Iver Johnson Hercules Grade 12 ga. sxs ?

[22250Rem]

Getting a couple shotguns in a deal with a friend. One of which is a decent looking Iver Johnson Hercules grade sxs in 12 ga. . Pretty sure that was the highest grade shotgun they made and this one is decent. Used but not abused. Put two 12 ga. target loads through it yesterday and it seems to work fine and feels real good to me. I know Iver Johnson wasn't exactly a high end gun company and I have an Iver Johnson Champion single shot 16 ga. that I like but that was one of their economy guns. How much of an upgrade were the Hercules grade doubles ? Anything else I should be aware of ?

 

[22250Rem]

Well; I did some research today and answered my own question........ The Hercules grade was not the highest grade Iver Johnson. Dug out my old reprint of the 1940 Stoeger Arms Corp. 1940 Shooter's Bible. Back when they billed themselves as "America's Great Gun House" and carried just about every line of guns available in America. Based on the 1940 prices of Iver Johnson shotguns the Hercules grade was one step below their high end trap & skeet shotguns which they called the "Skeeters" . I've heard of those also but were unfamiliar with them and have never seen one. So the Hercules grade wasn't the top of the line but it was apparently the next level down. Pretty interesting. I should be getting the gun in the near future. Anyone out there have one ?