Vanity - I have questions about a rifle I have

07.04.09 | Perdogg

[El Gato]

One is a Remington 870 12 ga thats probably 40 years old.

A 40 y/o 870 is not old. Unless it's obviously been mistreated, it should shoot just fine. I'd give it a good cleaning, inspection, and then light lubrication. Especially look for a bulged barrel, indicating someone fired it with an obstructed barrel. But other than that remote possibilty, it's probably good to go.

My father's JC Higgens (Sears) 12 Gauge pump was purchased before I was born, probably in the late 1940s, since my Mom bought it for Dad. It had a cracked stock near the pistol grip for as long as I remembered. Much of the bluing was worn off. After having it inspected, and the stock crack fixed (using somewhat modern techneques), my younger brother's son used it to compete in high school level trap meets, starting around 2004 or 2005. It was not lovingly cared for, but it was not abused either. It was actually a High Standard, as was my JC Higgen 20 gauge, purchased for Christmas 1964. Only gun I ever gave up (as trade in for my Browning BPS 12 gauge). I regret it still.

[El Gato]

Should have mentioned that replacement barrels are available, from both Remington and Hastings, among others, you could put on one of those and get the advantage of having screw in Rem chokes, which were not generally found on 870s in those days, if the modern sort were even around, I can remember those days, but not that well, I was 19 and full of .. well what most 19 y/o males are full of.

870 barrels

[marktwain]

Nobody ever runs a special on 16 gauge shells!

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I found one, once, about 10 years ago at Popular Surplus, so I bought a couple of cases.

[El Gato]

The center three are Short, Long and Long Rifle.

Of the drawing, not the center picture. Sorry about that.

[driftdiver]

“. Especially look for a bulged barrel, indicating someone fired it with an obstructed barrel. “

No bulges, no cracks, and no rust

[driftdiver]

thanks for the info, too much in some cases.

[El Gato]

the info, too much in some cases.

While you're welcome, I believe one can never have too much information, too much ammunition or too many guns. (My wife feels the same way about fabric, danged stuff is everywhere, in both of our houses, but then again I've got 500 rounds of 5.56 sitting under my computer desk, which I keep stubbing my toe on. One of these weekends I'll move it to the ammo can with the other 500 rounds.