LB's to much power?

[Izzyjoe]

 A few weeks back, a friend and me were deer hunting and later that afternoon we got to talking turkey, shooting the breeze and talking about gear, ammo, and guns. I told him about the new Winchester LB's, and he said he like to try some one day, I said well I just happen to have a few in the console in the truck. He has a Stevens pump that's rated for 3" shells, I forgot the model but it's an older one that he bought in the 70's, his turkey load that he's used for years is Fed high brass #5's, and he has killed quite a few birds with those, but me talking up these new shells made him curious, he said he would like a little more range. So I had a piece of old cardboard in the truck, paced off 40 steps and let him take a shot. He fired, and I heard the strangest sound, I looked at him, and he had a wide eyed look! The bolt slammed back, ejected the shell, and the forearm moves back and forth like it's not hooked up. He had a few unkind words to say about them New shells, cause they just blowed his old faithful. I had to loan him a shotgun so he could hunt the next couple weekends, but the real problem is he's thinking I'm Gona fix his gun, now if these had been hand loads I would be obligated to pay to fix it, but they are factory loads. I don't want to lose a good friend, and hunting buddy, so I guess I'll fix his, or replace it. Sorry to be so long winded, but I wouldn't recommend using them in older Stevens pump shotguns!

[timberchicken]

I would contact Winchester. They may help fixing it unless they have a warning on it. I doubt that they are that much hotter than other shells you may of just sped up the demise of that gun. Nothing last forever.

[30_06]

Weird situation to be in, but the gun is from the 70's and he shot a factory load. No telling if his normal shells would have caused the same damage, but give the situation it would be logical to assume the outcome would have been the same using "his" ammunition.
If it were me, and my friend gave me much grief over it I would repair it and diss associate with him. Life's too short for friends of that ilk.

[Izzyjoe]

I got it apart, and I don't think it will be to hard to fix. I've found the parts, just need to find the time. We talked about it, and I can tell this shotgun is well worn! I'm going to fix it, but he knows it's not Gona be new. He went and looked for a new one, Walmart has mossberg 500's for $267+ tax, it's hard to beat that! I'm not knocking them, but those older savages leave a lot to be desired!

[trkehunr93]

Glad you were able to locate parts for a fix, I would be leery of sharing any of my shells with anyone from now on.  I agree about the future of this friendship, I got my truck stuck at a friends place last hunting season and we tore the ground up pretty bad getting my truck out.  Backstory is I was not able to hunt there due to family deciding what to do with the land and I had several stands to move elsewhere, I had an long grade to back down and it was wet.  Hindsight being 20/20 I should have just carried the stands up the hill but they were ladder stands.  One of the last things he asked was "you're going to help me fix this, right?"  I said sure as I was raised that you do right by folks but when I started getting reminder texts as the weather was warming up and the ground was good and dry I got a little irked but was a man of my word and lined up a friend to grade the spot and I bought good grass seed and hay and spread it.  The thing that really got me was that the ground had settled quite a bit from Nov. to June and it was covered in grass, me and the guy grading it looked at each other and said "why are we doing this?"  It wasn't a part of their property they even used, but lesson learned and I slept better at night knowing I did right.  I and my wife however made a conscious to back off from that friendship permanently.  I am not a fan of things being hung over my head, again  :icon_thumright:big thumbs up for doing the right thing.   

[allaboutshooting]

This is a very interesting thread. Most ammunition has a rather long list or warnings and cautions on it. Most will include a statement with something like "...use only in firearms that are in good condition..."

Since we never know about any gun that has not been in our total control since it came from the factory, we can't know how much stress it has been subjected to over the years, if it has ever had a recall...the list goes on and on. Many older guns did not have the safety features that are common on newer guns and some were made with what today would be considered "soft" parts.

I have a few older guns that were not "top shelf" when they were new, they may not have been well maintained before I got them and I would not think of shooting them with modern ammo. They may have some sentimental value or maybe I've just had them for a long time and am reluctant to get rid of them but they are not shooters.

All firearms are inherently dangerous. When we pull the trigger, we set in motion a series of events that can not be recalled. It's for that reason that we always emphasize safety so much.

Thanks,
Clark

[Izzyjoe]

I like to do right by people, cause you never know when you might need some help, and hope they remember it. I had a falling out with a friends dad years ago when I was young and stupid, and he still mad about that deal, and it was no big deal, but he felt like I wronged him, and he's the kind to hold a grudge, man that's been 20yrs ago!

[hs strut]

I got it apart, and I don't think it will be to hard to fix. I've found the parts, just need to find the time. We talked about it, and I can tell this shotgun is well worn! I'm going to fix it, but he knows it's not Gona be new. He went and looked for a new one, Walmart has mossberg 500's for $267+ tax, it's hard to beat that! I'm not knocking them, but those older savages leave a lot to be desired!

i have a savage like this one and as you said they leave alot to be desired and in this case imo i would get the gun functioning and part ways to say i wound up in court over a disagreement with a so called friend once

[Gobspur]

To answer the title to your post, no the LBs are not too much power.  Sounds like the problem was crappy/worn gun.  Assuming gun was rated for those kind of shells.  Don't know how close a friend this is.  But all my hunting buddies are family, known them since birth.  If I felt like I coaxed him into shooting those shells, I'd fix his gun no questions asked, even though they wouldn't ask me to.  If I couldn't fix,  I'd go buy him a new gun in a heart beat.  Always go the extra mile for others, even if it costs you. 

[allaboutshooting]

"Always go the extra mile for others, even if it costs you."

Well said.

Thanks,
Clark

[Izzyjoe]

I will say, and it just may be me, but they have more punch than typical turkey loads. Shooting from a bench they seem more peppy! But I'm not complaining, cause they pattern better than any shell I've ever fired!

[Gobble!]

Your better than me, I wouldn't be fixing his gun. I wouldn't consider asking a friend to fix my gun if I was in his position.