Who in the world made this shotgun?

[Z28931]

This shotgun belongs to an older friend of mine. He says that his father in law kept it at his lake house for 40 years or more. It's a single shot 12 gauge and it is stamped " new white powder wonder". I know that the hammer moves freely so I'm assuming that it needs a spring. Anyone know where to find one? Anyone know what the heck this gun is and who made it?

 

[Seanpcola]

http://www.ask.com/question/white-powder-wonder-shotgun

Found a lot of info with Googlem

 

[Emcm2]

It was made by a company call holland and homeland of london I would check numrich for parts or eBay

 

[Emcm2]

Ok I lied lol numrich has no listing for the company I went and checked sry

 

[donr101395]

Looks like they were made by four different companies and sold by Sears.

Your New White Powder Wonder is a "Trade Brand Name" shotgun. A "Trade Brand Name" shotgun is one that was made by a major maker (and before 1940) for and was sold by a wholesale sporting goods dealer, a retail chain store or an independent retailer who chose the name to go on the gun. Guns with the name WHITE POWDER WONDER were made by one of four makers, Crescent Fire Arms Company of Norwich, CT (1892 to 1931) and made before 1919, W.H. Davenport Arms Company also of Norwich,CT (1878 to 1910), Meridian Fire Arms Company of Meridian,CT (1905 to 1910) or Stevens Arms & Tool Company of Chicopee Falls,MA (1874 to date). The guns were made for and sold by Sears Roebuck & Company of Chicago,IL. To tell the maker on at least two of the guns-Crescent made guns will have the serial number stamped on the lower tang just behind the trigger guard, Stevens made gun can be identified by the shape of the butt stock where it joins the receiver. The butt stock will have a semi circular projection in the wood the fits into corresponding cut outs in the receiver. The serial number on the Crescent made gun can be used to determine the year made. Parts for a gun made over 70 years ago are going to be a problem. All makers except Stevens are out of business. You can try Gun Parts Inc (www.gunpartsinc.com), Popperts Gun Parts (www.popperts) or look on the various gun auction sites like Gun Broker for parts and parts guns. Value? Everyone wants to know. These old guns were inexpensive even when new selling for between $10 to $15 and have not appreciated that much since. Value today depends on the guns condition, the amount of original finish remaining on the metal and wood as well as the mechanical condition. A prime condition example that appears to have come out of the factory yesterday afternoon might bring as much as $125 while a rusty rotten incomplete piece of junk fit only for parts salvage or as a fire place poker might bring as little as $10. Most I have seen sold on the various gun auction sites have sold for between $50 and $75.

http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=544698

 

[Z28931]

Thanks for the responses. The value doesn't mean anything. I offered my buddy $125 for it just to hang it up on the wall and he said no. I think he wants it to shoot again.

 

[donr101395]

Thanks for the responses. The value doesn't mean anything. I offered my buddy $125 for it just to hang it up on the wall and he said no. I think he wants it to shoot again.

I'd be careful with that because I'm not sure if they were made with damascus barrels, but given the age I would just about bet on them being damascus.

 

[Z28931]

The barrel doesn't have any blueing on it but it's strange that it doesn't have any rust. I guess it doesn't matter what it's made of as it's not mine. I'm just " in charge" of getting the hammer to work.

 

[Seanpcola]

Probably a real good idea to have a gunsmith (JJ?) look it over before firing it the first time.

 

[donr101395]

I would at least bring it up to him because the damascus barrels won't handle the pressures of modern loads and were known to have small cracks that will cause them to grenade in the shooters face.

 

[Z28931]

Once again.... It's not my gun! I'm not firing anything. I'm simply looking for info and a place to find a spring so that I can relay the information to the owner.

 

[Seanpcola]

Once again.... It's not my gun! I'm not firing anything. I'm simply looking for info and a place to find a spring so that I can relay the information to the owner.

We weren't doubting you Z. Everyone just puts safety first on here. Welcome to the forum. We all want to have fun and see no one get hurt. Old guns are awesome but I don't even trust brand new shooters out of the box. Like was mentioned about Damascus steel (I'm no.expert), some of that old stuff can let loose at the wrong time.

 

[rockb]

If you assist (find the spring) and he does fire it and it does grenade I am sure that there is a lawyer somewhere that will take that case on a contingency basis. It is a shame but these days you have to think about your exposure to a liability lawsuit.

He may be your best buddy from childhood and would never think of taking you to court for dam ages but what about his wife, kids,...?

 

[Snow Bird]

I wouldn,t fire it eather and I am just looking for information and am not trying to get a fight started( far be it from me). But all the damascus barrels I ever saw had that written on the darrel or you could pretty much tell by looking at them, Is this true or not.

An old 12 gauge sawed off SHORT comes to mind that I saw years ago had real cute swirleys in it. Elmer

 

[Seanpcola]

What's that crap supposed to mean Snow!:smash:


Just kidding.:laugh:




Donr and I didn't mean to sound harsh. Us older farts are just cautious. Been hurt too many times doing dumb stuff. Plus, having grandkids who think they're bulletproof and love anything mobile or loud tends to keep me on danger alert.

 

[Snow Bird]

I know Sean, This really is SAFTEY FIRST on old guns. Can't be to careful on something made in the 1800 hundreds. Tell you the truth I wouldn,t shoot it with black powder loads myself. Lock the hammer up and put it on the wall.

 

[Z28931]

I don't see any markings on the barrel. I just want to find the spring for him since he is 60 and doesn't know how to operate a computer. He would be the one replacing it, not me.

 

[Seanpcola]

Unless yu actually can track a part number I would tell your friend to take it to someone like JJ. He can look at it and tell which spring it takes plus he probably has one to fit. Also JJ could make a determination of structural integrity, if he says no shoot then leave it inoperable and hang it. Would look neat put back together.

 

[oneshot]

# 1 does need a coil spring or a flat spring , would say a coil spring, most of the time you can tell if is a
dasc. made barrel, some are hard to tell, you probably will not find a spring ready to go in it, one will have to made, cut to work, will have to determined the ID to fit the push rod if is use's a coil spring You can't do this on the computer. Just my 2 cents jj