Couple of Doubles

[mac66]

Was going through my stuff and came across a couple of double barrel 20 ga shotgun that are sadly seldom used.

First is a SXS called a Wards Hercules. These guns were low end guns made by Stevens for Montgomery Wards. I believe it is the store brand equivalent of the Stevens Mod 50. It features a case hardened receiver, walnut stocks and a single non selective trigger. It has extractors instead of ejectors. Probably 1950s era

Got this one 30 years ago at a farm auction pretty cheap.

Some of you guys might find these interesting.






Next up is a Ranger 20 gauge. This one is an over/under. The Ranger is a Sears store brand made by Marlin and is equivalent to the Marlin 90. The butt stock has been replaced with a straight grip stock on this but both stocks are walnut. It is another low end shotgun with ejectors. This one double triggers. Nice swing little gun that was an uncles. Probably a post war late 40s manufacturer.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

That's a couple of nice shotguns. I like slim easy handling vintage double barrels. That Ranger O/U looks sharp...never seen one of those before.

Seems like most shotguns around here of that era are single barrels.

I've got a 16 gauge Lefever Nitro Special that is my go-to-the barn slim and easy handling double.

 

[Virginian]

Case hardened is not cast iron. That's steel all the way.

 

[mac66]

Low carbon steel and iron are often case hardened. Since I have a couple of H&R singles with case hardened receivers which I've been told are cast iron I assumed this Wards was too. I corrected it in my above post.

 

[SwampWolf]

I like slim easy handling vintage double barrels.

Qualities which are not what these two doubles exemplify when compared to really finely made doubles of the time. But I did find them interesting in the context of a nostalgic, re-visiting of an unpretentious era of America shotgun making. Thanks, mac66, for the reminder.

 

[mac66]

Swampy,

I think you are correct. Those two certainly aren't the state of the art in doubles but they are utilitarian. You are also correct in that they do represent an era when most people's shotgun of choice was a double barrel and consequently cheap doubles were prevalent. In those days, nearly everyone who hunted owned a double.

These days you don't see doubles except the high end ones for trap/skeep or maybe a cheap imported novelty one. These days, it one owns a basic shotgun it is usually a cheap slide action (Remington, Mossberg etc)

Maybe we should dig out our Fox, L.C. Smith or Parker shotguns for show and tell eh?

 

[SwampWolf]

Oh yeah, and let's not forget to showcase some Ithacas, Bakers and Winchester 21s too!
Still, there's something special, in their own way, about a utilitarian but well-made American double shotgun as represented by your two fine examples. An era of shotgun making, sadly, long-gone and unlikely to reappear again. It was also during this time period that some fabulous but cheap single-shot shotguns were being made for young boys and old farmers; an era conjured up by names like the Iver Johnson "Champion", the H&R "Topper" and the Winchester "Model 37".

 

[ridgerunner1965]

i love shotguns exactly like those two.they have history and use under their belts.who knows how much game they have put on the table?

they are not glossy and perfect so i feel just fine about taking them into the woods for a day of small game hunting.

they are usually well made and reliable and have been for a 75 yrs or so already.

i would enjoy both of those shotguns with daily use.

 

[mac66]

I guess the older one gets the more one appreciates the stuff they grew up with. Call it nostalgia or whatever. Next time I go up to my hunting property, those two shotguns are going with me.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

That's what I would do. Put'em in action!

 

[MCgunner]

I own a 16 gauge single shot branded "Hercules" that an uncle gave me before he passed away. I will not sell it. Heck, it ain't worth 100 bucks anyway. Worth more in memories, but it's still very tight and shoots well. I killed my first geese with the gun when lead was legal. THIS one was made by Iver Johnson and discontinued in 1947 according to the NRA. When I was a kid, I sent a query to them.

I think, if I found one of those Stevens Hercules guns on a used gun rack in shootable condition for a reasonable price, I might just have to have it. 16 gauge would be fine. 16s seem to be more prevalent for guns of that era. I guess the 16 is a bit redundant what with the light 12s and heavy 3" 20s, but I wouldn't care.