favorite shotgun from before this decade
- Thread starter moisanfan11
- Start date
bamaranger
New member
two
I'm gonna mention two.
One is a Savage pump marked "Model of 1921" that belonged to one of my Grandad's. A 28" full choke, solid ribbed 12 ga. I killed my first gobbler with it. Appearance wise it resembles a MOdel 12 Win, but they are not similar otherwise. It was my hunting shotgun up until age 21. Then it broke, and Taylor's Trading Post scared up some parts to patch it up, with a stern warning about the difficulty in finding same. I decided then an there to retire tho old gal.
I bought a Rem Wingmaster Mag in spring of 1980 and have hunted it ever since. It wears a different barrel than it left the factoy with, in fact, I have 3 barrels for it, 26" full, 26" IC and a 20" threaded slug barrel. Remington screw in chokes were not on the market when I bought this pump.
The slug barrel gets a turkey super full choke tube screwed in every spring, and with its rifle sights and a load of 3" W-W #5 shot is a very dandy turkey gun.
I'm gonna mention two.
One is a Savage pump marked "Model of 1921" that belonged to one of my Grandad's. A 28" full choke, solid ribbed 12 ga. I killed my first gobbler with it. Appearance wise it resembles a MOdel 12 Win, but they are not similar otherwise. It was my hunting shotgun up until age 21. Then it broke, and Taylor's Trading Post scared up some parts to patch it up, with a stern warning about the difficulty in finding same. I decided then an there to retire tho old gal.
I bought a Rem Wingmaster Mag in spring of 1980 and have hunted it ever since. It wears a different barrel than it left the factoy with, in fact, I have 3 barrels for it, 26" full, 26" IC and a 20" threaded slug barrel. Remington screw in chokes were not on the market when I bought this pump.
The slug barrel gets a turkey super full choke tube screwed in every spring, and with its rifle sights and a load of 3" W-W #5 shot is a very dandy turkey gun.
Wow! What a tough question. Your favorite can be functional -assuming it is a factory purchase, one which happened to be the right fit and hit most often, what you shot at.
Or, it is one that you had specifically fitted, that turned out to be what you expected and it hit most of what you shot at.
It can be a favorite of your Dad's or a close relative that had an impact on your life, that fits and hit most of what you shot at.
It can be none of the above, but the bottom line is it hit most of what you shot at.
Given all those situations,
My Model 12, 16 GA pump is a favorite. My second shotgun because the first was a Sears Bolt action that malfunctioned and was replaced by the model 12 that hit most of what I shot at.
My AYA Spanish 20GA double that I happened to meet at Sears in 1971 for $50 that took the first 13 rabbits and pheasants I shot at. (When I saw it was an AYA I went back and they were all gone - or pulled).
My Ruger Red Label 12 GA O/U that does as well as those shooting Sporting Clays or Trap compared to any model with a multiplier of the cost.
My Win Model 12 is 12GA pump that has a 30" barrel as thick as a Cocoa Cola Bottle that belonged to an old hawk hunter when that was legal in PA with which I harvested a single Snow Goose traveling alone at 60 yards in the Eastern Shore 40 years ago.
My Savage Fox Model B double in 12 GA that my aunt sold to me for ten bucks when my uncle died took more rabbits than I remember when I was just starting to seriously hunt small game with my Beagle back in 1968.
So, it's not just about the shotgun. But the background that supports your desire to do what it is expected to do.
The "bads?" A 12-GA Weatherby Athena- an absolutely magnificent looking O/U that I couldn't hit my car with it; a 12_GA double S/S - fabulous looking, wooden stock right down to the butt plate. Made in Spain- cost me $1200 - light-weight - but I can't hit anything with it because it doesn't fit.
I hunted with my wife's brother-in-law who would typically buy his license the same morning we were to hunt in PA's first day of small game after we filled up with more beer the night before than I can possibly handle these days. He used an old break-open single shot 12 GA of an unknown manufacturer successfully until he ran out of shells and I gave him some Russian-made shotshells that paused his confidence when he found himself surrounded by the cloud smoke created by the black powder used to make these devils (known to me, of course). He missed the next several shots as a result. No fault of the shotgun.
So it all depends on many factors, many of which are beyond our control on a comparative basis. But most important seems to be similar to what OJ's attorneys said at his trial, "If it fits......"
Or, it is one that you had specifically fitted, that turned out to be what you expected and it hit most of what you shot at.
It can be a favorite of your Dad's or a close relative that had an impact on your life, that fits and hit most of what you shot at.
It can be none of the above, but the bottom line is it hit most of what you shot at.
Given all those situations,
My Model 12, 16 GA pump is a favorite. My second shotgun because the first was a Sears Bolt action that malfunctioned and was replaced by the model 12 that hit most of what I shot at.
My AYA Spanish 20GA double that I happened to meet at Sears in 1971 for $50 that took the first 13 rabbits and pheasants I shot at. (When I saw it was an AYA I went back and they were all gone - or pulled).
My Ruger Red Label 12 GA O/U that does as well as those shooting Sporting Clays or Trap compared to any model with a multiplier of the cost.
My Win Model 12 is 12GA pump that has a 30" barrel as thick as a Cocoa Cola Bottle that belonged to an old hawk hunter when that was legal in PA with which I harvested a single Snow Goose traveling alone at 60 yards in the Eastern Shore 40 years ago.
My Savage Fox Model B double in 12 GA that my aunt sold to me for ten bucks when my uncle died took more rabbits than I remember when I was just starting to seriously hunt small game with my Beagle back in 1968.
So, it's not just about the shotgun. But the background that supports your desire to do what it is expected to do.
The "bads?" A 12-GA Weatherby Athena- an absolutely magnificent looking O/U that I couldn't hit my car with it; a 12_GA double S/S - fabulous looking, wooden stock right down to the butt plate. Made in Spain- cost me $1200 - light-weight - but I can't hit anything with it because it doesn't fit.
I hunted with my wife's brother-in-law who would typically buy his license the same morning we were to hunt in PA's first day of small game after we filled up with more beer the night before than I can possibly handle these days. He used an old break-open single shot 12 GA of an unknown manufacturer successfully until he ran out of shells and I gave him some Russian-made shotshells that paused his confidence when he found himself surrounded by the cloud smoke created by the black powder used to make these devils (known to me, of course). He missed the next several shots as a result. No fault of the shotgun.
So it all depends on many factors, many of which are beyond our control on a comparative basis. But most important seems to be similar to what OJ's attorneys said at his trial, "If it fits......"
Wear to start!!!!
Parker VH from Dad, Granddad's Rem1894, Uncle Al's DT Model 90 ,
My Win97 bought in1973, followed by the Red Label 20ga.[skt 1 / Skt2']
Newest onr is a Mossberg .410 security for the house. As I and the wife are getting used to it. [PS. I need a .401 filed barrel for woodcock / Grouse.]
Parker VH from Dad, Granddad's Rem1894, Uncle Al's DT Model 90 ,
My Win97 bought in1973, followed by the Red Label 20ga.[skt 1 / Skt2']
Newest onr is a Mossberg .410 security for the house. As I and the wife are getting used to it. [PS. I need a .401 filed barrel for woodcock / Grouse.]
stuckinthe60s
New member
winchester model 50.
bladesmith 1
New member
The first shotgun I bought was a 870 TC. Latter a Model 11 in 12ga, and then my Remington SxSs. At this time nine of them - 1873, 82, 89, and a bunch of 94s. My 73, 89, and C grade 94 are probably my favorites. So most my guns aren't a decade old , but over two centuries old. And there's a couple three Parkers and a Lefever. My favorite Parker is a SBT in C grade. It's hard to have a favorite. I just enjoy shooting them three times a week at clay birds. Getting too old to walk the woods and fields.
Well bladesmith, not quite two centuries, shotguns from the early 1800's are not very appealing. Shotguns from the late 1800's?...now we are talkin.
My Smith SBT is from 1918, it's currently the oldest in the safe. Amazing that a gun made in 1918 is competitive on the trap fields today.
My Smith SBT is from 1918, it's currently the oldest in the safe. Amazing that a gun made in 1918 is competitive on the trap fields today.
Semi auto - Remington 1100 first generation and/or 11-87
Pump - Remington Wingmaster, early 70s
SxS s - Browning BSS, Winchester 23, Bernardelli - the ones imported by Stoeger in the 60s were great deals, Parker Reproductions, Beretta Silver or Golden Hawk or 471, AYA. Winchester 21 if you can handle the cost.
Pump - Remington Wingmaster, early 70s
SxS s - Browning BSS, Winchester 23, Bernardelli - the ones imported by Stoeger in the 60s were great deals, Parker Reproductions, Beretta Silver or Golden Hawk or 471, AYA. Winchester 21 if you can handle the cost.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I love all of my shotguns...
I have my Dad's Remington 58 Sportsman, which I initially bought him for Christmas in 1986, and which came back to me when he passed.
I have my Dad's Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight, which he bought when he was a teenager.
I have my Winchester 1200 pump, which Mom and Dad bought for me at a yard sale (great price!) in probably 1984.
I have my Smith & Wesson 3000 police cruiser, which is my home defense shotgun.
And finally I have my Stevens 311 20 gauge (1950s vintage) that I bought from a former member here. I absolutely adore that gun for wobble trap.
I have my Dad's Remington 58 Sportsman, which I initially bought him for Christmas in 1986, and which came back to me when he passed.
I have my Dad's Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight, which he bought when he was a teenager.
I have my Winchester 1200 pump, which Mom and Dad bought for me at a yard sale (great price!) in probably 1984.
I have my Smith & Wesson 3000 police cruiser, which is my home defense shotgun.
And finally I have my Stevens 311 20 gauge (1950s vintage) that I bought from a former member here. I absolutely adore that gun for wobble trap.
bladesmith 1
New member
All my SxSs were built in the late 1800s or a couple of 1894s in the very early 1900s. There's my 1873 Remington hammer lifter, the first year Remington made a SxS, 1882 hammer 10ga with a 40/60 rifle barrel insert, the 1889 which I believe are the nicest hammer guns Remington made, and then the 1894s. That was the first year Remington made a hammerless SxS.
I still shoot my SxS , one or the other at the club three times a week, at times with black powder, and enjoy shooting my Parker SBT gun. I installed a " add a rib " so now the gun comes right up, I don't have to move my head one iota. That gun was made in the early 1917, looks new, and shoots like a new gun. There's just something about shooting old guns that makes me very happy.
I still shoot my SxS , one or the other at the club three times a week, at times with black powder, and enjoy shooting my Parker SBT gun. I installed a " add a rib " so now the gun comes right up, I don't have to move my head one iota. That gun was made in the early 1917, looks new, and shoots like a new gun. There's just something about shooting old guns that makes me very happy.
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