The Sportsman Cleveland 12 Gauge

[coosa]

I have a double barrel 12 gauge that has "The Sportsman" on the left side of the receiver, underneath that it has Cleveland. There are no other markings on the gun other than the serial number. Does anyone know anything about the maker or age of the gun? It is hammerless.
Thanks.

[Kodiak32]

I'll see if I can find anything on it.

Ok,

1) SPORTSMAN Tradename used by W. Bingham Company of Cleveland, Ohio on shotguns made by Crescent Fire Arms Company.

Crescent made several models of hammerless shotguns.Merged with NR DAVIS & SONS in 1929, renamed CRESCENT - DAVIS.

2)SPORTSMAN Tradename used by J. Stevens Arms Company on Model 315 and Model 90 shotguns.


Both companies were bought out by Savage, Stevens around 1921, Cresent-Davis around 1930.

Leaning towards Crescent, due to the lack of markings and the "Cleveland" stamping. Check out online auctions and see if either of the Stevens models looks like yours.

[coosa]

Thanks again Kodiak. It looks like a Crescent sidelock. I sent it to Gunstocks Inc. maybe they can be sure about it. It will be cheaper if it is a Crescent than having a stock made for it for sure.
Are you a gunsmith?

I just found a complete list of guns made by Crescent and Sportsman is listed on it. Thanks for the help.

[Kodiak32]

Glad to be of help Coosa.

No I'm not a gunsmith, just spent countless hours researching off the beaten trail type of firearms, I have a few myself.

The oddest is a Thomas Moxham Indian Chiefs Musket, spent weeks on that one and found very little information . Still trying too find out more about it other than the basic line "used to sweeten treaty deals".

[coosa]

Hi Kodiak32
You might have found this tidbit already but in case you didn't here it is, from a museum.

The gun shown in the illustration required

conservation treatment, including stabilization

and cleaning. It was thought by the

owners simply to be a trade musket of

British manufacture, andlittle else of histokal

value was discernible. The conversion of the

weapon from flintlock to caplock indicated

that it had been valued sufficiently by its

owner to continue in use long after its style

was outmoded. During treatment heavy layers

of corrosion were removed from the steel

barrel, revealing the stamps of the English

ordnance department and the crown of

King George IV. Above them was a fox in a

circle, the mark of the North West Tradin

Company which came into being after the

war of 1812. The barrel also had ‘London’

stamped on it. The lock, when also cleaned

of corrosion, showed the maker’s name,

Moxham. Thomas Moxham was a Birmingham

gunsmith who lived from 1762 to 1837.

On the left side of the stock, stamped into

the wood, were the initials ‘T.C.’T.h ese

were probably the mark of the maker of the

stock and possibly the person who assembled

the gun in Moxham’s workshop. The

symbol of a boar in a circle, also stamped on

the lock, appeared on all guns presented to

Indian chiefs in North America. Furthermore,

a blackened plaque on the stock

proved to be a silver cartouche bearing the

bust of an Indian chief. The foresight also

proved to be of silver. All these features

taken together indicated that the weapon

was a presentation gun, rather than one

made simply for trade. The process of

conservation treatment therefore enhanced

considerably the curatorial information on

the object, and increased its historical value.

[Kodiak32]

Thanks Coosa!

Any information I find on that thing puts me a step ahead. I did find one that looked almost indentical in the Lundy Lane Museum in Canada. I contacted the curator of the musuem and he sounded like he was interested in helping research it, but nothing since.

The description of what you posted sounds indentical too mine, it has the silver inlayed indian bust, boar in a circle and even the conversion. The only thing missing is the fox in a circle, it may be on there I'll have too double check.

The musket has been in the family since at least 1920, thats when my grandmothers uncle gave it to my grandfather. It spent most of it's time in a closest and brought out by my grandfather from time to time as conversation piece. The over condition is good, the brass and silver are in good shape and the stock looks great. It even has the original ramrod. It's looks better than the last russian capture mauser I bought.

I have no idea where it actually came from, I'm sure my grandfather told me but I was too young then. Just a few miles from my house, Miami Chief Richardville built a Council house at the Forks of the Wabash around 1834, his sucessor Chief Lafontaine lived at the house. Many treaties were said too be signed at that location. It may have belonged too one of them, but who knows. My grandmothers side of the family have lived in this area since the 1840's.

The Council house is still standing and now a museum, I might check and see if they would like too display it for awhile. I talked too someone about it a year ago and they were very interested.

Sorry we got off topic folks, but thats how it works on the information exchange.

Thanks again Coosa, the more information the better..