Anyone gone back to an old school shotgun?

[Saddlebag Preacher]

My first shotgun my dad gave me as a kid (10 years old) a .410 single action (maker unknown) to squrrel hunt with. Through out my life, (I'm 54) I've had Winchester, Mossberg and Remington doubles, pumps and autos in .12 and .20 ga. They have all been good guns.

About 5 years ago, my wife's family gave me her father's guns (He was older when my wife was born, he was a navigator on a B-17 in WW2). It included a 1897 Winchester 12 ga. a "captured" but sporterised Mauser '98 with a 1918 stamping, and an Champion Iver Johnson arms and bicycle works 16 ga. single shot with the only numbers on it are "UHIF".

I took that old Iver Johnson and rubbed off some slight rust spotting on the outside of the barrel, bought some shells and decided to shoot the old girl. She went bang and so I decided one squrrel season to take it hunting just for the memories it brought back.

Well, that old gun started knocking them down further and higher than I've tried to shoot in a long time. She kept dropping one squrrel for one shot. Since then, it has been the only gun I've taken squrrel hunting, it makes me take my time to get back to basics and not depend on quick follow up shots.

So this year, Among all the camo master-blaster turkey guns by friends have, I brought out that 16 and some number 4 high brass. I tried it in a target and it patterned great, so I thought, why not?

Unfortunatly I had plenty hens within range but the toms stayed out about 100 yards and I couldn't get them closer. (Toms only in spring in KY). BUT, this fall, it's going again, I want to take a pic of that old gun with a turkey, Something to prove to the friends who laughed at the old girl.

They say she's worth less than $100.00, but can you really put a price on a tool that does exactly the job you need and does it well?

 

[Naybor]

Know what you mean about the older type guns.

A few years ago I purchased a new "old style" 12 Ga. Double Barrel, 20 inch, open choke barrels in an old style "Coach Shotgun". Shades of the old west!!!!!!

I do miss some of the old guns I used to have ~ Stevens, Remington, an old Savage Double, even an original German Luger. Ah, the memories!!!!

 

[Dave McCracken]

Gone back? I never left.

A 16 gauge H&R was my first shotgun, and to this day I may have bagged more meat with that than any other shotgun. At least 40 geese, Heaven knows how many squirrels, rabbits, dove,pigeons, groundhogs, pheasants and so on.

Now two of my 870s are older than my spouse of 35 years, a 40 year old 20 gauge O/U is my dove gun, and two WMs made in the 70s are just getting broke in good.....

 

[BADUNAME37]

Just TODAY, I happened to be shooting a nice, like-new 12 gauge Stevens Pump Shotgun that my dad used to take with us when I was a kid, hunting with a .410

Since dad hardly ever shot the thing, when I detailed it, all the parts are good as new! The gun looks like it just came off the shelf at Sears and shoots even better with the long barrel and full choke!

Those were the days before serial numbers, before registrations and before even having to show a driver license to purchase a brand-new gun.

 

[snooperman]

Like Dave , I never left either. I still have an old stevens single shot 12 ga, that is full choke and still my favorite Turkey gun for the past 50 years. Also have a Winchester model 37 in 20 ga and model 24 double, which I enjoy using when I get tired of Ithaca 37s. I find them rewarding and fun to hunt with.

 

[LeonCarr]

First shotgun - 870
Current shotgun - 870

Never left.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[bushmaster1313]

Yes

 

[303tom]

I am like Dave McCracken, I never left............

 

[Deltaboy1984]

The Old M-66 is still getting game! along with my 16 gauge Remmy Model 11 Humpback and my 1982-83 870.

 

[TurtlePhish]

1956.


Sorry about the size. iPhone.

 

[Flintknapper]

My Browning Superposed (Vintage 1959) should be "old school" enough.

 

[LeonCarr]

That is a super clean 870 Turtle, with the early early corncob forend.

Nice Shotgun.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Kingcreek]

I too am 54 years old and got my first shotgun, a .410 single, about the same time you did at age 10. I still have it and still shoot it occaisionally. I also still shoot my 1970 Ithaca model 37 fwt 20g and the Browning SBS I bought used when I graduated from college. I shoot an 870 12g I picked up used along the way.
But I really like my Beretta 390 and a few others too.

 

[premier1]

I have just re-enter your group I posted a thread here a week ago. I purchased a lever action Ithaca model 66 Super Single 12 ga. Shotgun. It's nice and light, can break it open and carry it over my shoulder, and can't wait for small game season. It may be the best $80.00 I ever spent.

 

[T.R.]

I never much cared for the lines of a pump gun. I can swing and shoot better with a double 16 gauge for hunting upland game. But I've always desired an over and under 20 gauge with removeable choke tubes.

TR

 

[Saddlebag Preacher]

I'm glad to see a lot of folks still using the older guns. I really like the 16 ga and would like to purchase maybe a double sometime. I've found 16 and 410 getting pretty expensive now and the 16 sometimes hard to get.

A friend of mine rabbit hunts with a browning O/U in 28 ga. His dad had given it to him. (probably worth a good bit of money as it is nicely engraved) He has a hard time finding ammo for it.

 

[MCgunner]

I've still got an old Iver Johnson 16 gauge, 30" full choke. It's stamped on the receiver with the word "Hercules", which I'm told was a store brand for a big auto parts chain or something, like Revelation and Western Auto. I was given this gun in rather beat up condition by my uncle as all I had was my grandpa's 20 and I was goose hunting. This was 45 years ago before anyone knew you could shoot steel in a barrel without blowing it up. Ah, the good old days, 2 3/4 inch high brass 2s brought 'em down. It had a broken ejector in it, no parts available, last one was produced, according to a letter from the NRA back when, in 1947. So, I took it to mister Cooksie, a gunsmith in Angleton, Texas who liked kids, MACHINED me an ejector for the gun and charged me under 30 bucks for the work. That was incredible even at the time. The ejector still works, too! I refinished the wood, grandpa fit me a recoil pad on it, good to go. I don't use the gun for anything anymore, but too many memories to let it get away and it ain't worth much, after all. It's worth a lot more to me than dollars, so it stays.

I bought a 10 gauge H&R for goose hunting a few years back. Thing patterns unreal, over 90 percent 30" at 40 yards with a load of steel T shot. It knocks 'em down from WAY up there. I know one bird had to be over 60 yards I took out a few years back. I wouldn't even have tickled that bird with steel BB 3" from my Mossberg 500. I bought a Mossberg 535 12 gauge the other day, will pattern it with 3.5" T shot when I can get around to it. I don't figure it'll match that H&R. I wanted a 10 and couldn't afford a BPS at the time I bought it. I don't really miss multi shot capability with it, though, can reload it fast enough to get a second shot off at a cripple at least, haven't shot any doubles, yet. I hold the second shot in my off hand and it has an ejector. It's kinda like the old days, hunting with a single barrel on geese, and I kinda like that a lot.

 

[stan rose]

Old Ithacas count?

 

[Needles]

My first gun was a 20 gauge single H&R. My only shotgun now is a 20 gauge H&R Handi that swaps with a .30-30 barrel. I messed up my left hand and and shoulder in a motorcycle wreck in 1970, so I can't do pumps. I would like to find a lightweight 12 gauge semi (or bolt action, but that's not likely), but, until then, the 20 does fine. I've taken ducks, squirrels, rabbits, and a raccoon with the 20, so it's not a big deal. In my family, growing up in Tennessee, a 16 was considered the best all-around shotgun. Most everyone had single shot break barrels, 'cause one shot was about all you needed.

 

[Sniper66]

Model 12s

Great thread....well...where to start? I have shot a bunch of shotguns from single shot .410s to Browning O/U; have bought and sold dozens and I currently own 2 very nice upscale Benellis, a 20 and a 12 and a mint Browning Superposed Lightning. This thread has stimulated my interest in eventually finding 2 Model 12s, a 20 and 12. I have had a few, but not the ones I want. But, yeah, I have been eager to return to a reliable old pump gun for doves. Have attended a few auctions that advertise Model 12s, but they rarely make it to the auction before someone buys it. But, my plan is to take some cash to the next Tulsa show and try again to find and buy the beauty I have been looking for for years.

 

[snooperman]

After reading all the responses here, one of my Grandsons came by and we had great fun shooting two single shot guns at our farm range. We blasted some clay targets as well. These guns are simple , reliable, will put meat on the table and easy to clean after all the fun is over.

 

[BullRunBear]

Like this topic! I've used all styles of shotguns but until recently had only the old CVA 12ga. SxS muzzleloader (extremely effective at close range) and a used Browning pump. I've always done best with SxSs for some reason.

At a club swap meet recently I found a SxS Stevens 12 ga from the late thirties and 20 ga. from the '40s. Less than 200 bucks for each. I went home with both. A little cleaning and lubrication and they work great. Hope these qualify for old school.

Haven't hunted for many years but that 20 ga. is making me think of small game and upland birds come autumn. Time to blow the dust of the Lee shot shell loaders.

Jeff

 

[MCgunner]

As far as ME using old shotguns, the main thing that has put a kink in that is that I am a big duck/goose hunter and steel shot is hard on old guns. Takes a more open choke, too. So, I've mostly retired my 1971 bought Sarasqueta SxS fix choked Mod/Full and the mentioned old Iver Johnson single shot, 30" full choked. Old guns just aren't an option in the duck marsh and I have plenty of newer guns to dove hunt with, my faves being a SxS Remington/Spartan/Baikal 20 gauge coach gun and a Winchester 1400 12 gauge gas gun bought new in about 1988. Those guns are soft on my shoulder and that's nice when popping 5 boxes of dove loads in a 3 day weekend. Now that we have a lot of collard doves for which there is no limit, that round count could go up. Those collard doves are taking over Texas sorta like the hogs did. Bring 'em on, I love shootin' and eatin' 'em.