so...this morning was another mini-blizzard.
overnight we got 3" and the report called for another 2" to 4" thru the day. definitely too crappy to go shooting in.
fortunately, garner had an auction today. over 225 guns on the block, including a nib blue label colt h-bar match!
www.garnerauctioneers.com/firearms.htmbraving blizzard conditions, treacherous roads and bad coffee i headed out into the storm in my trusty s10 in search of the illusive 'deal'.
the anschutz went for twice what it was worth...as did several of the remchesters i was interested in. the 1903 brought twice its' value as did the saginaw m1 carbine ($550 for a carbine? not from ME!). the colt h-beam brought $1100. a springfield sar-8 went for a reasionable $725.
but...shotguns, muzzle loaders and pistols seemed to be going for below book/market.
up comes this supposedly "new in the box" 870 express combo 12 gauge.
good thing i looked it over. it was lightly used. while the 28" vent rib bbl. had never been mounted, the 18" unrifled slug bbl. had obviously had a box or three thru it. and...there was black grease in the action (not factory...heheh!).
well, i ended up with it for $250 just so i can retire my classic winchester model 12 (1953).
this thing came with the original box, manuals, 2 chokes,choke wrench, magazine block, hang tag, warrantee card, dealer/repair service listing, etc...AND the original receipt!
in 1992 some fella paid $293 out-the-door for it from a wal-mart store in east liverpool, ohio.
i get it home and jerked the pos apart to give it a bath.
well lo and behold! what did i find inside the action...aside from a little crud and fouling???
CHICKEN FEATHERS!!!!!!
could this possibly be...dare i dream it?!?!?!...one of the long lost harveyville remington reworks??? breathed upon by the master, himself?!?!?!
is it possible that my $250 pos is really a 'work of art'? could it have been comissioned by some duped customer from da dorknutz?
oh, the possibilities!
anyway, i took pics of the chicken feathers and stuffed them in a plastic bag. i'll have the dna run to see if the breed of chickens is the rare 'harveyville hen' (aka tuxedo rentus bridimus shop).
if i can establish the proper provenence, i may be able list it for sale for some serious green!