Trojan 20

[Joe Graziano]

Moved from restoration forum. I picked up my new to me Trojan yesterday. Mechanically, gun feels like it left the factory yesterday. Very tight and new. There was obviously a restoration done some years ago. Case colors look new and as a couple folks noted, appear similar to the original. The wood was refinished nicely with oil and remains proud of the metal. I prefer a “shinier” oil finish with completely filled pores, but overall, it looks nice. The current LOP is 14 in. to end of the wood and 14 1/4 to the end of a very thin black rubber pad with a thin black spacer. I can’t make out the brand. The barrels, sadly, were cut from 28 in. to about 25 3/4. They were also hot blued. Thankfully, they ring beautifully. Why anyone would take the time and money to have the case colors done perfectly, the wood nicely restored and then cut the barrels and hot blue them is anyone’s guess. There were a few spots of surface rust near the muzzles which came off with a bit of Hoppes. Overall, for what I paid I am very happy.

As far as restoring, I will have the barrels properly rust blued and a 1 in solid pad installed to increase the LOP to around 15 in. Then, I’m going to do a lot of upland hunting with this very nice small bore Trojan.

[Joe Graziano]

https://imgur.com/a/GPJh49Z

[B. Dudley]

Well, the wood is not proud of the metal in all areas. Maybe half the areas.
The case colors do vary greatly from "original" but there are far worse out there. They do appear to be bone charcoal and not the cyanide type. The colors look to where if they were knocked back about 50%, they would look really good.

I personally would not do anything to the gun, just shoot it. Except for what you want to do to the LOP if it makes the gun fit you better. With a gun like this, the money spent to rust blue the barrels would really be throwing good money after bad since they have already been cut back.

[Joe Graziano]

I don't consider a few hundred dollars for a 20 ga. Trojan "bad money". I will have the barrels rust blued because it looks closer to the original, and to cover those few spots near the muzzles. I will have the thicker pad installed to increase the length of pull for a better fit. I purchased the gun as an upland shooter, a piece of functioning Parker history, rather than a collector's piece. As long as I stay under $1k for everything, to me it seems very reasonable for a gun I will keep and use often.

[B. Dudley]

Sure. My comments about putting money i to it were of course made not having any idea what was paid for the gun. In my experience, most people pay more than they should for such things.

[Bill Murphy]

The cost of a professional rust blue will nearly match the value of the gun. I like the gun as is.

[John Davis]

I think that’s a great little gun. I’d just shoot it. Once I got the LOP right.

[Phil Yearout]

I kind of agree; I'd just shoot it. Maybe those spots could be touched up with some cold blue etc? But it's your gun of course and you should do what makes you happy; money isn't always the first consideration.

[J. A. EARLY]

Just curious, what makes you think the barrels were hot blued. To me it looks like rust blued barrels.

[Mike Franzen]

Nothing wrong with putting money into a gun you like regardless of the ROI. Most of us who have been involved with these old guns have made “investments” E. F. Hutton probably wouldn’t sanction. A 20 gauge Trojan is a nice gun. Enjoy it.