Long Tom Single-Shot Shotguns

[Gator Weiss]

Bought an old 40-inch LongTom 12gauge on auction site. Love old single-shots. Remember being 12 or 13 and going to Turkey Shoots using a LongTom owned by close family friend and it threw a great dense pattern of #8 shot on target with a 2.75" load. Deer hunted with that old Longtom back in early to mid 1970's, missed a buck with a shotgun slug. I remember the stockdrop was deep, barrel jumped up high when I fired and the buck just looked at me and strolled off gone while I was digging in my pocket for another cartridge. Learning now LongToms were made by several manufacturers. That gun back in the 70s was stamped NewYork Arms Company. Ive never seen that stamp on an old gun again. The one I just bought is old and is a Sears. I paid too much a little bit, the dealer was nice. Old memories motivated the desire to purchase. Im now getting interested in starting a LongTom collection. Any LongTom folks out there?

 

[paul harm]

Never heard of Long Tom shotguns unless you just mean long barreled shotguns in general. I have a 10ga 36" H&R single shot. Also had and sold a 40" Mossburg bolt action. Sears never made any gun, just put their name on them.

 

[Gator Weiss]

Never heard of Long Tom shotguns unless you just mean long barreled shotguns in general. I have a 10ga 36" H&R single shot. Also had and sold a 40" Mossburg bolt action. Sears never made any gun, just put their name on them.

Long Tom is stamped deeply into the side of the receiver, these were contracted by Sears from a variety of manufacturers. Many are over 80 years old, some around 100. They come in 10, 12, 16 gauge with very long barrells. 40 inches on many, 36 on others. Crescent, Meridian, Fryberg, and others made them. They are stamped Long Tom, some with flat sided recievers, rounded, pointed, etc. Single-shot breakover shotguns stamped Long Tom marketed eons ago and sold by Sears. There were a few others retailers that adopted the marketing name, H&R made a few also.

 

[JDeere]

I remember them well from back in the day. They were pretty popular and held that pattern a little longer on the fly. Not a Long Tom but I had one of those Marlin Super Goose 10 gauge shotguns. It was a bolt action and would reach out there on those goose hunts. Had to make your shots count cause ammo was expensive. Sold it not long ago to an avid goose hunter...

 

[Cornhusker77]

I've got an old Long Tom we used to hunt pheasants with a hundred years ago.
I'll have to dig it out and see what it looks like.

 

[Gator Weiss]

I love the old single shots. The Long Tom is certainly one to enjoy and keep

 

[Mosin77]

I have one I acquired for a song. Always been curious to learn more about them. I think the barrel is 32” or a bit longer. Are they generally choked or do they rely solely on the long barrel for a tighter pattern?

 

[Gator Weiss]

I have one I acquired for a song. Always been curious to learn more about them. I think the barrel is 32” or a bit longer. Are they generally choked or do they rely solely on the long barrel for a tighter pattern?

Usually stamped "choke bore" which equates to Full Choke or something slightly less restricted than full. The stock drop seems a little deeper, makes it easier to shoot upward at geese. 40 inch barrel, throws a good pattern.

 

[Mosin77]

Usually stamped "choke bore" which equates to Full Choke or something slightly less restricted than full. The stock drop seems a little deeper, makes it easier to shoot upward at geese. 40 inch barrel, throws a good pattern.

I just pulled it out and had a look. Mine measures to 27 1/2 inches and has a bead and a buckhorn sight brazed on, so I’m willing to bet it’s been cut down, is cylinder bore, and served for years as ol’ Bubba’s slug gun. Interestingly enough it’s got a patent date of 1913 but I don’t see a single marking to denote gauge or choke.