16 gauge question!

Garth

I became the heir to my grandpa's old 16 gauge clone auto 5. My grandpa passed a few years ago. He was a pastor! The story my grandma told me was that a farmer in his congregation gave it to him as a gift. It says ranger on one side of the receiver with a picture of a cowboy sitting on a saddle. I'm guessing its manufacturer was sears(youth model) or savage. The serial numbers escape me as its not with me at the moment. Any info on approximate value, manufacturer, or age would be appreciated. Thanks to all!

Laredo Lefty

Savage did make the models 720 Standard and 726 Upland Sporter, both Browning A-5 style shotguns. They were made from about 1930 to 1949. Value about $200 in very good condition.

Garth

Unfortunately small town mentality being what it is, both the farmer, and my grandpa never took care of , or cleaned their firearms. I remember it being in worse than rough shape while shooting it with my grandpa when I was a lot younger. Once it was handed down to me, it was in deplorable condition. It would sometimes fire the chambered shell and sometimes not. When a factory screw would fall out/off of the receiver, it would remain missing. Needless to say, there was no other alternative except to have it refurbished by a gunsmith! Now its mechanically sound. Is it chambered for 2 3/4 or 2 9/16 shells?

wpage

Chambered for 2 3/4 loads. Try putting it on some newspapers and spray it down with rust solvent. Wrap it up with the rust remover on leave for a few days...

Then give it a good old fashioned gun cleaning. Have Fun it sounds like a nice heirloom.

11b6r

Wet with KROIL (not the wood, just the metal) let soak for a day, rub down with clean coarse cloth, changing places on the cloth as needed. For more stubborn rust, a COPPER pot scrubber (Chore Boy) DO NOT use Naval Jelly. It will remove rust, also every trace of bluing.

Garth

Thankyou for all the reply's. In the end, I had it restored by J and T Custom in Odessa Florida. My gunsmith did great work! Its appearance resembles something right out of the browning manufacturing plant. Can't wait to hunt with it soon. While my grandpa was alive it took hundreds of pheasant and quail and one or two deer. Last but not least where do I find reasonably priced 16 gauge shells? I can't find them in any of the "regular" places. Occasionally when I do find them, the prices are highway robbery.

bigdaddy75069

I buy mine thru able ammo.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=10480_14626_11576_16378

Garth

One more question, exactly which 16 gauge load/s should be fed through this ol' shotgun? It is inertia operated after all! Thankyou all for your replys!

MIKE WISKEY

"It is inertia operated after all! Thankyou all for your replys"...........THIS WAS A RECOIL SPRING SET UP JUST LIKE THE BROWNING A-5, IT HAS A 'LIGHT' SET-UP AND A 'HEAVY' SET-UP. CHECK THE BROWING WEB SITE FOR THE PROPER 'RING' LOCATION.

Garth

Yes, there is one big spring under the forward handguard. No, its not a "spring setup"! First of all, F.Y.I. its inertia operated. In other words there is no gas system in these auto 5 type shotguns like were all familiar with in an 1100 remington shotgun. Second, the question was which load/s should I shoot in this old shotgun as to avoid short cycling/jams once in the field? Dram weight is important in this situation.

tsr1965

quote:Originally posted by Garth
Yes, there is one big spring under the forward handguard. No, its not a "spring setup"! First of all, F.Y.I. its inertia operated. In other words there is no gas system in these auto 5 type shotguns like were all familiar with in an 1100 remington shotgun. Second, the question was which load/s should I shoot in this old shotgun as to avoid short cycling/jams once in the field? Dram weight is important in this situation.


No, F.Y.I., it is NOT INERTIA operated. It is short recoil operated. Inertia is like the Benelli's(there is no gas there either), where the inertia, actually unlocks something. Short recoil, for the most part it is a blowback type of operation, but the barrel is not fixed, and moves with the bolt.

And YES, the sleeve that is about an inch long, that goes in front of the spring, goes one way for light loads, and the other for heavy loads(like MIKE WISKEY was referring to). It regulates by friction. If left in the light load posistion, and shot with heavy loads, and fired a lot, the gun will beat itself to death.


Best