Odds and ends

Discussion in 'Browning Auto A-5' started by Ranger6, Jun 23, 2020.

  1. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    Been pretty quite lately so thought I would make a post, see if anyone can identify this one. This is one of my late great grand fathers made in the 30’s. Left barrel shoots a little low and left, but other barrel seems to just be a little low. May be me. More on that to follow.

    Attached Files:

  2. Biz

    Biz 20g

    Nice hammer shotgun, but, some more hints may help. Is it American or European made, 10 or 12 gauge?
  3. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    American 12 gauge, company started in 1864.
  4. Biz

    Biz 20g

    How about Stevens
  5. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    damn you good biz. what was the give away (the year)? pretty cool. the checkering is worn flat and slight crack in stock. its a model 285
  6. Biz

    Biz 20g

    Ranger, I have a soft spot for Stevens. I knew they started in the 1860’s. Here is my Trap model. Not as nice as your hammer gun. One day, I will have a Stevens pump collection.
    8206D705-E15E-4A22-B309-242B39B0FED2.jpeg
  7. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    biz that's bad ass. do you shoo0t that one? im gonna make some spreader loads for my sxs and see if that helps the pattern some. I will probably put a new stock on mine and make it pretty again. Didn't they do color case on the receiver back then? looks like both of ours are pretty well used. mine was hunted hard, but o the stories it has to tell. not a lot of info out there about the old Stevens. I called Savage and they said anything before 1995 they had no clue
  8. Biz

    Biz 20g

    I haven’t shot this one yet. Can you not restore the actual stock of yours. On the pump model, the color case was done only on the bolt of the high grade. I find this in my 1912 Stevens catalogue. May be the ancestral model of your 285?
    3E7DD6A8-2AF4-4AB7-9595-CE0041F754A0.jpeg
  9. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    I believe that’s it. I looked for the model 285 and can’t find anything. I see some other model 285 on the internet. The only thing I can find is model 235. I did some research tonight and on the side it says Stevens tool company. Those were produced from 1886 to 1915 so maybe it’s much older then my uncle told me.
    As far as the stock it’s cracked and I’m afraid if I have it fixed it will crack again, then I will be out on the money I spent fixing it. I’m gonna pull it off this weekend and have a look see. If I do get it fixed, anyone your recommend that’s good with cracks? I know there are folks out there that do wonders with these old stocks, just never had one fixed.
  10. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    Nice gun Ranger. That’s a pretty cool looking piece of iron. Marc that old pump jack is sweet too.

    Don’t be afraid to have that stock fixed. Today’s glues are unbelievable. If the stock isn’t oil soaked the wood will break before the glue joint fails. I’d do it for you if it wasn’t a family heirloom.
  11. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    I’ll post some pics this weekend. See what you guys think. Hey I would much rather you do it then send to someone I don’t know or trust. I’ve seen your work. Looks awesome. We will have to discuss it further once you see pics.
  12. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    Well thanks for the kind words. Looking forward to the pictures
  13. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    im gonna shoot it sat. Need to figure out if its me or the gun shooting low and left. ordered some spreader load inserts this morning just in case. so I will post some sat eve.
  14. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    Win7 here are some pictures as promised, even know I’m late. The stock is a little oil soaked. There are like 3 cracks that go with the grain. All hair line cracks.

    Attached Files:

  15. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    Don’t know if you can see in the picture, but right at the pick there is a crack that travels about 4 inches

    Attached Files:

  16. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    Hey that looks pretty good. I think that should be fixable if a guy can get all the oil out
  17. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    I found new stock and forearm for 110 shipped. Semi inletted. Of course it will have to be fitted, checkered and finished. Not sure the original is worth all that work. The original one will need to be checkered and refinished as well. What do you think is the best route to go. And the original is about 1/2 to short.
  18. Biz

    Biz 20g

    If you don’t really care about having the original stock, I would go for the new stock. 110,00$ seems a pretty decent price. Would you do the inleting and the checkering yourself?
  19. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    I wish I had the skills. I think I could fit it but not the checkering. Unless your volunteering? I will never sell it, it’s really not worth the money it will cost, but something about being handed down, it’s a hammer gun and bringing something that old back to life just has a sweet spot with me.
  20. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    To have it fit, finished, and checkered won’t be cheap. I really don’t know what to tell you. I think I’d try to repair the original if it were me

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