Davenport 12ga falling block

[Scoutdog99]

I have an old WH Davenport falling block shotgun I’m trying to find some information on as well as what a particular missing part may look like.

I’ve found minimal (and conflicting) information about the company itself– seems to have been in business from 1880 to 1910 or thereabouts. I have found zero information about their falling block shotgun other than the patent on the gun noted below. I don’t even know the model number (or if it had one) nor the dates of production for the falling block model.

On the barrel it says The WH Davenport Fire Arms Co. Norwich’ Conn. U.S.A. Patented Dec 15, 1891. The only other markings are a number located on the breech face, lever arm, and barrel lug.

The gun is missing some type of linkage from the hammer to the mainspring (which is actually located forward in the breech).

I was able to find the patent referenced on the barrel (patent 465354 dated December 15, 1891), but unfortunately the drawings associated with the patent are missing. The patent describes the missing linkage as follows:
“To the right side of the hammer is jointed a connection, its forward end portion being enlarged and cylindrical and fitting an inclined hole formed in the lower portion of the breech-frame and to one side and in advance of the breech-block. The outer end of the connection is still further enlarged to serve as a follower and fitted to move longitudinally in a hole forming a continuation of that just referred to. The outer or front end of the hole screw-threaded and provided with a fine threaded screw or plug. Within the hole or chamber thus produced is located the mainspring, bearing against the adjacent faces of said plug and follower.”

Does anyone have any idea what the missing linkage (or connection as referenced above) looks like or have a picture they could share? I fabricated a simple prototype bending some bar stock and was able to get the action functioning correctly. I’m not sure of the durability of my band aid approach and would like to fabricate something similar to the exact missing part. I’ve tried asking the same thing on a couple of other forums and have struck out so far.

[elk hunter]

PM to you.

[Jedman]

Your in luck as I do have a picture of what the link ( plunger rod ) looks like. I have the same gun and I converted it to a 357 Maximum rifle.
The plunger rod # 26 in the photo is about .150 dia. round rod with a 90 degree bend where it fits in to the hole in the trigger and has a slight bend to align it with the hole in the frame where the plunger plug and main spring are. I think you could make one from drillrod either 1/8 or 3/16 and get it to work. Mine was missing the plunger and the spring when I got it. The length of the rod would be just to where the hammer nose would rest just a slight amount off of the firing pin tip in the half cock position and the other end of the rod against the plunger plug with tension on the spring.
This arrangement is how they made the hammer rebound to the half cock position and you can open the action to reload without setting the hammer at half cock.
The photos I copied are from Frank de Hass book of single shot rifles and actions. The photo is of a rimfire rifle but your shotgun is almost the same in most ways.
Hope this helps and you get it to work. It is very similar to the Hopkin Allen falling block shotgun except for the mainspring being a coiled spring and the plunger and rod design. I have a couple of pics of my rifle without the stock and forend as I have them ready to refinish as soon as good weather permits . On mine I milled a solid block of 4140 to fit the frame and my rifle barrel is threaded into the block and cross pinned to the frame with 2 taper pins. the brazed underlug is the weakest part of the Davenport action. It worked fine for the rimfires but for shotguns it is not very solid. If you shoot this gun use as low powered of shotshells as you can find as I believe it was designed for black powder shotshells.

Jedman

[Scoutdog99]

Thanks for the help from both of you. I've got an idea to work on now.