Grandpa's Shotgun

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parris001

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My Grandpa kept an old shotgun hanging over the back door. My Uncles I have questioned about it recall it as being a Best shotgun. I haven't been able to find anything on that brand of gun. Has anyone ever seen/heard of one of these?
 
Best Gun

I could not find anything in my small library on a Best gun. Most likely he meant his "Best" gun like his best pair of pants or shoes, his sunday best.
 
They probably just meant it was the best shotgun in the world, in which case, they meant it was an Ithaca.
Not to be confused with a Rem 870. :D

Seriosly, though, that's a tough one. I've never heard of that brand.
It may be that the "best" was simply the top of the line for a certain manufacturer?
Somebody here should know...
 
I'm going to have to get them to open the safe and get it out. I was figuring that Best might have been one of those brands sold by a department store. Kind of like a Coast to Coast. Anyone ever heard of that?
 
What is the name in the signature on the "best gun on earth" pic?
Could "Best" have been a "private label" store brand?
Brent
 
Best Gun?

We have one that looks very similiar. How long is the barrel? Bought mine in 1954, in an old flea market for $5. Funny, I was 19, and according to Colorado law at time, was too young. Had to be 20, which my wife was. It will reach out a long long way. Wonderful on the Texas Jackrabbits.
 
Hey guys, thanks for the input. I'll try to answer some questions you've asked. It has a 30 inch barrel. One thing I find interesting is that nowhere on the gun does it tell what gauge it is (it is a 12 gauge). There is absolutely no writing on the barrel at all. Every bit of information on the gun is the pics you've seen.

As far as what does it say below where it says, "The Best Gun on Earth"........ your guess is as good as mine. It looks to me like a lower case "h" (look at the "h" in "The") followed by what looks like a tiny "w" and then a capital "N". And notice the weird "e" in Ireland.

My uncles had originally said they thought the brand name was Best. I disagree. I think the brand is going to have more to do with whatever that is written below "The Best Gun on Earth".

Iver Johnson you think? I'll have to look into that. That pic that shows the detail of the metal tab that is on the receiver, that tab folds out and is the head of the bolt that attached the receiver to the barrel. Weird huh? It pivots on that bolt, or you screw that bolt out to separate the barrel from the receiver.
 
Iver Johnson you think? I'll have to look into that. That pic that shows the detail of the metal tab that is on the receiver, that tab folds out and is the head of the bolt that attached the receiver to the barrel. Weird huh? It pivots on that bolt, or you screw that bolt out to separate the barrel from the receiver.
Click to expand...



My remington 1893 no 9 has the barrel pin on it just like yours. but it is on the other side of the reciever. It may very well be a iver johnson, my dads first gun was a 30'' barrel iver johnson single shot.
 
I've found out that this thing is a Davenport Columbia Ejector. There's one for sale over at Gunbroker. Anyone know anything about this model?
 
Parris, I knew I'd seen that old thing before. I have one back in my junk corner. Barrel has the Davenport marking, patent dates of 1894 and 1898, and Model 1865. Best thing I can say is hang it on the wall and don't shoot it. Here endeth the epistle. Goat
 
I wouldn't shoot this one because it's actually in excellent shape, and it was my Grandpa's and I wouldn't dare want to damage it. There's no telling when was the last time this thing was shot.

But, I'd sure like to find another one like it to shoot. The way I see it is heck, if I blow up someone elses Grandpa's shotgun I don't care. Just not my Grandpa's.........;)
 
Here's what I've found: Flaydermans Guide 6Th Edition, page 619

Davenport Firearms Co. Providence,Rhode Island and Norwich , Connecticut. Cira 1880-1900. The founder, William H. Davenport, held a great many patents on breech-loading firearms. The company apparently devoted its energys almost exclusively to single barrel shotguns of very inexpensive grades, making them under both house and brand names.

Standard Catalog of Firearms 5th edition

page 238

Davenport Firearms Co. Norwich, Connecticut. Single barrel shotgun, A 10,12,16, or 20 gauge side hammer single barrel shotgun with 26" to 36" barrels nd extractors. Blued, case hardened with a walnut stock. Manufactured from aproximately 1880 to 1915.

I think the note about side hammer is a miss print and should have read single hammer. I hope this will help you.
 
od guns

most of those old singles were very inexpensive guns. I have one "virginia arms co richmond VA".guess would be $2/3 new.the south is loaded with them.what is most interesting is who got the company in the end.win/sav/marlin got a lot of them.:rolleyes:
 
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