Help with shotgun

[Big Rack]

I own a American Gun Co. sxs shotgun I understand this was actually manufactured by Crescent Arms.
This is a hammered model with serial no. 1849** any idea when it was built?
It seems to have two piece firing pins and the right side front pin is missing or broken. From the looks of it all I need to do to get into it is to unscrew the slotted firing pin "bolster".
At the bottom of these is some knurling, could any one cofirm that these bolsters just unscrew? By bolster what I mean is a hollow tube with a slot cut across it sticking out of the receiver with the rear part of the firing pin sticking out of it.
This shotgun has fluid steel barrels and is very tight and besides their's just something about rabbit ears!

[flydoc]

Records did not survive a fire at the manufacturer but from what I could find, your serial number is probably in the 1917 year. Crescent made them for H.D Folsom stores, and many Crescent shotguns were sold under various store names. I think Savage bought Crescent in 1930 or thereabout. The "bolster" that houses the firing pin unscrews like you surmised.

[John Taylor]

A machine shop could make a new pin or you could try here http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/Crescent-33192/OutsideHammer-35852.htm . The retainers screw out.

[Big Rack]

I was concerned about the bolster just unscrewing thanks for the info. About 20 25 years ago at a gunshow I ran into a guy with several Davis hammerless shotguns which he had "restored" I think he was actually practicing. Each one was CCH'd and blued with the wood refinished and I guess they just stuck in my mind. I think Davis is just another trade name for Crescent / Folsom this one is just so nice and I just can't resist stroking the rabbit ears.

[Ragnarok]

I have got parts for Crescent side hammer 12ga guns at GunParts Corp...The parts will be used..and you might just order two of whatever you need in case one is no good...

[pietro]

.

FWIW, I would never advise firing it with anything other than low-pressure loads (RST, PolyWad, Kent Crg, etc), and certainly not ANY modern shotshells (Including "target" & "field" loads) - and then only if the gun was OK'd by a SxS-qualified gunsmith (not some Rem 870 parts-changer) as being safe to fire at all.

The reason is that in 1926, all the shotshell makers upgraded their shotshell powders/loads to a higher-pressure than earlier - which, in fact, caused many shotgun makers to discontinue their current guns in favor of guns that would readily accept the newer ammo w/o damage.
(Ithaca, for instance, dropped their Flues Model SxS in favor of the N.I.D./New Ithaca Double)


.

[Cactus Farmer]

I shoot "old" model SxS guns all the time. And yes, I have all my fingers. Two issues to deal with, 1. Chambers are short,ie, they are for old style rolled crimps and the modern ammo is much longer and the chamber needs to be lengthened. 2. While making the chamber deeper, do a "forcing cone" job and kill the recoil and pressures. Black powder is a viable option too. Smokeless powder shows BP nothing as to performance. It just smokes less. Some smokeless powders can be loaded to much lower pressures. I shoot Damascus barreled doubles and as long as they are good brands and look sound I ream and shoot away. Even heavy duck/goose/crane loads are no problem.