So you wear the gloves when you shoot the 97? That'll keep you from skinning the web of your thumb! It burns like mad when you do that.

Steve, The pic was taken for a thread of a couple years ago discussing the fine and favored shooting shooting gloves. It was just a smart ass reply showing what an old redneck used with his pump gun. I never had a problem with my thumb in the way of a cycle, though I can see how it could happen. The M1 thumb is a little different; you gotta get the thumb out of the way when it's holding the clip follower down to release the bolt. Been bit like most others. The '97 is in pretty good shape, but no collector's gun as the barrel had been cut to 25" and a dial a duck had been screwed on before I got it about 40 years ago. Pretty versitile gun though.

It is a nice 97. The stock appears to be excellent. As for the adjustable choke, I know that a lot of shooters hate them, but I have one on an old Rem mod 11 20 gauge and it works fine.

A good 97 is getting pretty rare and I think all have some collector's value, but do we really care? Shooting an antique gun is always fun and that is what turns me on.

I bought my Marlin 19S today. I am looking forward to messing with it and I too have read that they can be dangerous to shoot. Thing is my gun is well used, so someone shot the dickens out of it. It is still in nice shape. I suspect it is safe to shoot since someone did.

It fits well with my collection of turn of the century pump shotguns. I'll shoot Polywad shells in it. I've got a flat.

The barrel is loose. I've seen that collar with the screw in front of the receiver and will give it a turn or two tomorrow. Hopefully she'll tighten up.

When Parkers became too expensive for the average Kansas farmer, these repeaters became all the rage. I like this gun. Not expensive, but very interesting.

Thanks for your comments.

My gun, which I have yet to shoot, I've only had it one day, has the bolt release which you work with the thumb of your firing had. My gun does not cycle after pulling the trigger unless I push that button. When shooting it, do you still have to push that bolt release before you cycle the action?

Whey shooting my 97 it cycles fine after the shot, but to just open the action I have to push the bolt release button on the right side above the trigger. Does the Marlin work similarly?

Steve, your gun has a recoil safety block. I believe that the recoil of firing a cartridge operates a blocking device to release the bolt. Dropping the hammer will allow the firing pin to do its unlocking, but the button must be pushed in to simulate recoil. I have never owned one of the 'newfangled' models, so I will refer to my manual for proper operation.

Ah-ha! I thought as much. The 97 works the same way. Great. I bought the gun yesterday so I have yet to shoot it. It doesn't cycle full length snap caps very well. So I'm going to have to fiddle with it some more.

The gun mounts nice tho, and I like how I see over the sights, so it might turn out to be a good shooter.

Just a few minutes ago I took out my 16 gauge Model 12 and compared the two guns for feel and smooth action, etc... BIG DIFFERENCE. One can see how designs improved...also John Browning of course.

I have, five Model 12s, one 97, two 37s, one 870, one Stevens 520, one Marlin 19S, and one Winchester 1300. I like the 16 gauge Model 12 the best, but the 20 GA 870 is good too. I also like the 16 ga model 37, which is really a fine pump shotgun.

I am finding that I am really beginning to prefer 16 gauge pump shotguns, not so much for their patterns, but because they deliver 12 ga oomph and 20 ga weight. I'd like to have a double. My 16s are a model 12, 37 and Remington Model 11. A Trojan 16 would be perfect, I think. Maybe next year.

A lot of guys who I hunt with shoot 28s. It's a fad I think, but the guy I really want to hunt with demands, pretty much, that one uses a 28. Strange, but I've heard it more than once.

I'm thinking I need a Mossy pump in 28. It'd have to be a wood one, of course. My agent (yes, I have one) bought the 28 CZ I was looking at out from under me. I'd rather have a double of some sort than a pump, but I don't want to pay an arm and leg.

I have been considering 28 ga inserts for my Lefever 12. It is light enough to accept inserts without screwing up the CG, maybe Briley's but they cost something like $5/600. I'd get choke tubes too. Again, maybe next year.

I'm holding off buying more shotguns for a while. I've been buying these antique pumps and my wife is giving me the evil eye. It's been so blinking cold and windy here that I haven't been to the trap range for a few weeks. Need to get in some shoot'n ASAP.

Thanks for your help re my Marlin pump.

Steve, when I owned my first Marlin repeater, I had a handful of Gamebore 2" shells that cycled perfectly through the gun. Right now I am using 2-1/2" RSTs for grouse hunting. There are two little springs that work together to keep cartridges in the magazine and prevent double feeding. One thing I noticed with all three of my Marlins, is that the action needs to be worked vigorously. Not abusively, though. Do not stop or slow down when cycling the action, or it can tend to bind up on shells halfway out of the magazine.

Thanks for the advice.

Steve;
The 28ga. has been around for over a century and it has been my go to bird gun for close to 40yrs. My VHE tips the scales at 5lb8oz. and is a joy to carry all day. If you ever acquire one you'll find that the standard 3/4oz load kills far better than you would believe it would. For my money the perfect bird gun for quail, woodcock and grouse.