16 gauge pics

2 of them. I built the top one up from a bare empty receiver, and restored the 2nd.

here is the story on the top one.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=385245

drcook, not a bad looking arm, may I ask why did you use a spray on lacquer and not Tru Oil. The Tru Oil doesn't smell bad and when hand rubbed into a stock it comes out looking exceptionally nice. I did a Winchester model 12's stock and forearm about 2 years ago and that is what I used. Came out very nice I might add. Note: That shotgun was made in 1931, and had a lot of use prior to my getting my hands on it.

Lacquer is historically correct for Ithacas for one. Another is I can have the finish on and finished in 24 hrs. Put the stain on 1 night, let dry until morning, shoot a bunch of coats of lacquer every 30/40 minutes, wet sand and rub up, done.

Plus it is easier to fix up hunting boo-boos. Just strip and redo.

Additionally, the wood on the standard grade Ithacas is just standard grade, straight grain, suitable for a hunting gun. One of them even has grain that wants to keep lifting up, was a bear to get it somewhat flat. I had to seal, sand, seal, sand.

I cannot justify spending lots of time on a piece of wood that doesn't deserve it.

I have used oil finishes on my BPCR rifles, but the wood on them DESERVED an oil finish.

A couple of these were finished, a couple simply had the stocks inletted
and started to be finished

Three sixteen gauge guns passed through my hands, but all are gone because there isn't anything finer than light 12 with light loads which are readily available. The great 16ga American guns were: Model 12, old vintage Ithaca 37, alloy framed Remington 31, Auto 5 'Sweet Sixteen', A.H. Fox double and small-framed (0 if I recall correctly) Parker Bros. shotgun The 16ga guns to avoid at all costs: BPS, 870 (especially dreaded 8lb Express), 1100 and whole bunch of others.

drcook, You're probably right, it's just I've never had any luck trying to spray lacquer on anything let alone a gun stock. I'm more interested in the aesthetic look rather than the traditional look. What can I say.

In all actuality, Everyone is right and no one is wrong.

Whatever a person wants and chooses to do, is correct for their situation. On my first 16ga Ithaca 37 (a 1957, the one with the raised grain) I spent a couple weeks messing with the finish (BLO, spar varnish based). It still got a bugger in it. That convinced me not to take the finish on my hunting guns too serious.

Don't take me wrong, I like them to look nice, I just don't want to spend a lot of time, mess them up and have to start over. That is really it in a nutshell.

If I was building or restoring one of the old Ithaca Skeet or Trap guns, guaranteed it would be an oil based finish. There was nice wood on those guns.

i had three 16ga shotguns,i sold a baker batavia leader and still have two a winchester and a fox sterlingworth. i don,t use them very much,but i should. eastbank.

Here's one of mine,



DM

DM, nice pic !

The 16ga is the perfect middle gauge. There is a little that 20's and 12's are better than 16's at.

I have repeatably said I keep thinking about getting an Ithaca 37 20ga, but the answer I keep coming up with is Why ? I have Ithaca 37's in 12ga also and a Stevens 77 in 20ga but they just stay at home. The various 16's that I have either built or restored cover most every situation I need them to.

My 1956 Wingmaster has been on a lot of hunts. Here it is with my dog Gus.

My Marlin Model 90 "Skeetking."

BarkeyVA nicest model 90 I have ever seen.

16

My 16 gauge flintlock fowler:

This 97 was my Grandpa Jack's I had it fixed up so I could shoot it but left the finish as it was, took it pheasant hunting on it's 100th birthday in 2008 and I'm glad to say it worked just fine.

Thanks!

According to a daughter of the original owner, it was a gift to her dad from a family friend, Ole Horsrud, a gunsmith who held the original patent (assigned to Sears) for the gun that was was sold by Sears as the Ranger 103.xx prior to WWII (JC Higgins 103.xx after the war) and by Marlin as the Model 90.

Marlin Model 90 Skeetkings were only available by special order in 1939 and 1940.

Marlin Model 90 Skeetkings were only available by special order in 1939 and 1940.

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A pox on you for showing that gun........ It is really, really nice and you are a fortunate man to have it in your stewardship.

That gun could cause me to look outside the realm if Ithaca 37's for one like it.

Drcook,
Thanks.

While not as nice as your model 37's, this is my 1951 Ithaca 37



This is my dad's 1949 20 ga Model 37 that he used to teach my brother, my sisters and me to wing shoot. Dad bought it new and put a Weaver choke on it shortly after he got it. Our dad died last year at age 95, and my brother and I are having a friendly discussion about which one of us should have it.

That actually is one of the nicest early 50's guns I have seen !

Our dad died last year at age 95, and my brother and I are having a friendly discussion about which one of us should have it.

Click to expand...

Could always take it out shooting on dad's birthday each year and then take turns taking it home.

I just finished redoing this one.

Of course it is a 16ga.

It has a Simmons rib put on it. The barrel is 28" and is a full choke. It is going to be a squirrel stalking gun. I started stalking squirrels just in case something happens to my hunting buddy and his squirrel dogs. He is 80 on the 11th. The fox squirrels around here are hard to sneak up on.

In its past, the buttstock had been cut, so I found and bought another gun solely for the wood.

Simmons ribs were/are silver soldered on and leave a visible ring around the base of the post. I was using some silver solder blackening agent and wouldn't you know, it ruined the blue so I have to have the barrel redone after polishing it again

:banghead:

The barrel will go back, along with the gun whose barrel is in the last picture. I will be sending it to Michigan on the 14th to have those pits welded up with a laser.

This is an enders royal Western that was buried in the ground for several years. When it was dug up (the wood had rotted away) it sat in a closet for another 50 years and was then given to me to bring back to life. Since you cant just buy a replacement stock for it or foregrip, I made my own.

Here is the shotgun as I received it.














Below is the spring mechanism that goes into the forearm stock.







Here it is after I restored it and made all the wood for it.

Here it is sitting on what remains of the walnut beam I started with.
















Here is a video on the test firing sled I built to test out these old guns after I restore them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaU4gafb9IY

An amazing transformation!