Show us your Guns!

["Skeet" McD]

The Shotgun I've been drooling over for years is the Winchester Model 97. I heard the Chinese reprod those. I haven't heard the verdict on those though. It would seem sacreligious though.

It IS sacriligious....but the larger problem is that (at least the last time I looked) they were only making them with cut-off barrels...for the Cowboy Action Shooting market. Hey, I don't DO CAS, and have no trouble with those that do...but, Jazey Mac, if you're going to reproduce a firearm...why not make it the way it was made, and let somebody ELSE cut the barrels off?

"Skeet"

 

[JJWord]

Not true. Ithica did close down a few years ago but re-opend in central Ohio last year. You can in fact buy new M37's although I don't know why anyone would want to.....

Funny that I just found their new website, then came here to see this post. They're toting high end manufacturing techniques, specifically for the barrel and receiver, but I agree with you. I can't see spending 2-3 times the money for a new M37 versus getting a vintage M37 that will fire just as well.

Thank you for the insight. I am indeed keeping an eye out for a 20 gauge M37. It would be the first gun that I personally own (been using my in-laws guns whenever we shoot), so I'm being very selective and taking my left-handedness into account.

 

[Chasseur]

Doublegun thanks for showing us your American classics. That 10 bore is a beauty!

 

[thunderw21]

The Shotgun I've been drooling over for years is the Winchester Model 97. I heard the Chinese reprod those. I haven't heard the verdict on those though. It would seem sacreligious though.

I've heard the Chinese copies are pretty decent. Wouldn't mind having one myself. I like the look of the chopped barrel, would be neat to get a heat shield and bayo for it.

I have an original '97 that belonged to my grandfather. It was made in 1921.

 

[Doublegun]

JJ,

Chech out Jaquas in Findlay, Ohio. (Jaquas.com) They are very honest and see a lot of guns, from extremely high end to the basic. They have some of the new 20 ga M37s listed on their site as well as some used 12's. Thinking about my original reply, the "new" M37's may be manufactured with the longer plastic halls taken into consideration. Just a thought.

Have you thought about a used Browning or Ruger Red Label over/under? Brownings were made in Japan but the Rugers were/are made in the USA. No ejection port to worry about. They'll eat anything, are well made and you will probably never lose a dime if you decide to sell one day. Jaquas should also have a few of those in the rack (although 20 ga Rugers can be tough to find). I had a 20 ga Browning Citori that I sold 10-years ago for $700 that was the easiest pointing shotgun I ever owned and it was extremely effective for skeet, sporting clays and in the field.

 

[Doublegun]

I have an old M97 that my father "liberated" when he retired from the bank he worked at for 25-years. It was kept in the safe in case of robbery. It was originally a trench gun in WWI. M97's were often called knuckle-busters because of the wounds inflicted to the shooter's right thumb when the action was racked and the hammer cocked back onto the knuckle of the thumb. I did it once and have not fired the gun since.

 

[Slim Portly]

I went shooting with a buddy a couple of days ago. I brought my low serial number Kel-Tec P-11 (9mm) handgun, and he brought two rifles, a Ruger 10/22 (.22 cal.) and a Mini-14 Ranch Rifle (.223 Remington/5.56 NATO), and two .45 cal. handguns including a Smith and Wesson Model 4516.

Here's the hardware, including two cases of grape flavored carbonated reactive targets:

 

[DutchIndo]

I've heard the Chinese copies are pretty decent. Wouldn't mind having one myself. I like the look of the chopped barrel, would be neat to get a heat shield and bayo for it.

I have an original '97 that belonged to my grandfather. It was made in 1921.

I've seen repro Heat Shields and Bayonets but I forgot where. The Bayonets are easy enough its just forking out the 70.00-100.00 for them. It's funny the Germans in WWI thought the Shotgun barbaric. I guess their Saw back bayonets, Flamethrowers and Poison Gas was OK.

 

[Diamondback]

Here's the hardware, including two cases of grape flavored carbonated reactive targets:

lol First time I've ever heard grape-soda described that way...

----------------
Now playing: Alan Silvestri - Doc Returns
via FoxyTunes

 

[JJWord]

Doublegun,

I've mildly contemplated an over-under. Unfortunately I've never had the opportunity to fire one so I'm not sure how I would like it. From handling a few in the store they always seemed heavy and unbalanced to me, but that probably varies from model and manufacturer. I'll add the Red Label to my "wish list".

Thanks again!

 

[Slim Portly]

lol First time I've ever heard grape-soda described that way...

They are amazing bullet magnets. They also, by sheer coincidence, happen to be the cheapest sodas available at WalMart.

 

[Diamondback]

I was about to ask if they were on blowout-sale... lol

----------------
Now playing: John Williams - The Battle Of Endor II
via FoxyTunes

 

[FinalVestige79]

That's my favorite pistol to but because I'm a WW II Collector I'm looking for the military version to purchase and it's known as a S&W Victory 38 and I'm looking for one that is U.S. Navy marked. Mike

A Smith & Wesson Model 10 with a 5" barrel. I added the buffalo horn grips some years ago.

[/QUOTE]

The Navy ones are exceedingly hard to find, and are getting more expensive. I got mine from a friend for a song...its not navy tho.

 

[FinalVestige79]

The Shotgun I've been drooling over for years is the Winchester Model 97. I heard the Chinese reprod those. I haven't heard the verdict on those though. It would seem sacreligious though.

Norinco makes them, and you get both good and bad opinions, i guess they are all differing in quality with each batch. Prone to rust, jams, even the chamber cracking...all kinds of strange maladies plague these guns. And then you have the one that is pristine and wonderful and never has a problem at all.

 

[KY Gentleman]

I went shooting with a buddy a couple of days ago. I brought my low serial number Kel-Tec P-11 (9mm) handgun, and a Mini-14 Ranch Rifle (.223 Remington/5.56 NATO)

I desperately want either a Ruger Mini 14 or a Mini 30.
What did you think of the one you fired?

 

["Skeet" McD]

Enough talk of pistols, black guns, auto-jammers, and pump-guns. Here are some shotguns that are truly vintage. All American made (by hand), all fully functioinal, and as lively in hand as any gun you could hope to handle.

This is a 16 ga Parker DH that left the shop in 1894. The barrels are the original 28" damascus.

This is a 16 ga Parker VH made in 1904 with 28" fluid steel barrels:

This is a 20 ga Parker DHE made in 1923 with 30" fluid steel barrels:

And my duck gun. a 10 ga Parker DH made in 1894, with 32" damascus barrels:]

Well, DG...that's a pretty impressive arsenal of fine American classics. Glad you're letting them do what they were meant to do instead of sitting in some vault somewhere.

And let's hope you bought these wonders back in the day (not THAT long ago) when "no one would want one of those old things!"

"Skeet"

 

[John in Covina]

I desperately want either a Ruger Mini 14 or a Mini 30.
What did you think of the one you fired?

**************
I have shot a number of Mini 14's and they are very nice to shoot. There's lots of aftermarket accessories for them so you can customize to your hearts desire.

I have not shot the Mini 30 but have shot several SKS's, my early Chinese and recently a Yugo one and they are superb plus a lot less expensive than a Mini 30. For shooting 7.62X39 ammom they are pretty accurate, built as a short battle rifle, and will take a ton of abuse.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Thanks John. I haven't had a chance to actually try one out but they both seem like a great rifle.

 

[DutchIndo]

**************
I have shot a number of Mini 14's and they are very nice to shoot. There's lots of aftermarket accessories for them so you can customize to your hearts desire.

I have not shot the Mini 30 but have shot several SKS's, my early Chinese and recently a Yugo one and they are superb plus a lot less expensive than a Mini 30. For shooting 7.62X39 ammom they are pretty accurate, built as a short battle rifle, and will take a ton of abuse.

I've owned both the SKS (Russian) and the Mini 14 but sold them. SKSs are great fun and WERE cheap to shoot. They can really eject that brass (steel) and have some neat accessories . The Mini I loved but at the time (80s) the barrel was too light for me. They have corrected them I heard (Youtube video by "Nutnfancy" does a breakdown). When I shot mine the point of impact would rise when the barrel heated up. All rifles do that but mine was pronounced. The older model had OK sights, back then alot of shooters replaced them. It was reliable as Hell because of the Garand action. I will probably get crap for saying so but it's more reliable than an AR. I can say that because I own 3 ARs. Minis are also not part of the old AWB.

 

[DeaconKC]

The Mini is a "minute of irritant" rifle that is very robust. I have seen them totally beat up from prison catwalks and they seem to thrive on abuse.