I Inherited a 16 ga. Shotgun (Updated with Photo)

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I Inherited a 16 ga. Shotgun (Updated with Photo)

Posted: 6/2/2010 4:29:08 PM EDT

Hey guys,

A while back I posted my good news about the Shotgun inheritance...

http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=1&t=301251

It is still not in my possession, but my mother did me a favor and took it out of the bag and took a picture.

That is about all I am going to get her to do for me vis a vis this "old thing" as she calls it.

Here is an excerpt from the e-mail I received about the rifle...

The shot gun is a Newport 16 Ga., side-by-side double barrel. The forward trigger is for the modified choke and the back trigger is for full choke. Maybe the Internet can tell you if it is still made. The shells are at least 25 years old.

Uncle Paul and I started hunting together when I was 16(1948). He had the gun then. He was a good shot. Rarely used the full choke side.

I Noticed a little dirt inside the barrels; firing a couple shells should clean it out.

How funny is that last bit about cleaning out the barrel!? That's old school conventional wisdom.

Posted: 6/2/2010 6:33:30 PM EDT

[#1]

16 gauge has nearly the reach of the 12 with the recoil of a 20. I'd probably hunt with nothing but a 16 if ammo wasn't so high(and someone made good hulls, I hear Fiocchi does).

Also found this: http://www.gunsinternational.com/Newport-CN-410-ga.cfm?gun_id=100074762

Posted: 6/2/2010 7:10:16 PM EDT

[#2]

That looks just like it! Why on earth is it 1700 bucks though?? These things were sold @ Sears & Roebuck for goodness sake.

Also, are 25 year old shells OK to shoot? Think they even will?

Posted: 6/2/2010 8:10:23 PM EDT

[#3]

My father in law shoots milsurp from the very early 1900's(1918 IIRC). I think 25 year old commercial ammo will be just fine, as long as it doesn't have obvious signs of poor storage.

Oh, and people are nutty for .410 shotguns. I consider them one step above useless as a shotgun.

Posted: 6/2/2010 8:34:27 PM EDT

[#4]

Awesome old double - the first shotgun I ever shot was an old Ithaca 16ga double.

Posted: 6/2/2010 8:45:23 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

That looks just like it! Why on earth is it 1700 bucks though?? These things were sold @ Sears & Roebuck for goodness sake.

Also, are 25 year old shells OK to shoot? Think they even will?

Yes, I've found brass at my local range that was from 1945. I have several .45 rounds from 1911 that are in good condition; I bet they will still fire.

Posted: 6/3/2010 5:54:45 AM EDT

[#6]

Well, as soon as I take possession, I'm going to give it a thorough cleaning / inspection. Then I'm going to shoot it!

Ultimately, I think I want to have the finish of the metal and wood restored, and I want to hang it on the wall, It looks pretty good IMO.

I don't really want to abuse this piece of family history too badly.

Posted: 6/3/2010 7:27:57 AM EDT

[#7]

If left as is, it would make one cool looking coach gun

Posted: 6/3/2010 6:43:33 PM EDT

[#8]

Very cool. I've never owned a S/S. I think they'd be perfect for upland game. Never owned a 16 either.

Posted: 6/4/2010 12:01:11 PM EDT

[#9]

16g is a great upland gauge. Carries like a 20 and hits like a 12. I have a really old Stevens pump action 16g that i try to take every once in awhile.

Posted: 6/4/2010 1:07:41 PM EDT

[#10]

This thread is incredibly appropriate. I was just looking over a Stevens 311 16 gauge that I'll soon be taking possession of. Still has a box of Winchester Super X birdshot with it, with a price tag from Ace Hardware, and I think it was marked $3.79 for the ammo.

Should be a real squirrel slayer.

Posted: 6/4/2010 1:32:32 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
My father in law shoots milsurp from the very early 1900's(1918 IIRC). I think 25 year old commercial ammo will be just fine, as long as it doesn't have obvious signs of poor storage.

Oh, and people are nutty for .410 shotguns. I consider them one step above useless as a shotgun.

I have a Savage bolt action 410 my grandma gave me. It was hers when she was younger. It's cool but other than shooting squirrels and bunnies, I can't figure out what to do with it

Posted: 6/4/2010 1:43:04 PM EDT

[#12]

http://www.16ga.com/cartridges.html

Here's a place to start for new Cartridges.

I have used 12 gauge that was 40+ years old from a not-so-dry basement and it all worked. Ammo is pretty resilient to time alone I think, storage conditions are the killer.

My interest in 16 gauge has come from an over under break open 16gauge / 8MM rifle my dad got from some old guy next door a long time ago. Supposedly an old game-master gun. He calls it "crack-n-boom". It shoots 16 gauge shorts though, which may mean 2 1/2 or may mean 2 inch shells. Haven't sat down to figure it out yet.

Posted: 6/4/2010 5:08:26 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

This thread is incredibly appropriate. I was just looking over a Stevens 311 16 gauge that I'll soon be taking possession of. Still has a box of Winchester Super X birdshot with it, with a price tag from Ace Hardware, and I think it was marked $3.79 for the ammo.

Should be a real squirrel slayer.

I'm glad I could provide at least a semi-interesting read. Usually I lurk, but occasionally I have something meaningful to share.

I'm pretty sure I saw 16ga. shells at dicks for a reasonable price last time I was there. I don't even know why I noticed... maybe it was fate.

Posted: 6/4/2010 6:18:18 PM EDT

[#14]

My dad gave me a 16 guage bolt action when I was younger. I cut the barrel and stock off. Makes me sick now. That was a great shotgun for hunting.

Posted: 6/4/2010 6:57:18 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

This thread is incredibly appropriate. I was just looking over a Stevens 311 16 gauge that I'll soon be taking possession of. Still has a box of Winchester Super X birdshot with it, with a price tag from Ace Hardware, and I think it was marked $3.79 for the ammo.

Should be a real squirrel slayer.

The SxS in that pic is a 311 in 16 gauge. The rough 870 is also a 16.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I Inherited a 16 ga. Shotgun (Updated with Photo)

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