Not a Double!

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

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.

Several guys at my club shoot 28s at skeet. All reload. They do fine with them.

When it comes to small SxSs I'm going to shoot my dad's 20. Very light, 26 inch tubes. American Arms Company:



I'd like a 28 though, but this little 20 is sweet as she can be and my dad shot it for his entire life. So I warm to it and it locks up like new and shoots fine..

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by Mark Landskov

Hoot Mon!
I have had a hankering for a repeating shotgun for some time now, and just ordered this nice Marlin. It is a 'Standard Model A Grade' in 12 gauge. It was made prior to January of 1899. The next version had a slide release button and was actually marked 'Model 1898'. This will be my 3rd 'Standard'. They are very well made and will cycle shells from 2" to 2-5/8". RST or Polywad 2-1/2" shells will be perfect for this gun. Cheers!

Here's my Marlin Pump:



If you dry fire this gun it will not cycle unless you push that little button you see just below the hammer. As Mark said, doing so simulates recoil. If your gun will pump after you dry fire it, it is not safe to shoot, which means the hammer safety isn't working. I have yet to shoot this gun, but I've got some 2.5" Polywads. I have a little collection of old repeaters and this one fits right into that group. It's a 19S.



The stock, which has been cracked at the wrist and repaired, is a beauty. I know how the stock was busted. It is a very strange beast to break down into the barrel and receiver groups. The barrel group unscrews the wrong way. Someone must have put some beef on it and twisted the stock hard enough to break it.

[Steve McCarty]

Do you see that little lever/tab just in front of the barrel ring? That little do hicky plays a very big part in field stripping this gun. If you own one of these old shooters take your time figuring out how to break it down. If you do it correctly she comes right apart and unscrews easily. Remember she unscrews clockwise! (with the butt down looking from the muzzle end).

After fiddling with this interesting old Marlin I have come to the conclusion that the designer must have been French. In my experience French guns are always weird.