A shotgun from my father

[august1410]

I never knew my father. He was not married to my mother and skipped out after my brother and I were born. He was a pathological liar and a low-rent thief. He fathered nine children with multiple women.

I have recently come into contact with siblings. We have begun to know each other as family, and it's a slow process.

This year, as a Christmas present, my sister Nikki presented me with the remnants of an old shotgun. It's the receiver and double damascus barrels. No wood is present at all. The triggers don't work, and the lock is pretty much shot.

It belonged to my birth father and his father before him.

It's a Batavia Leader, made by the Baker Gun Company in Batavia New York.


I'm not going to restore it. I'm going to keep it as it is.

 

[Demoneyes86]

pics? It's nice to have family though, weather you are just now getting to know them or have known a long time. I have a small family i would love to meet more people that i didn't know about. Better late then never sorry about the lack of a father though i grew up without mine as well.

 

[boss66tcode]

Keeping it as is may be best. Its not what you start out with but how you end up. Its a show of character to grow past the examples (or lack thereof) and be a family guy.

thanks for sharing the story. Shotguns with stories rule.

 

[fivepointstar]

did you go through an FFL??? you know all interstate transfers have to go through an FFL .......j/k

very nice gesture!!! I'm sure it was nice to meet your sisters.

 

[Cochise]

Once upon a time that was a nice gun. The Bakers are twisted into the history of both Ithaca and The LC Smith.
A classic American double.

 

[Cochise]

Thought you might enjoy this http://www.bakercollectors.com/ everything you want to know....

 

[august1410]

Thought you might enjoy this http://www.bakercollectors.com/ everything you want to know....

Excellent! It dates my gun from 1909 -1916.

 

[Cochise]

thats on the late end for Damascus but still possible

 

[mikec]

I would love to find an address for that company. We drive through Batavia when we go home. I wonder what is there now?

I hope getting to know the siblings helps.

 

[blackthorne]

thats on the late end for Damascus but still possible

Bear in mind that fluid steel bbls were somewhat new back then. A lot of shooters didn't like them or were simply slow to accept them. So for quite some time, companies still offered damascus in order to satisfy that customer base. There were even steel bbls etched to look like damascus for the same reason. They were often stamped "Damascus Like Steel".

Bakers were high up on the food chain at one time.

 

[august1410]

Some pics.

 

[clandestine]

They can be found on gun auction sites from $200-$500. I would find another specimen and use what necessary from the auctioned gun to make your fathers gun whole.

 

[august1410]

They can be found on gun auction sites from $200-$500. I would find another specimen and use what necessary from the auctioned gun to make your fathers gun whole.

I can get a repro stock and forend for $150. Gonna go that route and use it as a wall hanger.