Classic shotgun to take hunting?

[aigel]

These recent threads about old guns has me wondering. I would like to buy a nice upland gun. Instead of buying a new over/under run of the mill shotgun, I was wondering if there are reasonably priced (1k or less) classic shotguns - best would be a side by side - available in say 85% condition with usable chokes?

What would you buy / recommend I look for?

George

[slodave]

I don't have much to offer, but I went hunting with a shotgun from the 1920's years ago and was a bit nervous at first. After a few shots, I got over it.

[aigel]

I was hoping to get something that's at least 50 years old, but could settle for a classic that was made into the 60s or 70s ...

George

[porsche4life]

I wouldn't hunt with a SxS, but that is a personal preference......

[Tim Hancock]

I "restored" an old double "hardware store grade" shotgun my grandfather bought used probably somewhere in the early 1940's. It had been his sole shotgun until the 50's when he bought a pump shotgun. My uncles and even my dad had used it when they occasionally hunted with him as late as the early 70's, but it was in horrible shape with the stock badly deteriorated and held together with 16d finish nails, tape and wire. It would sting ones hand when shot so it sat in my grandfather's gun cabinet until I decided to fix it up several years ago.

It had no value other than sentimental, so I sanded the metal parts down all the way to 1500 grit, then reblued it. I patched the stock with wood and epoxy then carefully re-carved/mated it all back together and tig welded the brokn trigger gaurd. I finished with multiple coats of gun-oil and it came out beautiful (IMO). Grandpa who had suffered a stroke was so proud of it when I gave it back to him.... He showed it to all of his old hunting buddies then told me he wanted me to take it back and keep it. The barrel was stamped "genuine armory steel" and was not damascus, so I thought it was safe to shoot and we ran probably 500 shells through it over a couple year period....... All this changed when our Pelican double shotgun guru "targa911s" told me to look inside the right barrel (this is the barrel that typically is fired the most on a side by side dbl). As he predicted, the right barrel had pitting type corrosion located in the first 10" or so right where ones hand grips the front forestock. The left barrel is perfect, but I no longer shoot this gun as I do not want to risk having it blow apart on me. Kind of sucks not being able to shoot it anymore.

[Seahawk]

Interesting...I just got in from Duck hunting with an old Browning Auto 5. Today the ducks won

I also just bought a Citori from a friend of mine who can't, due a serious shoulder injury, hunt anymore. It is a o/u made in the '80's. Sweet little upland shotgun. I bought it to finish out my rather pedestrian shotgun suite: I now have a double, an auto, my Dad's old Remington pump ('60's) and an o/u.

I hope Dave sees this thread and comments...he has some seriously nice double barrels.

[targa911S]

personally I would not hunt with a gun that is 100 years old. That being said, if I did, I would go for an L.C. Smith, Ithaca N.I.D., Lefever nitro, Fox sterlingworth, or Parker. Also, I would be shooting a low pressure (not low brass) load. These are available from pollywad, on line. They are 7,000 psi loads and are made for those grandpa guns. Now if you move up a few years the field is much better. I would most definately look for an Ithaca/SKB 100 series or an SKB 200E series. The SKB's are really under rated and way under priced. The 200E was available in 12 and 20. I paid $1500 for each of mine. They have chrome lined barrels too so they can shoot steel. If you get into new guns, I would look at the whole line of CZ shotguns low price / high value. You could go on the cheap if you get into a Stevens or Fox model B. Here are my SKB's. They are my "go to" shotguns. The top gun is a 12 SXS and the bottom is a single barrel trap, I also have the mate to the top gun in 20, but it is not shown here.

Looking forward to your visit tomorrow Paul.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Interesting...I just got in from Duck hunting with an old Browning Auto 5. Today the ducks won

I also just bought a Citori from a friend of mine who can't, due a serious shoulder injury, hunt anymore. It is a o/u made in the '80's. Sweet little upland shotgun. I bought it to finish out my rather pedestrian shotgun suite: I now have a double, an auto, my Dad's old Remington pump ('60's) and an o/u.

I hope Dave sees this thread and comments...he has some seriously nice double barrels.

Citori or Auto 5 are both hard to beat. Classics that are in every gun or pawn shop around.

[targa911S]

But he asked about SXS's. I agree that both those are hard to beat though. If we are "off topic" I will have to put the model 37 ithaca and the remington 870 in the mix. The two best pump guns EVER.

[targa911S]

Upland field gun to me is a 20 ga. with modified and IC chokes. 26 to 28 inch barrels.

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I also just bought a Citori from a friend of mine who can't, due a serious shoulder injury, hunt anymore. It is a o/u made in the '80's. Sweet little upland shotgun.

Got one of those, a 1980s 12 gauge Citori Upland Special. Wonderful little gun.

[craigster59]

Lefever Nitro 20g. can be had in that price range and is a good upland gun. Maybe even look at some 16g for a bit less money.

[Instrument 41]

My choice of 2 is the reliable(Don't care if it get scratched or dropped) Wingmaster pump 12 gauge, and for duck hunting my Berrreta 390. Classic old guns are great in a case or on the wall, but not good for out in the field.

[RPKESQ]

I would add to targa911's post, that it should apply to non-European shotguns. In Europe every country has a Proof House. This is the official testing organization for barrel strength and soundness. EVERY gun must be tested and pass proof.

America never developed an official Proof House and there are two negatives to this situation. First, gun-makers had to make the guns heavier to ensure they did not fail. And, in my opinion, more importantly, used guns were never properly tested to ensure they were still safe.

A two barrel (or 3 or 4 or 5) shotguns are a distinctly different breed from single barrel guns . Shotgun barrels have much thinner wall thickness to make them livelier and better balanced then rifles. On a single barrel gun it is easy to test wall thickness all around breech to muzzle.

On a multiple barrel shotgun this is not possible without disassembly of the barrels (desoldering the ribs and barrels breeches). So how do you know that the barrels are safe (even if there is no visible pitting internally or externally)? Rust occurs in between barrels and under ribs too.

Well we have x-rays and ultrasound; But only a Proof Test is cheap and effective.

All guns sold as usable in Europe must pass Proof. I have shotguns that date to 1854, 1888, 1894, 1898, 1902, 1905 and 1911. Most with Damascus barrels. All have been reproofed. I use them all as do millions of other European shooters. All are safe with use of the loads they were reproofed with.

In America, one does not have such standards for testing or safety. You can send guns to Europe for reproofing. PM me if anyone wants that information and details.

Try finding a gun from the UK. There are many dealers. Let me know if you need help with importing or finding the gun of your dreams.

[targa911S]

thanks for backing me up frenchie. Craig ..yes that would be a good choice, but I would still use a lower pressure round.

[tabs]

Ithaca NID..good choice
Fox Steringworth
LC Smith Field, 0, 00..grades
Stevens 311
Lefever...later L's were rebadged Stevens 311's.
Parker...Trojan or VHE...

Hmmm..SKB 100...aka Ithaca 100...they emported them...good idea

I am looking for the right 20 GA Double...Rizzini, Fox, Ithaca...maybe an Elsie...??????

I am not much of a shotgun person..but have a couple for when the urge comes over me..

BTW..any shotspoon from the Blk Powder era or even very early nitro powder era..I am going to use LOW PRESSURE shells. These are not production guns meaning your not going to shoot a lot of rounds through em ..but once or twice a year use things...for that they will be fine.

I have a John Krider of Phili Double dating from around 1880..Damacus Steel, excellent mechanical condition, but has pitting on the Barrrels from being poorly stored..would like to get that restored but am afraid I would have more money into it than it is worth...

The last Krider percussion rifle sold was bought by Amokeag auctioneer Jason Devine for 23K in early 2010.

[targa911S]

me thinks you are wrong about the lefever nitros being rebadged stevens 311's. i think you are talking about the fox model b tabby. Nitros were a new and improved ithaca flues. just trust me on this one. I may have a line on a 20 AE Fox. I'll let you know when I go see it.

[tabs]

Yeah your probably right...

[fred cook]

You would probably need more than $1k, but a Winchester model 21 would make a nice choice. A plain field grade in good useable condition with a modified choke in one barrel and an improved cylinder in the other or a full/modified combo would do nicely. Make mine in 20 gauge, please.

[targa911S]

Yeah you would need more than $1K for that for sure.

http://www.orvis.com/intro.aspx?subject=6206

http://www.gunsamerica.com/919823377/Guns/Shotguns/Winchester-Shotguns-Modern/SxS/Winchester_Model_21_12ga.htm

much more for a 20ga.