bamaranger
New member
I recently walked into a deal on a Stevens 16ga double. A friend is relocating and selling out. The forearm was loose and very heavily scratched, the top lever was past "6 o'clock", lock up a tad loose but not bad, blueing a worn silver gray in alot of places. Operated very sticky like, congealed oil no doubt. Barrels were 26" and choked IC & Mod almost certainly. But absolutely mirror bright. Stock and forearm were genuine walnut, not birch, not Tenite. The old gun was well used but muched loved. He asked a give away price,and I could not resist.
A little research...made in 1950. A little work and the forearm cleaned up nicely, but I tried hard to keep the used character. I was left with the impresson the gun had rode in a scabbard good bit. Old school bird hunters often followed the dogs on horse or mule, or on a wagon. Some more work and I was able to reattach the forearm metal to the wood nice and tight, and the forearm snapped onto the barrels as it should. Removed the buttstock and hosed down the action with solvent, things loosened up nicely. I gave the buttstock a coat of Tru-Oil while I was at it. Some more research on the bolt/locking system........some home gunsmithing to tighten, got the toplever around to about "5:30" with no rattle when shook w/o the forearm.
All in all I am much pleased. I wish it was a 28" gun choked F & M, would suit my uses better, but no matter. My Dad shot a 16 ga Stevens double for awhile, later a Stevens 67, 16 ga pump( now in my possession) but I've always wanted a double.
I got rooting around in Dad's archives, stowed away for 15 yrs now, and found a bunch of 16 ga shells, some pretty interesting. Some five packs of slugs and #1 buckshot. Two 25 rd boxes of short mags, (1-1/4 oz of shot!) #6 and #2 shot. Dad had those for turkey hunting I feel sure. Also about 100 rds of 1 0z and 1-1/8 oz loads, and the old gun I bought also came with a box of 1 oz loads as well. All modern plastic, Federal/Remington ammo. Dad's ammo was priced in the $3.00-$5.00 range Some looking in shops locally turned up more ammo, (NOT $5.00) and I bought a 5 pack of #1 buck for grins, and another box of 1 oz loads (Walmart of all places). All told , about 200 shot loads, and the the buck/slug mix of 20.
I do little if any wing shooting/small game hunting, but I guess I'll have a claybird day and shoot 16's a bit, Dad's pump and the recently acquired old double. Hope to post the pics of the double for you guys soon.
A little research...made in 1950. A little work and the forearm cleaned up nicely, but I tried hard to keep the used character. I was left with the impresson the gun had rode in a scabbard good bit. Old school bird hunters often followed the dogs on horse or mule, or on a wagon. Some more work and I was able to reattach the forearm metal to the wood nice and tight, and the forearm snapped onto the barrels as it should. Removed the buttstock and hosed down the action with solvent, things loosened up nicely. I gave the buttstock a coat of Tru-Oil while I was at it. Some more research on the bolt/locking system........some home gunsmithing to tighten, got the toplever around to about "5:30" with no rattle when shook w/o the forearm.
All in all I am much pleased. I wish it was a 28" gun choked F & M, would suit my uses better, but no matter. My Dad shot a 16 ga Stevens double for awhile, later a Stevens 67, 16 ga pump( now in my possession) but I've always wanted a double.
I got rooting around in Dad's archives, stowed away for 15 yrs now, and found a bunch of 16 ga shells, some pretty interesting. Some five packs of slugs and #1 buckshot. Two 25 rd boxes of short mags, (1-1/4 oz of shot!) #6 and #2 shot. Dad had those for turkey hunting I feel sure. Also about 100 rds of 1 0z and 1-1/8 oz loads, and the old gun I bought also came with a box of 1 oz loads as well. All modern plastic, Federal/Remington ammo. Dad's ammo was priced in the $3.00-$5.00 range Some looking in shops locally turned up more ammo, (NOT $5.00) and I bought a 5 pack of #1 buck for grins, and another box of 1 oz loads (Walmart of all places). All told , about 200 shot loads, and the the buck/slug mix of 20.
I do little if any wing shooting/small game hunting, but I guess I'll have a claybird day and shoot 16's a bit, Dad's pump and the recently acquired old double. Hope to post the pics of the double for you guys soon.