Anybody shoot and hunt with an older shotgun?

[roverboy]

I was just wondering if anybody shot and hunted with an older shotgun. Pump ,auto, single, whatever. I've got a couple of old Win. 37 guns that I want to try turkey hunting with. One Im working on right now. Its getting the barrel reamed/threaded for Win.-Chokes. It was my Grandpa's and he messed up the barrel before I was born. Mud in barrel= blown choke. Its a 12 Gauge and the other is a 16 full choke.

[potter]

I just got my old 10 gauge o/u back from briley. They threaded barrels with there thin wall threads got 5 chokes with it. And added fiber optic bead. I am pleased with there work.the gun patterns better than my bps10.

[jryser]

Yes I do!  1962 Browning Auto 5 Sweet 16 and also a 1967 Auto 5 Magnum Twenty!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Izzyjoe]

The only dedicated turkey gun I have is an older 870 special purpose with matte finish, and dark stained walnut. Before that I used a mossy 500 from the 70's, with a 30" full, I still take the 500 on nasty days!

[WildTigerTrout]

1959 vintage Winchester Model 12 Field Grade 12 ga. 28" Mod

[Divenut2]

I've been hunting with my 30 + year old Mossy 500 (Not really old) for ever. This season I'm gonna try to fill a tag with an old Model 12, 2-3/4" 20 ga, 24" barrel with a Dial-a-Duck choke.  Great old shotgun with the slickest action I've every used. Should be fun 

[Yoder409]

I have, on occasion, carried my late grandpa's Iver Johnson Champion "Choke Bored" 2 3/4" 12 gauge single.  Usually carry it in the fall a day or two.  He bought it at the hardware the year he married Grandma............. 1929.  It patterns very well to 30+ yards.  I have yet to bloody it.  But it's coming !!

[roverboy]

I have, on occasion, carried my late grandpa's Iver Johnson Champion "Choke Bored" 2 3/4" 12 gauge single.  Usually carry it in the fall a day or two.  He bought it at the hardware the year he married Grandma............. 1929.  It patterns very well to 30+ yards.  I have yet to bloody it.  But it's coming !!

I saw one of those about 2 months ago at a pawn shop.

[owlhoot]

Early 90's 21" barrel 870 turkey gun . Mid 90's 20 guage 21".
Winchester 37 20 guage .
Not all that old but older than I care to remember!

[firedup]

I do some fall turkey with an 1894 English made BP SXS cartridge gun.  Gonna road test a 1940's Hunter Arms Fulton SXS this fall.  Same company that made LC Smith's. It was their "cheap" gun. Sold for $23 new I think.  LOL. Mite thro some TSS down the barrel and see how it does. 

[Double B]

 I got a Win model 120 Ranger new in '80.   Had the short slug barrel threaded for a turkey choke last year and added a good fiber optic sight.  No camo.  Sentimental gun and enjoyable to carry.

[Takeaim1st]

Yes I do ! When I was a junior in high school my Dad helped me purchase a brand new model 37 Winchester 20 gage  2 3/4 inch chamber full choke. With His help and all the money I could earn doing odd jobs I bought it in 1964, it must have been among the last production runs made, Winchester ceased production of the 37 in 1963. We didn't even have a Turkey season at that time so the little gun was used for rabbits, squirrel,and grouse - when I could connect with one. Four years later a close relative we all have in common sent me a letter of " Greetings" giving me an all expense paid trip to Southeast Asia. While I was there my Dad bought me an Ithca 37 20 gage 2 3/4 inch chamber full choke , for Christmas. He has scince passed, now as I reflect on His buying that Ithca, I suppose it was His way of remaining hopeful that I would come home to make use of it. I didn't  know about that shotgun until , With the Good lords help , I returned home. Both of these little guns were turned into great turkey guns with the advent of Federal heavyweight  #7s. I harvested Turkeys with them before those shells were produced but, limited my shot range to 25 yds. or less. With the new heavy weights that range increased to 35 yds. I could take Turkeys a bit further than that but, the chance for wounding or crippling increases too much for my liking. My Brother-in-law bought a Remington special purpose 12 gage 3 inch in the 80s that will  shoot patterns out to 50 yrds. that are something to behold using federal #4 copper plated . Once while hunting together He wanted to do the calling and let me use the Remington. While it is all one could want in a long range Turkey gun, I wouldn't carry it for it, the weight is too much. I've  been spoiled by my light weight 37s and, I enjoy calling them close so much. For a couple seasons I would step off the distance from my shooting position to a downed bird and  the average distance was between 18 to 23 steps. I realize  that's not for everyone but, I have e"njoyed those close encounters. I'm trying to purchase enough of the Heavyweight shells to do me for the rest of my career, while they are still available.  They perform well enough to suit me. I see no need to pay more for the TSS, this late in the game.

[slicksbeagles1]

The first tom I ever bagged I took with a Remington model 1100 LW 20ga modified that my grandfather got me when I was 12 in 1971 or 1972. When my grandfather and grandmother passed away I got my grandfather's  Stevens 311 20ga double barrel. This past spring I took a tom with it.

[Bowguy]

 Interesting thread. I thought about using an browning auto 5-light  12 I have this year. I've actually been messing w it. It was made in 67. It came w a mod choke. I'm doing nothing to the barrel instead of it I'll only shoot in that guns effective range. It's always cool carrying old guns. I wish they could talk and share stories bout where they've been.

[outdoorsurveys]

I've got a Benelli Shotgun that I put together in 2010 that is as good as any sold in 2019 and steps for creating it would be the same (maybe a few parts changed model numbers).  If you want to see how to assemble the perfect Benelli Turkey gun, I've got the steps outlined just go to www.outdooorsurveys.com and you'll see a link on the home page and it will take you to how I pulled it together.