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Bohica6284 · January 24, 2010, 12:42 AM

Well Bama i'm a nostalgia nut too. I hunt deer off and on with some vintage Marlin lever actions I have and in fact I have a Marlin 19 hammer pump 12ga that has specially modified for the big birds. I shortened the barrel to 26" from the original 30", had the forcing cone lengthened and reamed/threaded for screw in chokes. It had a nice original finish on the wood and metal so I left that alone. It's only good for 2 3/4" shells, but it shoots very good patterns out to about 30 yards using Remington Heavyshot (duck loads). I hunted it for the first time last year, but got skunked. I have the Browning Gold which isn't even fair to turkey hunt with! With the custom made choke tube I have for it and Heavyshot (again, the duck loads) this thing patterns so tight that you could easily miss if your not careful. In fact, I can safely shoot out to 40+ yards and do fine. I never shoot that far, but it ruins mounts if I shoot within 15 yards! I mean it's a downright closed casket funeral if big tom steps within 15. I guess what I'm looking for now is the next challenge, I've done everything you can do with a 12ga.

January 24, 2010, 12:42 AM	#5
Bohica6284 Member Join Date: January 23, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 25	Well Bama i'm a nostalgia nut too. I hunt deer off and on with some vintage Marlin lever actions I have and in fact I have a Marlin 19 hammer pump 12ga that has specially modified for the big birds. I shortened the barrel to 26" from the original 30", had the forcing cone lengthened and reamed/threaded for screw in chokes. It had a nice original finish on the wood and metal so I left that alone. It's only good for 2 3/4" shells, but it shoots very good patterns out to about 30 yards using Remington Heavyshot (duck loads). I hunted it for the first time last year, but got skunked. I have the Browning Gold which isn't even fair to turkey hunt with! With the custom made choke tube I have for it and Heavyshot (again, the duck loads) this thing patterns so tight that you could easily miss if your not careful. In fact, I can safely shoot out to 40+ yards and do fine. I never shoot that far, but it ruins mounts if I shoot within 15 yards! I mean it's a downright closed casket funeral if big tom steps within 15. I guess what I'm looking for now is the next challenge, I've done everything you can do with a 12ga.