became Davis-Warner Arms Corp. They continued to manufacture Davis doubles until about 1926 when they closed the plant and tried their hand at importing guns from Belgium. In early 1930 Davis-Warner was purchased by J. Stevens Arms Company (owned and operated by Savage Arms Corp.). A Stevens memo dated May 23, 1930, announced the acquisition and the intent to resume manufacture of the Davis doubles. Another Stevens memo dated December 15, 1930, announced the purchase from H&D Folsom Arms Company of the assets of Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich, Connecticut. The memo went on to say that the assets of Crescent would be merged with those of Davis-Warner Arms Corporation and that the newly formed firm would be known as The Crescent-Davis Arms Corporation, Norwich, Conn. Davis guns from their flyer --







Crescent-Davis would be operated as a competitor of J. Stevens. The new firm was no more successful than its predecessors. On November 4, 1935, an order of dissolution was filed with the New York Secretary of State. So, after that the remains must have been moved to Chicopee Falls and assembled and sold off under various names. Crescent-Davis and Springfield guns shown in the 1938 to 1941 Stevens paper I have all appear to be variations on the 311. The Springfield 311 had a casehardened receiver while the Crescent-Davis 600 and 900 had blued receivers. What we see of these guns from the late 1930s are some amazing combinations of Springfield, Crescent and Davis parts cobbled together to get some product out the door!!

Thanks for all of the replies!

Seems this might be an Ajax model. Only thing is that I see it’s listed as having a brass front sight on Researcher’s photos, when it actually has no sight at all. Either way, it seems as if I’ll be left to my own devices to make parts for the gun, and as such I’ll likely be cleaning it up, oiling it, and putting back on display. Unless I can find a donor parts gun somehow.

It dates to after the crossbolt rib extension lockup was discontinued prior to 1902, and I believe is a BS (steel barrel).
This is Researcher's catalog page from 1922



I believe you are making a wise decision.

Thank you for the correction of my mis-remembring some of the details.

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