16ga.com ~ View topic

Maybe you paid too much - very close to what I paid for mine - if I ever see Tim again I'll get my camera and take pictures - sometimes condition is worth something.

My gun had a pachmeyer decelerator pad on it - all black - with 1 1/8 oz loads, you feel it - with any 1 oz. almost like nothing.

Enjoy and maybe post up pictures when you're done polishing it up.

Almost bought one in 20ga once; I agree that lock-up is reassuring! Have fun with it...

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

Chip, there aren't a lot of those Hunter Specials out there. Hunter introduced the gun in the late 30's, didn't make it for long. Their advertising, in the 1940 Shooter's Bible, says:

"This is a new gun produced by the makers of the famous L.C. Smith and utilizes the same rotary bolt giving assurance against shooting loose." (Can't recall ever handling a loose Fulton, which did not have the rotary bolt.)

Prices were interesting: $29.95 for the Fulton, $35.10 for the Hunter Special, $49 for an Elsie Field Grade.

Stated dimensions on the Hunter Special were an LOP of 14", drop of 2 3/4". F2F, for me, that's too low--especially considering I'd have to add a pad to get another 1/2" or so LOP, which would add a bit more drop at heel. Generally speaking, you'll be hard pressed to find anything lower than 2 1/2" at heel on a modern double. Just picked up an Ithaca SKB 280 20 gauge yesterday. That's a 60's to early 70's gun, and it's 2 3/8" at heel. I really like Parkers, but one reason I like my Repros better than about 90% of the original ones I've picked up is because I can shoot the Repros. Most of the old ones, I mount the gun and all I can see is top lever--no rib.

Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 36

Larry,

Thanks for the info....the gun must not have been shot much at all....it is nice and tight...feeling like a new gun....just amazed at the sound of it locking up....just has the feel of strength.... as far as the numbers i suppose the single trigger was a option costing more and the fact that it is a 16 you got to guess that there wasnt to many made...

I am currently recutting the checkering..... that and cleaning up is all it needs other than shooting.... going to do that soon.... picked up some 16 ga ammo today..... a couple of other questions if you all dont mind

1. The FFL dealer that I had it shipped to said that he expects ammo in general to take a big jump as the price of metal (brass, copper) has had very large increases.... he said the suppliers are now on the tail end of the older inventory that was produced before the price of metal spiked..... what you think?

2. The hunter special has a white line recoil pad.... how do you remove those things..... no holes for screws....?

thanks....

Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 36

Its me again.... actually I must-of had 3 questions:

3... From the serial number on the gun the manufacture date is 1940..... what length of chambers would it have?

based on the cost of components, etc - yeah, i can see shells jumping up a bit

as for the pad - move the rubber around where you'd expect to see screw holes - they possibly cut slits to put the screws in and they "heal" up leaving smooth rubber...

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

Agree with sprocket on the ammo and pad questions. There should be screws hiding in there somewhere! And if you can find ammo at a good price, probably a good idea to pick up a few flats.

Chamber length . . . 1940 was about the time Hunter Arms switched to 2 3/4" in the 16ga. If it's not marked 2 3/4", there's a good chance it's still 2 9/16". Only way to know for sure is to measure. However, on that particular gun, if the chambers are short and if you wish to do so, no reason not to lengthen chambers and cones. There's plenty of metal.

Hunter was about the last company, as far as I know, to make the conversion to 2 3/4" in their 16ga guns.