3 shotguns, what have I got?

horseshoe

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A little while ago, I inherited 3 old shotguns. They are taking up space in my safe that is sorely needed for other stuff.

I need help from the guru's here to tell me if they are anything more than wall hangers, and if anyone knows, a fair value I can ask for on the EE. I'm not trying to get rid of them for "profit", but don't want to give them away if I don't have to...

First up:
J. Manton & Co side by side. Rough shape, one hammer has been replaced with some blacksmith's Frankenstein version
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Next:
a Mossberg bolt-action 12ga. Again, rough shape. stock has been taken off and is cracked, polychoke:
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The last one, was my great-grandfathers, a Steven's side by side 12ga. This one I'm hoping is restorable, as I'd like to keep it in the family. However, if it needs too much work for me to do, I'd rather see someone else do something with it, than have it sit for years unused:
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Anyone with any information would be a great help. I hate the guys that come on here with the "how much is this worth" questions, now I have to be one...

I have lots more pics if there is something I should be showing but am not...
 
The first one is not worth the cost of shipping.
If the stock is not cracked , that may get you 50.oo if some one needs a stock for a belguim shot gun.
The mossberg are decent guns as well as the stevens.
is the mossy is all there , it could be repaired fairly reasonable. I don't see the mag for it?
The 311??? is a good low cost shotgun, is the bores good or all pitted up?
is the reciever to frame fit tight/ 12 gauge ?
This gun would be worth repairing, if the labour costs are reasonable, if the wood is not broken.
With out seeing them ,hard to give you a true estament of repair and costs.
 
The Mossberg is missing the magazine, the screws that hold the (cracked) stock to the action, and the tang safety. The safety mechanism is still there, but the actual slide that you work with your thumb is missing.

The Stevens seems to lock up fairly tight, and the bores look in decent shape. Is there a proper way to check to see if it's still safe to shoot, short of loading it and pulling the trigger with a rope from far, far away? Something like checking the headspace on a centerfire rifle?
 
with the stevens why not leave it as is, once you start messing with a thing of beauty like that it wouldn't be worth it. try it out if it fires safe use it as is or put it up as a wall hanger.
 
Is there anything in particular I should be looking for before loading it and pulling the trigger?

I suppose a light target load would be best?

If this thing does blow up, am I losing anything of value?
 
Put a target load in the Stevens and shoot it. Don't fall into the all guns have to be in a safe or cabinet. Make a nice set of hooks and hang it on the wall in the living room as a reminder of your great grandfther and your grandfather and your father who probably shot it.
 
None have any monetary value. $50.00 tops for the Manton, around $75.00 for the Mossberg missing the magazine and with cracked stock and about $150.00-$200.00 for the Stevens. If the action is tight on the Stevens and the bores are good, don't be afraid to use it.
 
If your worried about the Stevens, why dont you tie it to a tree with a light target load and a long string to the trigger and hide behind, beside or under something solid and tug on the said string to make it go bang.
If it is still there after , then you should be good to go.
Do not take my opinion as science but rather a possibility.
Enjoy it in your Great Grand Fathers Memory...
Rob
 
I think that is going to be the plan! It seems to lock up nice and tight, so I'll give it a go!

It will either be a great success, or a epic failure! Either way, it'll be fun.

Thanks guys.

Soon to be on the EE...
One terrible condition J Manton for parts,
One Mossberg bolt for parts,
and one Stevens....parts of it.
 
I've got a nice Stevens 311 that I purchased off the EE a couple of years back for $225 shipped to my door.

While your's probably won't fetch much in terms of money, it's a great low cost side by side that was in production for decades and probably worth the time to clean off the rust and perhaps even take out once in a while.

The Mossberg won't be worth much in that shape or without the magazine, but cleaned up might still make for a good bush gun, as the poly choke makes it far more versatile than the full choked single shots that can be challenging to connect with a grouse in the bush. I wouldn't put too much time or effort into her, but if she cleaned up okay, you might be able to get a magazine from Numrich Arms (also a good source for Stevens 311 parts).
 
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