Back in the very early 80's I bought a savage 775, had 2 barrels long and short, and a original stock and a homemade pistol grip. I took it home and shot it in all Configurations, and being the young buck I was ended up leaving it in the pistol grip/ short barrel setup. That (Boom Stick) rode in the back window of my truck and followed me everywhere.
What it was to be young and naive, was pulled over by many police for many different reasons and none even asked about it...as I found out many years later, a 17 inch barrel is a big no no...big fine/prison time.
I had lost track of the long barrel and stock thru the many moves in my younger days so I just hid it and forgot about it for a couple of decades.
I found it about 8 years ago in a large rubbermaid trash can that I stored old and long tools I rarely... if ever would use. Kinda rusted a little but not bad. Cleaned and oiled her up, took her out on the boat and proceeded to run 10 rounds of slugs into the water. Needless to say...she still shot good, but me not being the fierce young warrior any more...my teeth hurt, gums were bleeding, both elbows and the left wrist were throbbing, lost my favorite hat. I turn around and the wife is screaming at me about something but I can't hear her. She later tells me that I had the biggest smile, biggest eyes, blood running down my lip and fire came out of the barrel about a foot...she liked it, and me
Brought it home, hid it, and began scavenging parts from ebay to bring her back to life. Over the years I found a long barrel with a polychoke. Bent but useable, 50 bucks, a stock from a 1100 for 40 bucks, I liked the grip on the 1100 and was sure I could modify it to work(decided that if browning could make a ugly humpback...so could I) , eventually found a poly choke base that I could solder on and make my 17 inch barrel legal again, limbsaver pad for the stock (some of you might have seen that thread, still smell burnt rubber) Long story shor
t... WALAA... my illegal boomstick is now legal and whole again after 40 years.
Yes, from the day I bought it it had a scope mount on it, looks like it was a factory install, I took it off right away and polished the aluminum when I got it, so I had to recreate with old scope mounts and rings what it might look like. Aside from mounting a removable strap for hunting, she's at home and not hiding anymore.