The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Dave McCracken Memorial Shotgun Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old October 16, 2018, 10:34 AM   #1
Winny
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 12, 2018
Location: SC, USA
Posts: 136
Secondhand Semi-Autos

My LGS has a significant consignment section, compiled mostly of older hunting rifles and shotguns.

Every time I go in, regardless of what I'm there for, I stroll through the 4-5 racks of beat up wood stocks and half-loved barrels, blueing fading and handle the old Remingtons, Ithacas, Winchesters and Stevens, tempted to take one home and "clean it up" and put it back to use.

I can't justify purchasing anymore O/U's and my pump is only used a few times a year, so obviously I need an autoloader!

My most prized firearm is my Browning Citori O/U 12ga. She was my great uncles and was made in 1973. I have personally put thousands of rounds through it without a single issue. I can't imagine what had been shot through that gun in the 30-some years before it was given to me.

This makes me think that a beater semi could use some new springs and a deep clean and be good to go for next duck season.

Anybody here a pawn shop or consignment shopper with luck with Semis in the past?
Winny is offline  
Old October 16, 2018, 10:39 AM   #2
Virginian
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 11, 2012
Location: Williamsburg, Va.
Posts: 1,528
I have bought several Remingtons, 1100s and 11-87s. No problems, never replaced a spring.
__________________
What could have happened... did.
Virginian is offline  
Old October 16, 2018, 10:48 AM   #3
Winny
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 12, 2018
Location: SC, USA
Posts: 136
Quote:
I have bought several Remingtons, 1100s and 11-87s. No problems, never replaced a spring.
I see a good bit of 1100s at very reasonable prices every now and then. They've been tempting me... might be time!
Winny is offline  
Old October 16, 2018, 12:21 PM   #4
Rifletom
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 11, 2011
Location: So-Cal
Posts: 786
You could do a lot worse. 1100's are a good find.
Rifletom is offline  
Old October 16, 2018, 12:59 PM   #5
Winny
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 12, 2018
Location: SC, USA
Posts: 136
Quote:
1100's are a good find.
I see them semi-regularly in the $350-$500 range.
Winny is offline  
Old October 16, 2018, 01:09 PM   #6
T. O'Heir
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 12,453
Wait a few more weeks until hunting seasons are over. Gun shops will be full of used firearms. Some very slightly used too. Guys tend to blame the gun for missed shots and will sell stuff that some times they bought at the beginning of that season. You can find higher end stuff for less money than a new lower end shotgun.
"...new springs..." Those are rarely what causes a semi-auto to fail to function. Coil springs do not wear out or lose temper from being compressed. It's usually the ammo or occasionally, depending on the gun, the assorted bushings ('O' rings in Remingtons) or just plain maintenance failure. Sometimes just a bath fixes the thing.
So before you replace any parts, give it a good bath and shoot it with good ammo.
__________________
Spelling and grammar count!
T. O'Heir is offline  
Old October 16, 2018, 03:11 PM   #7
Scorch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2006
Location: Washington state
Posts: 15,248
Yes, 1100s are a good gun, as are A-5s. In either one, 2-3/4" models are pretty much a give-away. I picked up a 2-3/4" 20 gauge 1100 about 10 years ago for $150 because it's not a 3-incher, which sold for about $300 at that time. You really don't need a 3" mag for ducks or geese, and I don't hunt ducks or geese any more, works just fine for pheasant.
Quote:
Wait a few more weeks until hunting seasons are over.
That's good advice. About January, shops will be full of used guns they are trying to sell. It's a buyer's market in February or March.

I would stick to known entities when buying used shotguns. 1100s, 11-87s, Auto-5s, Winchester 1400s, no problem, but look out for the odd ones. A friend just handed me a Franchi 48 that's missing parts. This one is going to be fun to get running again . . .
__________________
Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs.
But what do I know?
Summit Arms Services
Scorch is offline  
Old October 17, 2018, 07:19 AM   #8
darkgael
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 9, 2006
Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania.
Posts: 5,473
I have two SA shotguns, a Franchi AL48 12 gauge and a Winchester model 59 with the Winlite barrel. Both have been trouble free for the years that I have owned them. Indeed, the Winchester is a go to upland gun.
Pete
__________________
“Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ...
NRA Life Member
darkgael is offline  
Old October 17, 2018, 07:59 AM   #9
Ricklin
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 22, 2008
Location: SW Washington state
Posts: 1,996
Heavy and fixed chokes

The Winchester Super X 1 has a following. I keep my eyes open for a trap model.
__________________
ricklin
Freedom is not free
Ricklin is offline  
Old October 17, 2018, 01:53 PM   #10
dgludwig
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 12, 2005
Location: North central Ohio
Posts: 7,486
I see Browning Double Autos in decent condition on occasion at gun shows going for $500.00 or so; less if a pad has been installed and/or the gun has been otherwise modified. These guns (12 gauge only) are well-built, hand-engraved and have good handling properties-if you can live with having only two shots at your disposal.
__________________
ONLY AN ARMED PEOPLE CAN BE TRULY FREE ; ONLY AN UNARMED PEOPLE CAN EVER BE ENSLAVED
...Aristotle
NRA Benefactor Life Member
dgludwig is offline  
Old October 17, 2018, 02:43 PM   #11
lamarw
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 12, 2010
Location: Lake Martin, AL
Posts: 3,311
If you plan to use it for waterfowl hunting, you will want to ensure it is compatible with steel shot. I would also want it chambered in 3" for the ducks and geese that don't choose to come into the decoys.
lamarw is offline  
Old October 17, 2018, 04:08 PM   #12
Drm50
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 10, 2014
Posts: 1,371
I buy a lot of used shotguns to shine up and use for trading stock. I like to buy
A5s or Rem/ Savage clones of A5. The biggest problem with them are friction
rings and cracked forends. Most of the time they are just gummed up from years
of use without ever being stripped down and properly cleaned. I recently had a
Rem 11-48 that was so gunked up you could shove the barrel down and it would
creep back into battery. A good cleaning, a little cold blue and a spray varnish job and it was respectable looking again. I have a A5 Vent rib right now that
looks mint on left side. Right side has rust from egg carton hard case. A $600
gun if wasn't for rust. In present state you would be lucky to get $250 out of it.
These guns are a lot more for your buck than the new junk they are putting out.
A few evenings shining them up is worth the effort. Most of these older Browning
patent guns are of milled parts, not stampings & plastic.
Drm50 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:40 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.07457 seconds with 10 queries