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Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 36

I see a fulton ranger 16 on auction arms that I bid on.....anyone that could lend me some info on this model ....thanks...

post up an auction number and we can get more specific...

Very cursory explanation; sorry if you already know all this. It's a box lock double built by Hunter Arms who also made the L.C. Smith guns. If it's marked "Ranger" it was sold through Sears Roebuck. Some of the Ranger shotguns were made by Stevens, but it's easy to tell them apart if you look at the profile of the action; the Fulton will also have a removable trigger plate with visible screws; a Stevens won't have a separate trigger plate or screws. Fultons are decent basic double guns, IMHO nicer than a Stevens or a Nitro Special. Condition and price would be the keys; in 16ga a nice one will probably bring around $500+ (I'm not that up on prices these days)?

Fin

Is this the gun?
http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7919936

I bought one like it last fall - mine happens to be nicer condition overall (mostly the wood) but I also paid more than his "buy it now" price...

It gets heavy on long days but balances nicely - I've shot a bunch of skeet with it mostly to get used to hitting with it.

I've seen some without the grip cap or mid beads so this one would appeal to me.

I'd buy it if I were you but maybe not pay more than his buy it now price and maybe dicker for free shipping - give it a good going over before you keep it. The screws look a little buggered and so are mine.

Look on the left side of the forearm - I've seen several with splits/crack/repairs in this area - something of a curiosity for me.

In any event I don't think you'll be sorry you got it. Good luck

Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 36

thanks.... the ranger threw me.... i recently bought a hunter special in 16 ga. but have not received it yet...it should show up tommorow...... this one caught my eye....i thought that if it had solid wood it might make a good possibility for a refinish and use as a bird gun...... my guess then is it is more comparable to a fulton than to a hunter special.....
thanks......

Hunter Arms also made this gun in a model called "FULTON" - instead of RANGER on the side it was fulton - the one I saw was as heavy but the grip had no cap, nor did it have the mid bead - it was used pretty well but still tight and all.

Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 36

sproket,
yes that is the one..... i thought maybe it was the same basic gun as the fulton from the responses...... the hunter special arrives tomorrow...will give me a better idea on how the fulton, fulton special and hunter special suits me....... i have a few side-by-sides and have just got interested in the 16's.... i hope to aquire 3 nice older american basic guns in 16 to use and pass down to my 3 grandsons.....
thanks....

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

I can't get the pictures to come up. From the description, sounds like a good one. "Buy it now" price is too high, but not by a whole lot of the description is accurate. If it has a full PG with a cap, it should be a Fulton Special--except I did not know any of those were made as Rangers. All the standard Fultons and Ranger-marked Fultons I've seen have the round knob.

Hunter Special is an altogether different gun. (The Fulton Special is just a slightly fancier Fulton.) The Hunter Special has a rotary top bolt, like an Elsie, Ithaca, or Fox. The Fulton and Fulton Special have a two-pronged top extension, more like a Stevens.

They're all good guns, bit on the heavy side, and stocks have too much drop for many modern shooters.

Ah, Larry and the obligitory "stock drop" comment Wink

! Man, you'd think these older guns looked like a hockey stick! Lighten up, Lar; some of us like 'em!

Most of the people I've let handle the gun all say the same thing, "Points nice!" - granted they all shoot modern non-sxs guns...

Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 280 Location: Southern Ohio

Larry: I just signed on a few days ago, may as well jump in here and get my feet wet.. It's not a Fulton Special, no engraving.. Just the standard Fultoh with a grip cap..Most of the Hunter Arms Rangers that I've seen, have the capped grip.. The buy now price is too high, it's a $400 gun .. I sure wish old Clunk was here to say that I'm the only on cheaper than him.. gspchip, if you got the Hunter Special that went on auction for $800 + , you got a nice one.. Take Care ..MDC

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

Thanks, MD. I've owned a couple of the Fulton Rangers, and they were both round knob. Prices are going up on those old economy guns . . . think maybe I've said too many good things about them in articles???

FF, I always toss in that warning on older American guns. About the only one you can count on to have relatively modern stock dimensions, if you're talking doubles that made their debut before WWII, is the Win 24--and most of them are actually post-war guns. If you like to shoot the old "head up" style, no problem here. However, you might find jumping back and forth between a Parker with 3" of drop and something like a modern Italian, Spanish, or German gun to be somewhat problematic.

Larry,

What would the drop be to be considered "modern"? Just curious; thanks.

Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 36

Got the hunter special in yesterday afternoon..... sounds like I may have paid a bit much per members thoughts.......................

but, boy-o-boy do I like it..... stiff like a new beretta of the showroom floor....very good shape other than at some point someone must have redid the stock and tried to clean out the checkering...... got one side of that recut last nite and it is truning out great.....

I dont mind the old dimensions...a little more heavy seems like compared to the nitro special 16.....I have a few double guns and I have never heard such a commanding thud like the hunter special has when you close her up.... every thing real tight and I cant wait to cycle a few loads through it...it has a whitline pad added to it that I was suspect of, however at this time I like the way it feels when I sholder the gun..... thanks for the info on the ranger.....

Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 36

I meant to mention in my last post that the Hunter Special was Auctionarms item # 7884699....