Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
The Cherokee was packed with two 870s and some empty hulls. I stepped into the clubhouse at PGC to utilize the facilities before leaving when I was hailed by an acquaintance. He held a much used A-5 and asked me if I thought it was worth restoring. It had been his Dad's, and he had inherited it shortly before. Looking it over, I noted the worn finish, a crack in the wood behind the receiver and another in the forearm. I told him the truth. "It's up to you"....
The world's full of used shotguns. Some are domestic models, others from foreign lands. Few have any record of where they've been or what they've done or had done to them. Some are treasures, and some are just plain trash when built or too far gone to restore for less than the weapon's worth.
And the most malicious are those that are just not quite right. Here's a tale....
Homeguy ran into a garage sale some years ago where an elderly couple were selling off the stuff they weren't taking to Florida to a retirement ghetto. He got a good price on a gun rack made of real wood,when he asked if there were any guns the pair were selling. The oldsters escorted him inside and showed him a SxS the man had dufflebagged back from Europe in 1945.
T'was a fine double of obvious quality but unknown maker. A 16 gauge, it had 30" barrels and a Germanic stocks with carving and raised cheekpiece. Nice engraving on the action and fences. The rib was swamped and the checkering ornate and well done.
Long story short, the double left with Homey. $200 of his money didn't. A nice double for $200? Read on....
The barrels passed a ring test. They were solid, straight and well made. What they weren't was chambered for modern ammo. The Demon of Short Chambers had cursed them. They were 2 9/16". The smith he took them to said he doubted there was enough metal to lengthen them. The chokes were too tight also.
Nowadays, there's a few sources of short 16 gauge shells, back then there was only one dealer in PA. His prices were a clear illustration of the Laws of Supply and Demand. Homey got a flat anyways, and learned a few shells into the first box that some trigger work was in order. If he fired the left barrel, connected to the rear trigger, first, the other barrel went off also.
Even good smiths do not keep parts for unknown doubles that need new sears. $150 later he had it fixed, and went back to the range for some patterning and test firing.
That raised cheekpiece gave COP about 6" high and left, as I recall. The thing weighed about 7 bs, a bit heavy for a 16 meant for the uplands. A bit nose heavy also with those long barrels.
All in all,getting things right would cost several times the bargain price. Last I looked, the shotgun was for sale.
However, I know of several doubles,all bringbacks, that serve well in the field and look good, but required little to make them fit new owners and missions.
One must proceed with caution when buying.
More used repeaters are out there, from A-5s to 37s to 12s to Police turnin 870s. Parts for all are available.
In fact, one could start with just an 870 receiver and add parts,mixing and matching to suit the owner/operator. I did.
Few of these old repeaters are worn out.100 old shotguns die from negligence for every one shot to uselessness. Some need small parts replaced for best working life, like O rings or friction pieces in some autos.
Some need new wood, easily gotten from outfits like Brownell's, Wenig's and Boyd's. Or, one can refinish the old, a good project for the off months.
New metal finishes are available, including the various phosphate finishes we call Parkerizing. Paints are out that one can use on a roached finish to make camo, solid color flat or gloss and so on.
Cold bluing can cover minor blemishes. More extensive damage may need to be done by a pro, but there's lots of those now and prices are reasonable.
How can someone decide if a particular shotguns is worth fixing up? Like I told the guy at the top of this page, it's up to you.
If possible, get a good smith to determine if the shotguns will do the mission you want after some adjustments. Those Spanish 10 gauge doubles will not make great grouse guns without major surgery, costing more than a decent 20 gauge purpose built for grouse.
In fact, having a smith look over any old purchase is a darn good idea.
A "serious" 870, OTOH,with bellsnwhistles can be built from an old cruiser gun without much trauma besides financial damage.
Or you can ask here.The usual suspects here have BTDT with darn near every shotgun known to Man.
Questions?....
The world's full of used shotguns. Some are domestic models, others from foreign lands. Few have any record of where they've been or what they've done or had done to them. Some are treasures, and some are just plain trash when built or too far gone to restore for less than the weapon's worth.
And the most malicious are those that are just not quite right. Here's a tale....
Homeguy ran into a garage sale some years ago where an elderly couple were selling off the stuff they weren't taking to Florida to a retirement ghetto. He got a good price on a gun rack made of real wood,when he asked if there were any guns the pair were selling. The oldsters escorted him inside and showed him a SxS the man had dufflebagged back from Europe in 1945.
T'was a fine double of obvious quality but unknown maker. A 16 gauge, it had 30" barrels and a Germanic stocks with carving and raised cheekpiece. Nice engraving on the action and fences. The rib was swamped and the checkering ornate and well done.
Long story short, the double left with Homey. $200 of his money didn't. A nice double for $200? Read on....
The barrels passed a ring test. They were solid, straight and well made. What they weren't was chambered for modern ammo. The Demon of Short Chambers had cursed them. They were 2 9/16". The smith he took them to said he doubted there was enough metal to lengthen them. The chokes were too tight also.
Nowadays, there's a few sources of short 16 gauge shells, back then there was only one dealer in PA. His prices were a clear illustration of the Laws of Supply and Demand. Homey got a flat anyways, and learned a few shells into the first box that some trigger work was in order. If he fired the left barrel, connected to the rear trigger, first, the other barrel went off also.
Even good smiths do not keep parts for unknown doubles that need new sears. $150 later he had it fixed, and went back to the range for some patterning and test firing.
That raised cheekpiece gave COP about 6" high and left, as I recall. The thing weighed about 7 bs, a bit heavy for a 16 meant for the uplands. A bit nose heavy also with those long barrels.
All in all,getting things right would cost several times the bargain price. Last I looked, the shotgun was for sale.
However, I know of several doubles,all bringbacks, that serve well in the field and look good, but required little to make them fit new owners and missions.
One must proceed with caution when buying.
More used repeaters are out there, from A-5s to 37s to 12s to Police turnin 870s. Parts for all are available.
In fact, one could start with just an 870 receiver and add parts,mixing and matching to suit the owner/operator. I did.
Few of these old repeaters are worn out.100 old shotguns die from negligence for every one shot to uselessness. Some need small parts replaced for best working life, like O rings or friction pieces in some autos.
Some need new wood, easily gotten from outfits like Brownell's, Wenig's and Boyd's. Or, one can refinish the old, a good project for the off months.
New metal finishes are available, including the various phosphate finishes we call Parkerizing. Paints are out that one can use on a roached finish to make camo, solid color flat or gloss and so on.
Cold bluing can cover minor blemishes. More extensive damage may need to be done by a pro, but there's lots of those now and prices are reasonable.
How can someone decide if a particular shotguns is worth fixing up? Like I told the guy at the top of this page, it's up to you.
If possible, get a good smith to determine if the shotguns will do the mission you want after some adjustments. Those Spanish 10 gauge doubles will not make great grouse guns without major surgery, costing more than a decent 20 gauge purpose built for grouse.
In fact, having a smith look over any old purchase is a darn good idea.
A "serious" 870, OTOH,with bellsnwhistles can be built from an old cruiser gun without much trauma besides financial damage.
Or you can ask here.The usual suspects here have BTDT with darn near every shotgun known to Man.
Questions?....
