Old waterfowling guns

Does anyone posess their great grampa or dad’s, uncles waterfowling shotguns. Or any stories passed down about them.

I seen it but never shot it,was my grampa’s old Winchester Model Model 97 he called the widow maker as they were quite dangerous in the wrong hands. Don’t know much about them but would like to find out more. I know they were a hammer gun but what made them widow makers?

Gundy

They were called widow makers because of their propensity for slam fires. Also known as thumb busters because of the likelyhood of injury from the bolt when operating the pump. Even with these faults they were very popular guns in their day.My Grandads was unfourtnately stolen many years ago

They were called widow makers because of their propensity for slam fires. Also known as thumb busters because of the likelyhood of injury from the bolt when operating the pump. Even with these faults they were very popular guns in their day.My Grandads was unfourtnately stolen many years ago

I have my Grandfathers pump 12ga. It says ‘Western Field” so he bought it from Wards. I think in those days Wards was getting their shotguns from Winchester. And I also think that John M. Browning was working for Winchester in those days. This is a pump action gun but it has the classic “Auto 5” hump in the receiver. I’m guessing that he bought it in the 20’s. The action is unbelievably smooth. And you can see the machining marks inside the reciver. It gets cleaned and oiled every few months and isn’t shot any more.

I also have Grandpa’s hunting license from 1926. In those days you could take 15 coots, 12 ducks, and 5 geese. And it specifically says it’s illegal to shoot Carrier Pidgeons! It isn’t every day you see a hunting license that mentions animals that are extinct!

Rootski

I have my Grandfathers pump 12ga. It says ‘Western Field” so he bought it from Wards. I think in those days Wards was getting their shotguns from Winchester. And I also think that John M. Browning was working for Winchester in those days. This is a pump action gun but it has the classic “Auto 5” hump in the receiver. I’m guessing that he bought it in the 20’s. The action is unbelievably smooth. And you can see the machining marks inside the reciver. It gets cleaned and oiled every few months and isn’t shot any more.

I also have Grandpa’s hunting license from 1926. In those days you could take 15 coots, 12 ducks, and 5 geese. And it specifically says it’s illegal to shoot Carrier Pidgeons! It isn’t every day you see a hunting license that mentions animals that are extinct!

Rootski

I recently recieved my greatgranfathers A5 not sure of the date but it would have to be early or pre 20’s. I believe?

I recently recieved my greatgranfathers A5 not sure of the date but it would have to be early or pre 20’s. I believe?

Rootski, My first shotgun was a Hump back western field pump. Someone had put a poly choke on it. I was having a heck of a time hitting ducks with it and my dad blamed me for being a poor shot. I was only twelve at the time so it was plenty of gun for me. But any way my dad and grampa went and paterned the gun and it shot terrible patterns. So they took it to a gunsmith and he couldn’t find anything wrong with it. So we shot it some more without much sucess so my grampa and dad got me a model 12. Things changed in a hurry then. I wish I had both of them guns back now. Traded the model 12 for a remington 1100 that I still have it.

Gundy

Rootski, My first shotgun was a Hump back western field pump. Someone had put a poly choke on it. I was having a heck of a time hitting ducks with it and my dad blamed me for being a poor shot. I was only twelve at the time so it was plenty of gun for me. But any way my dad and grampa went and paterned the gun and it shot terrible patterns. So they took it to a gunsmith and he couldn’t find anything wrong with it. So we shot it some more without much sucess so my grampa and dad got me a model 12. Things changed in a hurry then. I wish I had both of them guns back now. Traded the model 12 for a remington 1100 that I still have it.

Gundy

I just had my first gun re-blued and the cracked fixed by Ahlman’s. Cost me over $300, but it looks beautiful. It is a 1937 Remington Model 11. Just like the Browning A-5. It also has a Poly Choke. I call it the Splatter master because the thing doesn’t seem to miss. Now that I have it fixed up, it is in the gun cabinet awaiting the next generation of Mallards.

I also have two extremely old guns in my garage that I have been working on myself from time to time. One is a lever action single shot 12 gage that was given to my 85 year old uncle as a kid by an older neighbor of his. I should check to see what kind it even is? I wanted to semi-restore it to put next to my old wooden duck boat that I made into a shelf in by basement. I love the old stuff too.

I just had my first gun re-blued and the cracked fixed by Ahlman’s. Cost me over $300, but it looks beautiful. It is a 1937 Remington Model 11. Just like the Browning A-5. It also has a Poly Choke. I call it the Splatter master because the thing doesn’t seem to miss. Now that I have it fixed up, it is in the gun cabinet awaiting the next generation of Mallards.

I also have two extremely old guns in my garage that I have been working on myself from time to time. One is a lever action single shot 12 gage that was given to my 85 year old uncle as a kid by an older neighbor of his. I should check to see what kind it even is? I wanted to semi-restore it to put next to my old wooden duck boat that I made into a shelf in by basement. I love the old stuff too.

I have my great uncle’s model 97 and my grand fauthers wing master. I will probably never kill 1/2 of what either of these guns have. Nor will I ever use one as well as the previous owners. But boy are they fun to have. I almost look forward to the day these can be passed to the next generation.

I have my great uncle’s model 97 and my grand fauthers wing master. I will probably never kill 1/2 of what either of these guns have. Nor will I ever use one as well as the previous owners. But boy are they fun to have. I almost look forward to the day these can be passed to the next generation.

My grandfather had a Winchester lever action 12 gauge. It was pretty rare. My dad was suppose to get it. One day my dad asked about it and his reply was I traded it for the chair your sitting in.

My grandfather had a Winchester lever action 12 gauge. It was pretty rare. My dad was suppose to get it. One day my dad asked about it and his reply was I traded it for the chair your sitting in.

My grampa used to talk about the lever shotguns. He said they went down to an 8 gauge and I believe he said they were Winchester’s. I have seen a couple of pictures of them in magizines or books. . It must’a been something to have gunned in those market day’s.

Gundy

My grampa used to talk about the lever shotguns. He said they went down to an 8 gauge and I believe he said they were Winchester’s. I have seen a couple of pictures of them in magizines or books. . It must’a been something to have gunned in those market day’s.

Gundy

Gundy,

Here are a few pictures of my old 12 ga, I wonder if it’s the same gun? Mine is full choked and that of course was in the days before chilled shot, buffered loads, and shot cups. With modern loads it patterns very tight.

Rootski

Gundy,

Here are a few pictures of my old 12 ga, I wonder if it’s the same gun? Mine is full choked and that of course was in the days before chilled shot, buffered loads, and shot cups. With modern loads it patterns very tight.

Rootski

Another one

Another one

Last one.

Last one.

Rootski, Yup, exactly except mine had a poly choke. When I used to go to gun shows I would see one every now and then

Gundy

Rootski, Yup, exactly except mine had a poly choke. When I used to go to gun shows I would see one every now and then

Gundy