Advice, Looking to buy Older reliable 12 Ga.

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Jamieadam

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Hi All, I’m new to firearms and looking to buy an older reliable 12 Ga. And hoping for some advice. I’ve been watching some great videos and I kind of like the wing master 870, or the Mossberg 590.
Thanks
 
Jamieadam said:
Hi All, I’m new to firearms and looking to buy an older reliable 12 Ga. And hoping for some advice. I’ve been watching some great videos and I kind of like the wing master 870, or the Mossberg 590.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Pretty tough to beat an older Wingmaster , depending on what you want to do .
Cat
 
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Yup - sort of depends what you want to do with it - what is important to you - some like Ithaca 37 and Browning BPS will eject out the bottom - no side ejection port like on a Rem 870. That may or may not matter to you. Some, again that Ithaca, made to "slam fire" - hold trigger back and it will fire each time the pump closes the bolt - most shotguns make you release the trigger and re-depress it to fire again, after cycling the action - again, that may or may not be important. Many of us started with simple hinge action - external hammer - some of us still "stuck" there, or "stepped up" to a hammer double barrel. Or a hammerless double side-by-side or over-under. Some will "swear" that a semi-auto is the only type to use ... Lots of choices.

About same with sighting - less expensive guns from "old days" typically just had a round front sight "bead" on end of round barrel. More expensive guns had "ribs" - sometimes with a second smaller sight about half way to muzzle. Very expensive ones had really high ribs. More choices. Really helps to "pattern" your shotgun with the ammo of choice, to know where the shot cloud is going, relative to the sight.

You might also want to consider barrel length - in old days with black powder ammo, a longer barrel typically would generate higher velocity to the shot - no longer true with smokeless powder, but a longer barrel might allow you to "aim" more precisely, if you actually "aim" a shotgun.

Is an local older fellow who "swears" by his various Winchester Model 12 - I think he has four of them - but he has let the chamber rust in his "favourite" - will not reliably eject a fired shell - nothing to do with a "brand" or maker - I am pretty sure same thing will tie up any repeater, when the extractor can not hold onto the fired case's rim.
 
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You have to decide whether you want to shoot steel shot for migratory birds. If so, that will limit the selection of older guns you can consider. Moreso, if you want to shoot 3 inch shells.
 
cosmic said:
You have to decide whether you want to shoot steel shot for migratory birds. If so, that will limit the selection of older guns you can consider. Moreso, if you want to shoot 3 inch shells.
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Yup! Again! Most older ones were choked "full" - worked fine with lead shot - I have read you can get away with steel shot in older "modified" or more open chokes - would be PITA to look at blown off front of barrel and wonder where those fingers of yours went.

3" versus 2 3/4" - was covered in the firearms course that I used to teach some years ago - an unfired 3" shell will "fit" into a 2 3/4" chamber - shot shells are measured when fired - with the petals opened - not when unfired.
 
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Wow lots to think about, at the moment I was thinking of target and clays. I am new, reading and researching, feeling like a boy amongst men right now and appreciate your input… so many articles and information to absorb.
 
Jamieadam said:
Wow lots to think about, at the moment I was thinking of target and clays. I am new, reading and researching, feeling like a boy amongst men right now and appreciate your input… so many articles and information to absorb.
Click to expand...

You will develop your own preferences over time, especially if you try a number of different types. However, given where you want to start, you'll soon discover that a majority of shooters prefer under/overs for clay target sports. Removable chokes are not required, but they do offer much more versatility particularly if/when you get into a wider variety of games or hunting (ie. the chokes suitable for skeet are different than those for trap).

About the only place some shooters don't like U/Os is in the migratory game bird blind - they say the U/O is inconvenient because it opens too wide, which allows the barrels to open down into the reeds and they're clumsy to use in tight spaces like a blind. Yet there are those who wouldn't hunt ducks or geese with anything else.

Essentially any shotgun can be used for almost any kind of shooting sports or hunting, but some are a bit of a handicap in certain areas. People who are particularly sensitive to recoil usually like semi-autos. As I said, clay target shooters mostly prefer U/Os. And, upland bird hunters generally fancy side-by-sides.

The maker is often important because nobody wants to miss because of a glitchy gun or a malfunction. And, most important for all types of guns is how well they fit you personally.

Lastly, stay away from ported barrels - they are widely despised (yet some shooters even like those). Everybody has their own tastes.
 
If you’re anything like the rest of us gunnutz you won’t only own one shotgun, so buy a nice Wingmaster and go from there. The 870’s have one thing that most other pump guns don’t and that’s factory and aftermarket support, I can’t think of another shotgun that has that many barrels or stock sets to choose from. How you can set it up is endless really and it will work well for most things, clay sports as well as hunting.
 
Thanks Butcher, yes I’ve read a lot about the wingmaster and I like the idea of the versatility of this shotgun. Oh and lol yes I feel the fever coming on, I will likely own a few, taking my time and being selective.
 
Look at the Ithaca 37. Built like a brick s___house, action smooth as glass, bottom eject if you are left handed, positive ejection, I have turned it sideways and launched empty shells up to 20 feet away. They come in various configurations.
 
^stay away from newly manufactured m37. I bought one, it was a pile of junk full of cast parts (not the same as the original versions)
 
I can vouch for the older stuff, haven't used any made after the early 80s.

This might be helpful.


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18351 - 34400
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1941
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62901 - 115350
1946
115351 - 157150
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1949
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1962
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1963**
867001 - 891000
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381000001 - 381030000****
1974
371405501 - 371517500
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371517501 - 371596000
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371596001 - 371626000
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371648001 - 371678000
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371678001 - 371709000
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371709001 - 371728100
1981
371728101 - 371758700
1982
371758701 - 371850800
1983
371871501 - 371881500
1984
371871501 - 371882000
1985
 
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