Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle - The Firearms Forum

labs · 11-08-2012, 07:35 PM

just picked up a Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle 22 cal.Only other marks on rifle is Belknap Hardware,and 22 short,long,long rifle on bottom of barrel.The gun is missing the clip.Any info on this gun would be great. Thanks

Jim K · 11-08-2012, 08:16 PM

AFAIK all the Belknap guns were made by Savage and are less expensive versions of Savage rifles. Without a Belknap model number or pictures, it is impossible to determine the Savage model, or whether magazines are available.

Jim

RJay · 11-08-2012, 08:23 PM

The easy answer is , Nitro Hunter was a trade name used on firearms the H&D Folsom used on firearms furnished to Belknap Hardware. Folsom had their own in house gun company, Crescent firearms Co. Which manufactured firearms for Folsom's distribution. H&D Folsom was in business from the late 1800s untill the 1930's. However I have never seen any information that Crescent ever made a automatic 22 rifle in their shops ( but then again there are a lot of things I haven't seen ). Now, here's an interresting thought, Crescent Firearms Company was purchased by Stevens around 1930. For about 10 years Crescent stayed in business and then faded out at the start of WWII, during those 10 years they still furnished Trade name firearms to their previous customers and if they didn't have exactly what their customers wanted , then Stevens did, in fact , at the end of Crescent's business life , all of their guns were made on Stevens machinery. I believe you have a a model of Steven's/Savage rifle. Could be wrong and way off the mark, but then again maybe I'm right? Other input??

labs · 11-09-2012, 06:29 AM

Thanks for the help.I will try to load some pics.

steve99f · 11-09-2012, 07:49 AM

labs,

That isn't a semi automatic rifle. It's a Savage Model 1903 or 1909 slide action (pump) rifle. I think.

Is it really maked as a Nitro Hunter? Can you post a picture of this marking and a overall picture to include the entire rifle?

steve99f · 11-09-2012, 07:52 AM

I think it is actually a Febiger rifle, not Savage. They infringed on the Savage patents for the Savage 1912 model and the 1903 I believe and were shutdown eventually.

Jim K · 11-09-2012, 12:36 PM

I misspoke in a previous post, so this is edited.

At least one Febiger model could be used as either a pump or a semi-auto, but I don't think that is one of them. Further, I didn't think Baker made enough Febiger guns to interest a large volume chain like Belknap. I think that gun is a Savage. There is more info in a previous thread here;

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=74156

Jim

labs · 11-09-2012, 04:45 PM

Thanks for the help guys.I will post pics of the markings.It is a real challenge to find a clip

labs · 11-09-2012, 05:12 PM

new pics.Sorry you cant read markings.But it says what i posted.Peep sight says Pacific Sights SF calif.

steve99f · 11-09-2012, 05:42 PM

Definitely not Savage. The magazine well isn't long enough to be a Model 1903 or 1909. The dead give-away though is the squared off rear on the receiver. No Savage, either the 1903's or the Model 1912 semi, looked like that but the Febiger's did.

JimK , there are some Febiger's housebranded. Sav22 has covered this maker in depth in other forums.

labs, you will search long and hard to find a magazine for that. At least the Savage magazines turn up from time to time.

steve99f · 11-09-2012, 07:14 PM

On RFC in the Open rimfire board, the is a thread titled o"ldest semi auto's" or something like that in the top 10 or 15 threads. Timing is everything. Picture is posted showing this Nitro Hunter Febiger.

labs, take a look. You should be able to identify your rifle.

labs · 11-10-2012, 07:53 AM

Thanks for the help

Sav22 · 11-12-2012, 09:17 PM

The Nitro-Hunter was made by the Baker Gun & Forge of Batavia, New York. It uses a modified receiver that was originaly made under a contract with Febiger Arms Company of New Orleans; a contract that fell through because of problems with the gun which left Baker stuck with a bunch of partially finished parts for guns that didn't work very well. Baker found a way to modify them to make a more workable rifle. I think Baker would have gladly made rifles for anyone that would buy them to try and use up the parts and get back some of their money that was investment in time and equipment for the Febiger contract.

An original Febiger magazine will not fit in the later, modified guns, without being modified - if you find one that will not fit right do not try to modify it, I would gladly trade one that will fit for it. I have a nice Febiger that has a later type magazine with it as noted in this picture.

11-08-2012, 07:35 PM	#1
labs Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 5	Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle just picked up a Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle 22 cal.Only other marks on rifle is Belknap Hardware,and 22 short,long,long rifle on bottom of barrel.The gun is missing the clip.Any info on this gun would be great. Thanks -->

11-08-2012, 08:16 PM	#2
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle AFAIK all the Belknap guns were made by Savage and are less expensive versions of Savage rifles. Without a Belknap model number or pictures, it is impossible to determine the Savage model, or whether magazines are available. Jim

11-08-2012, 08:23 PM	#3
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,504	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle The easy answer is , Nitro Hunter was a trade name used on firearms the H&D Folsom used on firearms furnished to Belknap Hardware. Folsom had their own in house gun company, Crescent firearms Co. Which manufactured firearms for Folsom's distribution. H&D Folsom was in business from the late 1800s untill the 1930's. However I have never seen any information that Crescent ever made a automatic 22 rifle in their shops ( but then again there are a lot of things I haven't seen ). Now, here's an interresting thought, Crescent Firearms Company was purchased by Stevens around 1930. For about 10 years Crescent stayed in business and then faded out at the start of WWII, during those 10 years they still furnished Trade name firearms to their previous customers and if they didn't have exactly what their customers wanted , then Stevens did, in fact , at the end of Crescent's business life , all of their guns were made on Stevens machinery. I believe you have a a model of Steven's/Savage rifle. Could be wrong and way off the mark, but then again maybe I'm right? Other input?? __________________ RonJames

11-09-2012, 06:29 AM	#4
labs Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle Thanks for the help.I will try to load some pics. Attached Images

11-09-2012, 07:49 AM	#5
steve99f V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 274	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle labs, That isn't a semi automatic rifle. It's a Savage Model 1903 or 1909 slide action (pump) rifle. I think. Is it really maked as a Nitro Hunter? Can you post a picture of this marking and a overall picture to include the entire rifle?

11-09-2012, 07:52 AM	#6
steve99f V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 274	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle I think it is actually a Febiger rifle, not Savage. They infringed on the Savage patents for the Savage 1912 model and the 1903 I believe and were shutdown eventually.

11-09-2012, 12:36 PM	#7
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle I misspoke in a previous post, so this is edited. At least one Febiger model could be used as either a pump or a semi-auto, but I don't think that is one of them. Further, I didn't think Baker made enough Febiger guns to interest a large volume chain like Belknap. I think that gun is a Savage. There is more info in a previous thread here; http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=74156 Jim Last edited by Jim K; 11-09-2012 at 12:41 PM..

11-09-2012, 04:45 PM	#8
labs Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle Thanks for the help guys.I will post pics of the markings.It is a real challenge to find a clip

11-09-2012, 05:12 PM	#9
labs Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle new pics.Sorry you cant read markings.But it says what i posted.Peep sight says Pacific Sights SF calif. Attached Images

11-09-2012, 05:42 PM	#10
steve99f V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 274	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle Definitely not Savage. The magazine well isn't long enough to be a Model 1903 or 1909. The dead give-away though is the squared off rear on the receiver. No Savage, either the 1903's or the Model 1912 semi, looked like that but the Febiger's did. JimK , there are some Febiger's housebranded. Sav22 has covered this maker in depth in other forums. labs, you will search long and hard to find a magazine for that. At least the Savage magazines turn up from time to time.

11-09-2012, 07:14 PM	#11
steve99f V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 274	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle On RFC in the Open rimfire board, the is a thread titled o"ldest semi auto's" or something like that in the top 10 or 15 threads. Timing is everything. Picture is posted showing this Nitro Hunter Febiger. labs, take a look. You should be able to identify your rifle.

11-10-2012, 07:53 AM	#12
labs Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle Thanks for the help

11-12-2012, 09:17 PM	#13
Sav22 Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7	Re: Nitro Hunter Automatic Rifle The Nitro-Hunter was made by the Baker Gun & Forge of Batavia, New York. It uses a modified receiver that was originaly made under a contract with Febiger Arms Company of New Orleans; a contract that fell through because of problems with the gun which left Baker stuck with a bunch of partially finished parts for guns that didn't work very well. Baker found a way to modify them to make a more workable rifle. I think Baker would have gladly made rifles for anyone that would buy them to try and use up the parts and get back some of their money that was investment in time and equipment for the Febiger contract. An original Febiger magazine will not fit in the later, modified guns, without being modified - if you find one that will not fit right do not try to modify it, I would gladly trade one that will fit for it. I have a nice Febiger that has a later type magazine with it as noted in this picture. Attached Images