A friend has an old 16ga. model 37. Serial is 145**, which I think is 1939. The receiver has a rather high gloss finish and appears to have been hot tanked. Was that the original finish,[I thought they were rust blued back then]?
He also has an old sidelock made by Tobin. Nothing fancy, not even checkered. Any way to date this?
Thanks,
Jim
The pre war M-37s had a highly polished receiver and did not have the matted top finished. The barrel had the normal looking rust blue. Sounds exactly as it should be.
The Tobin people will have to respond to your second question.
Researcher, AKA Dave, can likely get close on the date of the Tobin, if you cough up a serial number. My 16 gauge, in the 6000 range, is about 1909-1910, with a little fudge factor either way.
Most of them are quite old, the company was gone around 1923.
Best,
Ted
A pre-War M37 16 gauge is a thing of beauty!
Should be checkered at the grip and fore end with butt plate. How long is the barrel and how choked? A picture would be nice. Pre-War barrels are a couple of onces lighter than 1950's era barrels.-Dick
Yep, I fell in love with the 37. I didn't think to check barrel length, I'm guessing 28". It does have an IC choke, which I thought a bit on the unusual side.
I'll see if I can get a serial on the Tobin. Were they all very plain, or did Tobin have graded guns?
I would dearly love a 16 gauge Pre-War M37 IC barrel, I'd even purchase the whole gun! My Post-War 26" IC barrel(Ray Bar) weighs 2oz more than my Pre-War 28" FULL barrel!
I got the 26" IC from Sharp's new and Les Hovercamp fitted the barrel to my M37 including correctly stamping the serial # of the gun on the new barrel. I thought with the 26" barrel, the M37 would be even lighter but was I surprised.-Dick
Tobin did make higher grade guns. I have a Tobin trap gun that is nicely engraved and stocked with a pretty piece of walnut. It has a single trigger, ejectors and a straight grip stock. Tobin are not side locks, but are like the Lefevers with only the sears mounted on the lock plates.
Tom, I would agree that Tobins are not sidelocks, however, they are really nothing like a Lefever. Two pretty different animals, so to speak.
Best,
Ted