these shotguns featured external hammers and were manufactured primarily by remington arms, ithaca, colt's manufacturing company, parker, l.c. smith, and several belgian makers. contrary to myth, wells fargo shotguns were not purchased by local agents; prior to 1900 they were purchased from san francisco gun dealers because wells fargo's headquarters were located in san francisco. from 1908 to 1918 all wells fargo shotguns were made by ithaca.