A friend of mine is looking to buy a 20 gauge Single Barrel Shotgun with the name "Whippet". As far as I now about this particular shotgun, it was made by The Folsom Arms Company, but that is all I know. Anyone know any additional info. on this brand of shotgun or where one might find one in reasonable good shooting shape? <Thanks>

David:

Folsom Arms Company was a New York gun dealer. The company made no guns but owned Crescent Arms Company located in Connecticut. It operated until about 1930 under its own name and went of business (after a couple of corporate purchases) in the mid 1950s. I'm 76 and the company in its prime was before my time but quite frankly, if the shotgun is to shoot, I would tell your friend to skip it. If it is for a collector's piece, then the experts can better advise you. ( Personally I doubt that the shotgun is a "find". Folsom never dealt in high grade shotguns and if the shotgun were given to me for free I would ask a gunsmith to check it out before shooting it. (I Googled Folsom to refresh my recollection and, not to my surprise, found that it dealt in shotguns from Belgium that tried to give the impression of London proof marks)

Gerrys375, Thanks much for the information, which I'll convey to my friend.