"GRANDPA Shotguns"

[gold40]

"GRANDPA Shotguns" is a term several of us use for the pumps and sem-autos sold in the 1940-1960 time period. Now, a lot of these are showing up in gunshops and auctions at very reasonable prices. Grandpa has died and the kids don't want these old guns around -- if they even want any guns around -- so they get sold at moderate prices.

Among these are the Remington 31 pumps, Remington 11-48 and Sportsman 48 autos, various Savage and Stevens', Ithaca 37's, and Winchester Model 12, 50, 58, etc. Although 50 years old, they have a lot of useful life left in them. Most sell for $150 to $250 (except the M-12's and A-5's).

Often the exterior finish shows signs of usage, scratches, dents, etc. but the interior parts are usually very good. A simple refinish with Tru-Oil perks them up. Sometimes a bit of cold blue also helps. But appearance isn't that important on these old-timers. They aren't supposed to look new or mint. They're shooters, not collector's items.

I've been having fun shooting two old 11-48's -- a 20 and a 12 with a polychoke. Also a Remington 31 in 20 gauge. All are recent gunshop purchases under $200 each. My skeet scores are a few birds less than with my newer Citori, but just as much fun. I really get a kick when I'm sometimes lucky enough to beat one of my pals at Clays who is shooting a much newer O/U with choke tubes. I shot a decent Sporting Clays course last week using the 12 gauge 11-48 that was made in 1951.

By the way, you can easily check the birth date of Remingtons and Brownings via their website and/or e-mail.

Is anyone else here shooting "GRANDPA Guns"?

Jerry

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Remington model 11 and Ithaca M37, both in 16 gauge.

[popplecop]

Rem. 11-48, 48 Sportsman and a model 31L all in 16 ga. of course.

[skeet]

I shoot a M-12 skeet in 12 ga...as well as an old Rem 31 C skeet.. in 20 I have a Win M-12 pigeon skeet in 28 I have 2 also..a M-12 28 vent rib mod choke gun as well as a Browning remake of the M-12..and a Rem 11-48 28 ga skeet and in 410 I have a pair of M-42's one skeet and the other a solid rib mod choke one and a gun I have never shot a Rem 11-48 410 skeet. I bought it from the original owner and it has had only 7 shells shot through it. He got it from a Remington Rep and I even have a custom made(in the Rem factory) magazine cap weight for it. I also have a set of D grade M-1100's made in 1969. Pretty guns for certain. I used to shoot skeet competetively with them years ago. Shot many 100 straights with them...but only one with the 410. Hard gun(410) to shoot well. The best I could ever do with the m-42 skeet gun in registered shooting was a 98. Really hard to shoot well at clay targets. OK in the field though. I also have a couple or 4 M-12 trap guns. One I bought last year at an auction is a solid rib trap, another trap that was made in 56 and a first year vent rib(1919) Trap gun. I also have a NID Ithaca 28 ga 4E double of which they only made either 5 or 7, not sure, but I shoot it so infrequently . It is worth in the 20-25000 dollar range and I surely don't want to break it....but it really does shoot well. The old ones still shoot well...even if they aren't all high tech and pretty as the new ones...and a lot more fun than the new stuff. I shot a club shoot a couple of years ago for fun..and shot a 99 at doubles with my old M-12. Won the darn thing and really PO'd a couple of shooters. Just goes to show that the ol' ones still work.

[rainydays]

Still have an old Savage/Stevens 311A 20 ga. SxS thats still going strong. I used it for better than 30 years. Passed it on to my youngest son who just loves it. He shot a nice turkey with it last week. Just a great old gun. Many times I have wished I'd have kept it and given him some other gun instead.-tr

[Rapier]

I have the shotgun I learned to shoot ducks with and other critters, my grandfather's single shot 12ga. If you want to shoot it you are welcome. I think it is a Stevens. It has been in my safe since 1984 and I have no intentions of ever bringing it out, either. It kills at one end and maims at the other end. It has a hollow brown plastic butt stock and forearm, with a hard plastic butt plate and no recoil pad. With a T-shirt on and high brass shells it will raise a blood blister, and it will also loosen your fillings.

I have my deceased father in-law's A-5, 1946 version, 12ga full choke, full rib gun also. It is a rompin, stompin gun, but on comparison, a much nicer gun to shoot than the single shooter. I got tired of the Phesants coming up far out and running away after I shot them with my 20ga during our late November phesant hunt. So I went to Cabellas in Mitchell, bought me 2 boxes of Remington #2 Nitro Mags 1 1/4s for the A-5. The next day the phesants became deceased prior to making contact with the earth. That running off BS ceased immediately.

Just thinking about the single shot beastie makes my shoulder hurt, where is my wuss gun, the Beretta 391.
Ed

[jmarriott]

Picked up a red label winchester model 37 this summer for 150 bucks. It is about to change into a card shoot gun.

[jplonghunter]

gold40

Fox Model B 20 Ga. SxS. Great for quail,chukar,and pheasant.

jplonghunter

[fabsroman]

Rapier,

The 391 is what I use for almost all my sporting clay and 12/20 gauge skeet shooting. I love that gun. It is the least felt recoil out of all my shotguns, and I just plain shoot better with it.

[gumpokc]

Grandad's mossberg model 500 (receipt dated 1957)

great grandads unknown shotgun, 12 ga, 30 inch barrel, pump with hammer. Don't shoot this one anymore, but I do the mossy.

[Rapier]

Fabs,
I have owned three 20ga guns and a 12ga in the 391. The one I use now is a 20ga Sporting God, silver side gun with a custom exhibition grade wood stock. In the dove field it is a consistant doubles and triples gun. If I could just get someone to clean it for me. :-)

Two weeks ago, I had my first problem with a 391 in the several years I have been shooting them, including 5k shot trips to Argentina. The edge of the sear notch on the hammer sheared off and I had to send the trigger group to Beretta for repair.

The 391 is a great gun.
Ed

[Gil Martin]

They include Ithaca Model 37s in 12, 16 and 20 gauges. Came across a Remington Model 58 on 20 gauge that I really like. Most of my bird hunting is done with a Remington 11-48 in 16 gauge. I have a Stevens Model 5100 double in 16 gauge that will get out this year. Then there are the Remington Model 870s with corncob forends that I got for $100.00 each in 12 and 16 gauge. I scan the used gun racks and often find something that interests me. I prefer the older classic guns with fixed chokes and there are a lot to choose from. All the best...
Gil

[fabsroman]

Ed,

I will admit that they are a pain to clean. However, I have found that the dremel tool with a polishing wheel works pretty well on the gas cylinder with all the grooves on it. The 682 is much easier to clean, but I don't shoot as well with it. Such is life. Haven't had any problems with any of my three 391's or my 3901, but I probably haven't put as many shells through them as you.

[skeet]

I bought one of those ol' Stevens 20 ga double guns with the plastic stock. Paid 100 bucks for it but it didn't have the trigger guard. Saw the guy I got it from last weekend and guess what he had for me?? Yep he found the trigger guard! Gun is in really nice shape. Now I might even shoot it!

[Contenderizer]

Skeet, I saw a Stevens 12 Ga, single shot, at a gun show last week -- they were asking the same price you got your double for. Anyway, the seller was trying to tell me that the gun's stock had been replaced, and that's why it was plastic. Right.

I have a single shot in 28 Ga with wood stock. While those old Stevens aren't anything special, you sure can't beat the price.