Why are shotguns made the way they are?

Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
Shotguns aren't taken out on hunting trips for days on end. They're usually day trips and taken home the same day.
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3macs1 said:
And most don't shoot them in real bad weather either. I know even with my upland guns I have some for rainy days only
Cheers
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I think that’s a tad subjective and anecdotal. There’s plenty of duck/goose guns that undergo the same use and treatment that a rifle does. Weeks in the field/camp, and long days banging around in the bottom of a boat - possible near salt water... or the turkey hunter sitting motionless in the spring rain for hours on end... or the deer hunter with a pocket full of slugs taking their gun from the snowy woods into the warm cabin twice or thrice a day, causing all kinds of condensation.


Again, I think it must be more a factor of metallurgy than it is cost or demand.
 
mac100 said:
I have the nickel plated with Teflon coated 870 Marine magnum. I’m not sure if stainless would be better because the nickel/Teflon is pretty slick. I’m surprised that they don’t sell chromed ones. That stuff is really durable
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Maybe the Chroming is more difficult to work with in theses cases
 
kodiakjack said:
I think that’s a tad subjective and anecdotal. There’s plenty of duck/goose guns that undergo the same use and treatment that a rifle does. Weeks in the field/camp, and long days banging around in the bottom of a boat - possible near salt water... or the turkey hunter sitting motionless in the spring rain for hours on end... or the deer hunter with a pocket full of slugs taking their gun from the snowy woods into the warm cabin twice or thrice a day, causing all kinds of condensation.


Again, I think it must be more a factor of metallurgy than it is cost or demand.
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You didnot say duck shotguns you said pretty hefty wad shotguns which to me is expensive ones like 12-$15,000 clays guns not $1500-2000 waterfowl guns or in my case a $7500 upland gun. No I leave it home in the rain and take the $400 pump
Cheers
 
3macs1 said:
You didnot say duck shotguns you said pretty hefty wad shotguns which to me is expensive ones like 12-$15,000 clays guns not $1500-2000 waterfowl guns or in my case a $7500 upland gun. No I leave it home in the rain and take the $400 pump
Cheers
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Sorry lol. You and I may have differing views on the definition of the incredibly technical term: “Hefty Wad” lol.

No, I was thinking more of the $1k to $2k range, which I’m sure you do a stainless barrel under or in that range.
 
BullOnParade said:
Yes, but the bolt, locking block and slide assembly are all raw steel. Why are they not blued or stainless?
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Hmmm Remington has a LEO version that has parkerized bolt blocks...
There are some shotguns that are made with aluminum alloys and others that have cheap coats that look like expensive wood, yet when upon closer inspection the wood is actually a sticker.
But, alas guntech is correct.
Rob
 
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kodiakjack said:
Sorry lol. You and I may have differing views on the definition of the incredibly technical term: “Hefty Wad” lol.

No, I was thinking more of the $1k to $2k range, which I’m sure you do a stainless barrel under or in that range.
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Yes ago when I thought I was way better skeet shooter than I was LOL yes I made the road to those expensive guns but they are long gone and now believe me $2000 is expensive for a shotgun gun once on pension
None of my semi duck guns have a stainless barrel however just the camo coating what ever that is
Take care
 
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My SX-3 is coated inside and out, and I have had water running out of the receiver on hunts, with no corrosion issues. I do break it down and clean it after hunts like that.
 
Ive had an old model 12 out on some wet days a few times, and after Im done its received a good wipe down with an oiled rag, and its none the worse for any rust either.
 
farmer47 said:
i have worked with stainless in a machine shop. i am far from an expert but i do know that once you got stainless hot it went hard and was impossible to work with.
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I'd echo what farmer says, not that it provides any real insight. From working with SS sheet, tube, 1" rod (cutting, forming, welding, spot welding) it takes about 10 seconds to realize the stuff is less cooperative than mild steel to work with, and significantly more expensive. And not rust-proof either. lol In my early days, I remember setting up a bending brake to bend 90 degree...20ga CRS. (cold rolled steel) Had to bend some 20ga stainless right after and thought "sweet, already set-up!" Nope! lol

Anyhow, I imagine if there was a huge desire for a stainless steel Remington 870...they'd already be out there. (as an example) I can't imagine anyone would pay what Remington would charge for it, and then when put away wet and it's owner opens the case a month later..the shock of seeing corrosion on an expensive SS shotgun would be attention a gun maker like Remington probably wouldn't want. I think it comes down to cost, and what SS actually offers for the price vs end user expectations. Probably not worth the hassle.
 
I should add...while I haven't allot experience with the finish, proper parkerizing is remarkably durable/corrosion resistant. I have a Mossberg 500 that has a parkerized barrel and mag tube and to say that gun doesn't get babied would be a bit of an understatement. lol Still looks good, seems to actually look better with use. I've stopped short of getting blued guns parkerized...but boy, the thought has crossed my mind dozens of times.
 
flashman2 said:
Wut?

I've spent weeks at a time out in the bush living out of my jeep with my dog chasing grouse with my Citori and 686/687's. I'm very sure I'm not special in that regard. Nor have any of my shotguns seen anything approaching the service they would hunting ducks up the Labrador coast. I'm sure I baby them compared to many, and they definitely see many days away from "home."
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For weeks? Sure okay. I totally believe you mate. That's totally normal what everyone else does too.
 
Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
For weeks? Sure okay. I totally believe you mate. That's totally normal what everyone else does too.
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I sure wish I had weeks off to go chasing for grouse! When I can squeeze a few weekends in the schedule these days, I'm all happy...

As for stainless, I'm pretty sure hard-chrome/cerakote has better rust resistance than plain stainless.
 
Magellann said:
Ive had an old model 12 out on some wet days a few times, and after Im done its received a good wipe down with an oiled rag, and its none the worse for any rust either.
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Same with my shotguns, they go out rain or shine. None of them are rusty and I’m not breaking them down afterwards, they dry out by the wood stove and get an oily rag wipe down the next day or so.
 
There was an all-stainless steel O/U made in Sweden and marketed in North America back in the 70s or 80s, They were quite expensive and looked unconventional at the time so did not last long. At least some were aimed at the Olympic-style shooters. I think there was one posted for sale a couple years ago here on CGN.
 
I have been in this corner before worrying about a decent amount of protection my pump action shotgun.
So I bought a nearly new Ithaca Waterfowler M37 shotgun with its Perma Guard weather and scratch resistant coating. I then brought it to Arma-coat in Redwater Alberta for a nice dousing of his superb finish.
Voila, a double coated ($$$) shotgun.
 
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