SXS 12g under $220

[9mm]

Hi, I just got this urge to get an SXS, been wanting one for a long time. Last gun show I went to they had like 10 for $150~$220 and they were like springfield and some other good brands.

I just sold some stuff that I don't need any more so I have $200 ready to go and theres a gun show in like 13 days.


The SXS's are like made from the 60's-70's but in very good shape.


Is there anything I should look for or watch out for on them? the dealer last time showed me its got a tight lock up meaning it wasnt used much.

[Salmoneye]

Generally speaking, lever right of center good, left of center not so good...

It can lock up tight, and still have the lever way too far left...

[9mm]

What do you mean? I am new to SXS's

[PetahW]

"Springfield" = Savage/Stevens, a great buy at only $200.

There's not many others from that era, in that price range today, that should even be shot, never mind worth as much as $200 - whatever toney "brand name" there might be on one.

The other "good" brands/"ones", would be:

A.H.Fox (good luck, on the $200)
Ithaca
Iver Johnson
L.C.Smith
Lefever Nitro Special (Ithaca)
Noble
Parker Brothers ($200, yeah, right)
Remington Arms
Sterlingworth (A.H.Fox)
Western Arms Long Range Double (Ithaca)

Others "MAY" look attractive/good - but they'll shoot yer eye out. .

.

[oneounceload]

A.H.Fox (good luck, on the $200)
Ithaca
Iver Johnson
L.C.Smith
Lefever Nitro Special (Ithaca)
Noble
Parker Brothers ($200, yeah, right)
Remington Arms
Sterlingworth (A.H.Fox)

Petah - methinks you're missing one or two zeros for those brands.

$200 SxS tend to have an issue or two with them

[9mm]

Springfield" = Savage/Stevens, a great buy at only $200

$200 SxS tend to have an issue or two with them

What a springfield/savage/stevens?

those are the brands I saw around 150~220 ish. The springfields was like 185

[oneounceload]

If you can find a $200 SxS that is actually safe and shoots to POI/POA, good for you

Haven't found it yet in 35 years of looking

[9mm]

If you can find a $200 SxS that is actually safe and shoots to POI/POA, good for you

I don't know about POA/POI shooting, I just shoot.


So SxS's arnt safe for $200 then? sounds like its dangerous.........

[oneounceload]

Most at that price range aren't built with quality (if new), or are so old and need a good check up by a good smith (if old)

[9mm]

okay, then I dont want one, could explode and hurt me..

[langenc]

Last week local shop had a Stoeger Uplander 20 for $375. I checked and new they are MSRPed at $429, I believe.

[columbia_shotguneer]

Generally speaking, lever right of center good, left of center not so good...

It can lock up tight, and still have the lever way too far left...

9mm here is what I think he means but the lever on action should be centered with out a lotta wobble either left or right causing the action to either open too easily or lock up on you.

[9mm]

Oh, I see what you mean the latch.

But still, for $180 is it "really" safe....?

[darkgael]

9mm: I, among many others, you too, have a love affair with SXSs. I have six of them....not one of them is new (the newest is 20 years old) and the oldest is about a century.
Not one of them was a $200 gun....personally, I have yet to see a SXS available for that low a price. The closest was a Savage 311 (pretty much the gun that you have seen) and that was $250. Too clunky for me, though it was in good shape.
Too look for....the lever, as noted, should not be loose. When holding the gun and looking down at the lever, ideally it will be right of the center line of the two barrels.
Also, tight lockup....take the forend off the gun and shake the firearm back and forth a bit....is there any detectable movement? Should be tight with the forend off. Dismount the barrels, suspend the barrels from a finger of one hand and tap them with a knuckle of the other. The barrels should ring with a pleasant tone, like a chime.
Look down both barrels. Are the bores shiny? if not, clean them so that they are. When you look directly down each barrel, you should not see any shadows or dark rings, just a clear mirror bright surface from breech to muzzle. if you do see shadows/rings, those are diffraction rings and are caused by dents in the barrel. You don't want dents (though small ones are fixable).
Do the firing pins work? A snap cap with a piece of masking tape over its primer will tell you. It will not tell you about the condition of the sears and whether the gun has a habit of doubling.
FWIW.
Pete

[Salmoneye]

9mm here is what I think he means but the lever on action should be centered with out a lotta wobble either left or right causing the action to either open too easily or lock up on you.

Uh...

That's not what I mean at all...

On a break action, the lever is manufactured to the right of center...The more used (read worn) it is, the lever comes to rest further and further to the left...

If you look at a break action, and the lever is left of center, it is on the downhill side of it's useful life cycle of locking tight, and will in the future need to be attended to...

That said, I have shot the heck out of my Springfield 511, and the lever is well right of center still...It takes a long time to 'wear one out', so if you indeed see a lever far left of center, be very wary of it...

Better explanation in this thread:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...p?f=2&t=186928

[oneounceload]

As someone who has a Savage/Fox, it doesn't take much to wear one out - about 2000 rounds or so and it is ready for a rebuild. Compared to my Browning, which needed new springs at 90,000, the Savage is a dog in that regard

[PetahW]

[What a springfield/savage/stevens? -those are the brands I saw around 150~220 ish. The springfields was like 185 ]

Time out, 9MM.................

How much $$$ YOU can buy a gun for has zip to do with either it's quality or safety - it all depends on the gun & the circumstances.
YOU may have available to you, in your area, SxS's for less $$$$ than any of us would be able to find in our area(s).

Savage Arms Co, is a huge firearms company, that years ago bought out some other firearm companies, Stevens Arms & Tool among them - and also makes some guns that are the same as their fancy ones, but with a plain stock & finish, under yet other names they make up (Springfield, for instance).
Gun guy's use the term "Savage/Stevens/Springfield" as a kind of shorthand that most folks familiar with SxS's understand.

If you can buy one for $185, and there's no rust, dents or bulges in the barrels, AND it's tight when properly tested (below) - BUY IT !
Stocks are easily stripped & refinished, and the metal can be recolored too.

To check ANY SxS for tightness, first remove the forend wood, then turn the gun bottom side "up".
Tuck the buttstock under one arm tightly & while holding the top lever to the side as if opening the gun, try to shake the barrels sideways on the frame.
There should be little or no play - if if shakes a lot, WALK AWAY.

The barrels should also be rung, to check the connecting top/bottom ribs for internal/hidden rust & soundness.
"Ringing" is done by 1st removing the barrels from the receiver, and hanging them muzzle-down from the knuckle of one hand, by the barrel hook.
A nuckle of the other hand is then used to sharply snap/strike each barrel in turn, about halfway down it's length - and listen for a nice even tone.
A "thunk" or dull sound is big (expensive) trouble - WALK AWAY.

Good Luck.

BTW, oneounceload - it wasn't ME who was short on zeroes.

.

[darkgael]

Tuck the buttstock under one arm tightly & while holding the top lever to the side as if opening the gun, try to shake the barrels sideways on the frame.

That detail I did not know. Good info.

Pete

[PetahW]

Yep - if the forend's left on/installed, it'll take-up/disguise any slop/looseness.

.

[columbia_shotguneer]

Pardon me I never thought a side by side was supposed to be better with it to the right position. Just seen the ones(worn in) in the middle and remembering back and asking that question to a relative that owned a few of them. He said in the middle was good. My apologies for not studying up further and to all.