doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Am I wrong to wonder why?

Haha, I bet I know a dealer with a scenario that's similar in terms of Model 21 shotguns. Many of these guns he lists are pristine, like new in the box (Oops, forgot to tell you the gun is re-done....). Odd since only about 30,000 model 21's were ever made and that was a long time ago (not really, if re-done). Only difference being, this dealer is far from being a pauper. I ignore their listings.

Ted, I also found a Nitro Special (mine was a 16ga) in pristine condition, before everything was on the Net. Little shop down in MO. Someone told me about it. Supposedly came out of one of the big gunstock outfits down there (maybe Bishop) before they went out of business, used as a pattern gun. Darned hard to find one of those somewhat cheaper than the big name guns made by Ithaca or Elsie that's in that kind of shape. In the more modern category, I remember when Cabela's came up with about 8 or 10 brand new Miroku sxs (not marked Daly), PG/splinter/DT. I think they were all 20's. Very nice guns, and given what was available new on the market at that time, probably worth the thousand bucks or so Cabela's was asking for them.

I always wonder "what happened?" when I find an 80 year old gun that is in almost perfect condition. The buyer of a Nitro wasn't likely to be someone concerned with condition, or value down the road, and this is 1937 vintage, when a lot of working folks, weren't working.
Mine came out of New England, and the 26" cyl and mod chokes practically scream "grouse gun" and while I hope that first owner got a few shots at grouse or woodcock with it, there really isn't any evidence anyone ever did.
A pity.



I have a soft spot in my heart for low end, field grade 16s. No explaination why, however.

Best,
Ted

Few years back I picked up like new 16ga Model 31 with alloy frame. The gun was made in late 1940s. Recently LGS had 20ga Remington 11 that looked like it just came out of the box. We live in a country that has seen no turmoil or chaos of war guns like what you show are more common then sellers want us to think. Frankly the biggest danger to many of those guns are humid walk in closets of the Deep South.

Was probably owned by someone like my father-in-law. He likes off the rack firearms. He shoots them a fair bit, but keeps them in mint condition at all times and avoids less than perfect conditions.

Yes, the walk-in closet of the South or Midwest, or the Midwest basement - those are the danger areas for firearms.

That hasn't been my experience. I have seen more beaters than needed to cross the country and back when laid end to end. Therefore, we must be in constant chaos and turmoil. There must be better places to retire, aren't there? Do anything special for Veterans Day?

Not sure where retirement will lie, but we all need to consider places where the "grass is greener". Went to Church, Wegman's for food and cleared out 16ga Kent Bismuth inventory at Cabela's which is next to Wegman's.