Model 10 on its way to me soon

[Adam Lee]

Guys, part of my 50th birthday wish-list has come through - I won a "gunsmith special" Model 10 pump 12 gauge yesterday.

Wondered if any of you fine folks had a few of these - be surprised if yall didn't - and would like to hear from your collective experiences shooting, fixing, collecting these interesting old shotties.

My s/n 93091 I believe puts this at 1913-1914 I think. I really like the round knob pistol grip buttstock - don't have one of these - it's my first. It needs some TLC but that's what I like, too!

Adam

[dale]

I don't like the looks of that chuck of stock off near the receiver (looks pretty dry?, does gun wood get dryrot?), but the patina, color, and wear of the rest of the stock and fore-end are pretty darn sexy.

Nice rig!
Dale

[Sarge756]

Dry Rot ? Sometimes and it can also be attacked by insects and even be wormy. More often the wood gets dry with age and/or becomes oil soaked making it prone to splits and cracks. The damage in the photo is most likely a combination of dry wood and a loose or an uneven too tight fit of the buttstock to the receiver and the gun being shot. Permanent fix during a refinish would be an inlay of a matching piece of walnut and squaring off the grain end to assure a tight even fit of wood to metal.

[Adam Lee]

Dry Rot ? Sometimes and it can also be attacked by insects and even be wormy. More often the wood gets dry with age and/or becomes oil soaked making it prone to splits and cracks. The damage in the photo is most likely a combination of dry wood and a loose or an uneven too tight fit of the buttstock to the receiver and the gun being shot. Permanent fix during a refinish would be an inlay of a matching piece of walnut and squaring off the grain end to assure a tight even fit of wood to metal.

Joe understands the concept - yes, this project will include wood repair, amongst other things.

The "easy button" was pushed, in this case, for a variety of reasons. Joe, this will certainly be my first Pedersen-designed gun of any kind, also another incentive for me.

Also, it may not be shown in the pictures, but I don't think the barrel s/n matches the receiver, so I will have no qualms at all in trimming it down to a police or military length bore. My evil plan includes obtaining a second barrel (as usual!) to keep the ducks and wildfowl living in fear.

Not sure of going the "replica trench gun" route with the existing barrel or just police length. Either way, early model 10's did both jobs, which is something that you won't see with the early Browning-designed 520 "double humpback" Stevens shotguns - they were not offered in trench gun livery until WW2 - in the second generation models of 520-30's.

(I mention this, since my earlier postings reveal my unusual interest in other JMB-designed shotties - each with paired barrels, police and field length)

Yeah, this should suit my "project" needs nicely. And if Mitch is listening in on this, just to let you know, I have reblued the 520 pump finally and also refinished the stocks completely. That 520 now runs good - love the cowboy action - no trigger disconnect=fun!

(My 720 Savage/Remington 11 clone is the most fun though...runs like a 1930's 12 gauge AKM!)
Adam

[Adam Lee]

Well, the Model 10 is here. I was surprised to find that it does all match - barrel, trigger housing, and receiver. It is most likely a 1913, maybe 1912 build, just based on my primitive extrapolation. I surfed through several threads on 10's over at the "partner" Remington Society site, found a little info. S/N is U 93091 - 5-digit number.

This old gun is in pretty good shape - that chip in the stock is the worst of it. Actually has a good original appearing blue, sorta going brown, but really mostly blue. No rust, only thing besides complete tear down/cleanup I have to do is "unlock" the dang slide.

She's locked up and only partway "opens" up - the lock button is trying to do its job - but I believe that the spring above the bolt (which is hidden from view) is bent/not working as it should. I believe that the works just need to get a good oil bath soak for a while to "break free" the action, then it will go.

Anyway just wanted to add this note since I started it after all. For those of you out there with Model 10's of any flavor, if you have any personal experience working with these I'd be happy to hear. Not the "bad news" stories about 10's, I've read enough of those; I'm only looking for helpful "user" tips and so on.

I can't believe that it really seems to have the original screws, buttplate, and barrel - and hasn't been cut down or anything. That spare front end I got coming in the mail some day will be the barrel that I "chop" - not this one!

Take care, and happy hunting out there!
Adam

[Adam Lee]

Just remembered to note that the U 93091 serial number appears in at least 4 locations so far (I have not yet removed the bolt and related components) including:
1. receiver, at bottom
2. bottom side (hidden) on barrel, and the exposed right side of the barrel as well
3. side of trigger housing
4. front "face" of buttstock leading edge that mates to the receiver

I am always pleased when I don't have any expectations of an old gun - and it turns out to be better than I expected. Of course, this is a "gunsmith special" project since the pump is mostly locked up at the moment. However, that will be rectified in time.

If anyone can help confirm the U 93091 serial number production date, I would greatly appreciate it. As I mentioned previously, by my guess it is maybe a 1913 or perhaps earlier manufacture date.

Thanks!
Adam

[imfuncity]

And if Mitch is listening in on this, just to let you know, I have reblued the 520 pump finally and also refinished the stocks completely. That 520 now runs good - love the cowboy action - no trigger disconnect=fun!
Not sure it counts without pictures? (Vids?) Hate to act stupid but what is "love the cowboy action - no trigger disconnect=fun!"?

[Adam Lee]

And if Mitch is listening in on this, just to let you know, I have reblued the 520 pump finally and also refinished the stocks completely. That 520 now runs good - love the cowboy action - no trigger disconnect=fun!
Not sure it counts without pictures? (Vids?) Hate to act stupid but what is "love the cowboy action - no trigger disconnect=fun!"?

Finally - where you been, man? I figured you got lost in space or somethin'...

Mitch, I must apologize for the confusion I caused about "the cowboy action" - my comment that had you completely mystified could best be translated into English in the following statement:

"The Stevens 520 pump shotgun, designed in a time period before the trigger disconnect was integrated as a safety feature in more modern scatter-guns, was able to provide the shooter with a great volume of shot in the air in a very short amount of time. How this was possible, was by virtue of the shooter's ability to merely keep his trigger depressed after he fired the first loaded round, and to simply "pump" the shotgun's action until all rounds in the magazine were exhausted. Modern shooters in the "Cowboy Action" sports use the feature, or lack thereof, of the "trigger disconnect" in older period pump shotguns to remind us of one reason shotguns have always played a key role in gunfights. It is quite possible for a skilled shotgun shooter to "dump" all the rounds from a pump gun in a very few seconds, by utilizing this design feature. It is also a feature that requires respect on the part of the gun owner - for obvious safety reasons."

Hope that cleared up my mysterious cowboy comment....

And I must say Mitch - thanks a million for the old junk Montgomery Wards shotguns! Those cruddy old things have kept me busy! I also had no idea just what would happen. We plain got lucky with that stock.

take care, hope your family is doing well out in CA!
Adam

[imfuncity]

Like the cowboy action thingy. You've done that with those old things...? And they held together?! How cool is that! Gotta see if I've got anything that will play.

Glad they found a good home, you get tired of them don't forget my addy.

[Phyrbird]

The Ithaca 37 and clones will do the same emptying the tube. My Dad always said he could empty a pump faster than most autos anyway. You just get comfortable with the action, 37 hold the trigger, 870 pull back on the forearm.