So what do I do with a hundred-dollar humpback?

[evan price]

I was thinking of making a Clyde Barrow whippet gun. Cut stock down, attach canvas strap loop, cut barrel to 19".
Anyway, found another Savage 720 on a popular auction site and was pleased that the auction ended with no other interest. Adding shipping, I still got it for about what a barrel costs.
Now that I have it, it's too nice to chop up. 4 digit serial, should be early 1930s production, perfect wood, clean, no rust or pitting, nice faded blue with no major defects. Only flaw is a poly choke.

Darn it, now what should I do with a hundred dollar auto-5?

 

[oneounceload]

Go shoot it?

 

[Fred Fuller]

Make sure all of it is mechanically sound, that the chamber is 2 3/4", and the recoil bushing/spring is not worn out and everything is properly oriented, and shoot it as is! Might give the bolt return spring/tube a look as well, if you haven't already.

Congratulations on a good buy on a real classic...

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Probably, I'd leave it alone and enjoy it as is.

After inspecting as noted above, and finding it sound or easily made sound, I'd be pleased to own it in stock condition.

Were I to alter it - being loath to honor those savages B&C - I'd maybe make a collection "place holder" out of it to hold the place of a Model 11-Riot or really go wild and try to construct any number of Browning or Remington experimental Riot/Trench guns.

 

[drcook]

I know a gunsmith west across 70 & up 77 a bit that does really good work. I saw one of the precision rifles he was building for an Ohio law enforcement dept and the work was topnotch. He has done work on shotgun barrels that I own, as well as having been in his shop and checked out his machinery. He also does bluing. Very professional.

He could take that gun, remove the poly-choke, thread it for choke tubes and put a new bead site on the barrel.

Mike Orlen, another reputable gunsmith, can do the same. It is not terribly expensive to have it changed over.

With that said, a poly-choke does work well. They just look like a tumor on the end of a barrel unless it is a vent-rib barrel. (for the record, I own a couple with poly-chokes on them). The only thing that looks works is a Cutts compensator, which also works very well.

I have not read all your posts here or over on the Ohio site, so I don't know if you go hunting, but that would make an awesome pheasant gun, as it is, or with tubes installed. It is a little heavy to tote around the briar patch for rabbits.

Also, depending on the age of the poly-choke (verified by calling them) it could be able to handle non-toxic shot and then that gun would make a dandy duck gun in its current configuration.

 

[Virginian]

Sell it for $200 to one of those old humpback worshippers.

 

[Onmilo]

Keep it as is.
The whippit guns don't work all that great and there is some collector interest in the guns as factory original.

 

[evan price]

Thanks dr cook. I'll look into that. I don't like the look of the poly choke, BUT, they work.

 

[rromeo]

I just got a Remington 11 for $125. The original barrel was already cut to 19", so my options are limited. I can buy a barrel for more than the gun cost, or I can just shoot it the way it is. I'm going to shoot it the way it is.
I'd prefer a barrel of 20" or more, so I could put a +3 mag extension. As it is, the extension goes past the barrel.

 

[mac66]

Personally I would cut it to 18" and have the barrel threaded for tubes. Or cut it shorter and have polychoke reinstalled to bring back to 18". They actually look pretty cool that way and they are much handier with shorter barrels.