I took the plunge and disassembled it last night. I was expecting horror like when I took a 1890 Winchester apart too far one time
, but it went very well. Unfortunately a lot more of the finish is gone from the metal than I originally thought. By just wiping it down with Sheath, most of the surface rust has been removed... along with a lot of thin blue. No significant dark rust anywhere.
The action seems tight, headspace from what I can tell is still very decent. It has a 2 3/4" chamber and the barrel is immaculate and shiny. The gun was made in 1909. (I found a date stamp on one of the interior parts)
George, do you think it can handle modern, normal bird shot loads? Of course the first time I shoot it, will be remotely...
I think it would make a decent Cowboy Shooting pump shotgun because when I first saw it I thought it was a Winchester 1897...
Thanks again George.
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Yes, in fact I do have a 454... in more ways than one.
"No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority" - Thomas Jefferson