Got My First Shotgun.

[Jermz1987]

Well hello all, Yesterday I purchased my first shotgun. It is a Springfield Model 67F, I was at the range when she caught my eye. Even though I am 22 years old I really prefer the classic look over the tactical look. So in my opinion she is beautiful. The owner of the range let me fire her first to see if I liked it. I fired 5 rounds of Federal Premium 12g 00 buckshot. It was some tactical shotgun shell that had a kick. This is the first shotgun I have ever fired so I cant compare it to anything else, but some experienced shotgun buffs told me it was good so I decided buy it. I paid 115 out the door. Its a little long and I was debating whether or not to legally cut it down to 18 inches, 18 and a half to be safe. I am planning on this to be a HD gun.

P.S. Do not mind the messy floor, dog got into a box of girl scout cookies while I was away.

 

[NOLAEMT]

looks nice

if I were you i would try to find a replacement barrel that is 18 inches if you want it for HD.

once you cut your barrel you cant undo it, but changing barrels on most shotguns is pretty easy.

 

[Wildyams]

looks pretty nice. how long is the barrel on it now?

 

[Fred Fuller]

While it's not what I would have suggested for a first and only shotgun, the price was pretty much fair and about the going rate for that particular make/model. So you didn't get hurt there.

It isn't the easiest shotgun in the world to work on, and some examples of the design tend to be fragile in some places. Action bars break on some of them. And stocks sometimes break off at the wrist, since the stock bolt screws into an extension of the aluminum casting that makes up the fire control mechanism's housing and the trigger guard. Since the stock bolt puts rearward tension on that assembly, it has to be removed before the trigger guard and related parts can be taken out.

I don't know how common spare barrels for these are, or how expensive. I haven't looked for one, but checking a couple of the usual suspects (Barrel Exchange, Corson's), most of the few I see are almost as much as the whole gun cost. If you do decide to cut it down, be sure you measure properly- with a dowel down the bore to the face of the closed bolt has to be at least 18", and 18.5 would be better, unless your state or local laws vary from the federal and require it to be longer.

I'd suggest limiting cleaning to the bore and what can be reached through the loading and ejection ports. This isn't a design that lends itself to too much attention from its owner.

That said, there are some good solid examples of this design out there still giving good service. They stopped making them in 1989, though, so it's likely older than you are. The one you have seems to be in good shape, and I hope it gives you many years of trouble-free service.

fwiw,

lpl