columbia 12 guage

[kodis97]

hello
just wondering if anyone had any info about a Columbia 12 guage shotgun.
i bought it recently and i dont know anything about it, i cant even find anything online about it. thanks!!!

[WmRoy]

Welcome Aboard! Do you have any pictures? How about a model number?

[kodis97]

i dont have a pic available at this time i am in georgia and my father has it in south carolina.
the only thing on there is columbia and someone scratched 1904 and their initials on it.
do you have any idea who manufactured columbia or when columbia was around?

[CoorsLightGuy]

I did some fast Google searches and no luck. I'll try again later today and see if I can find anything. Shotguns are one of those items that have seen a LOT of manufacturers come and go over the years. Back in the good old days, everyone under the sun sold "store brand" shotguns. I may have found a source for you that might have the info you need. I made it bold below.

For example:

Crescent made shotguns for many, many companies under many names. Once amalgamated with H.∓D. Folsom, the list exploded. [The following is an excerpt from my recently published The Shotgun Encyclopedia[d] (2000, Safari Press) that may help identify an heirloom.] H.∓D Folsom was located at 312-14 Broadway, New York, N.Y., and imported and distributed firearms from about 1890 to 1930. At some point they merged with Crescent-Davis, and were finally sold in 1954 to Universal Tackle and Sporting Goods Co. Far from complete, the following list includes brand and trade names of Crescent-made and Folsom-imported shotguns:

American Gun Co., Bacon Arms, Baker Gun Co., T. Barker (for Sears), Carolina Arms Co., Central Arms Co., Cherokee Arms Co., Chesapeake Gun Co., Compeer, Cruso, Cumberland Arms Co., Elgin Arms Co., Elmira Arms Co., Empire Arms Co., Enders Oak Leaf, Enders Royal Service, Essex, Faultless, The Field, F.F. Forbes, C.W. Franklin, Harrison Arms Co., Hartford Arms Co., Harvard, Henry Gun Co., Hermitage Arms Co., Hermitage Gun Co., Howard Arms Co., Hummer, Interstate Arms Co., Jackson Arms Co., Kingsland Special, Kingsland 10 Star, Knickerbocker, Knox-All, Lakeside, J. H. Lau ∓ Co., Leader Gun Co., Lee Special, Lee's Munner Special, Leige Arms Co., J. Manton ∓ Co., Marshwood, Massachusetts Arms Co., Metropolitan, Minnesota Arms Co., Mississippi Valley Arms Co., Mohawk, Monitor, Wm. Moore and Co., Mt. Vernon Arms Co., National Arms Co., New Rival, New York Arms Co., Nitro Bird, Nitro Hunter, Norwich Arms Co., Not-Nac Manufacturing Co., Oxford Arms Co., C. Parker ∓ Co., Peerless, Perfection, Piedmont, Pioneer Arms Co., Quail, Queen City, Rev-O-Noc, W. Richards (not related to the British gunmaker Westley Richards), Richter, Rickard Arms Co., Royal Service, Rummel, Shue's Special, Sickel's Arms Co., Southern Arms Co., Special Service, Spencer Gun Co. Sportsmen, Springfield Arms Co., Square Deal, Stanley, State Arms, H. J. Sterling, St. Louis Arms Co., Sullivan Arms Co., Ten Star, Ten Star Heavy Duty, Tiger, Triumph, U.S. Arms Co., Victor, Victor Special, Virginia Arms Co., Volunteer, Vulcan Arms Co., Warren Arms Co., Wilkinson Arms Co., Wilmont Arms Co., Wilshire Arms Co., Wiltshire Arms Co., Winfield Arms Co., Winoca Arms Co., Wolverine, and Worthington Arms Co.

Most of these were store-brand shotguns, all of the same style, and no repair parts exist for these guns. Certainly a skilled gunsmith can make parts, but given that none of these guns can be considered valuable, the cost is hardly worth it. This is not to say that Grandpa s Nitro Hunter doesn't have great sentimental value, but in dollars and cents to a collector or even someone manning a table at a gun show, of little value. Certainly, it might be fun to try to collect some of these shotgun, say those from one particular hardware company, but they just don't rank with the big names in value.

[Rockman]

My Dad had an old Crescent Arms he bought after he got out of the service and still has a well worn Springfield, both 12 ga. and both single shot as well. I have never heard of Columbia, but will try to help in the search though.

[CoorsLightGuy]

I found this.........

Variations of this name were used on single shot shotguns by several makers.

Columbia - W. H. Davenport Arms Co. 1891-1910

Columbia Arms Co - Trademark owned by Henry Keidel & Co. Baltimore, Md. 1866-1978

Columbia Ejector - W. H. Davenport Arms Co.

Columbia Single - Harrington & Richardson Arms Co 1872-1985

Columbia Single - W. H. Davenport Arms Co. (will have company name marked on upper and lower tangs)

Columbia Single - Hopkins & Allen Arms Co. 1868-1898

The one with the August 11, 1896 patent date is definitely a Davenport. If you have an external side hammer, it was probably made from the 1880's to about 1910. If it is hammerless or the hammer is centered in the action, most likely after 1900 and as late as WWII.

[CoorsLightGuy]

I almost forgot........I read somewhere else that a gunsmith told a guy who had a Columbia shotgun that some of them were made by Stevens.

[kodis97]

hello all
i think i found it
it is possibly a columbia made by Crescent Arms .
i would just like to know more ya know?
thanks ya all!
keep the info coming

[CoorsLightGuy]

I'm just wondering.........If so many companies made a shotgun using the name Columbia, how in the world would you know for sure which one you had? Especially considering how hard information is to find on this.

[WmRoy]

Originally Posted by CoorsLightGuy

I'm just wondering.........If so many companies made a shotgun using the name Columbia, how in the world would you know for sure which one you had? Especially considering how hard information is to find on this.

A very valid point...........