Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Some things old, and something new

I haven't done much shotgun shooting, since moving to Alaska in 2001. I find myself reminiscing my younger days, when my dad, brother, sister, and I used to shoot at 2-3 different trap and skeet clubs during the week, and then we'd hit the sporting clays ranges on the weekends. Damn, those were some good times!

My niece and nephews shot in their high school trap leagues in Minnesota. They have all graduated, now, but they still shoot pretty regularly. We hit the trap or sporting clays range, every time we're down there to visit, and their enthusiasm has rubbed off on me. I added several new shotguns to the safe this year. Pretty stupid, since I haven't been shooting the ones I already have!

Two of the "new" shotguns are from a family friend. He was always a big part of our trap & skeet shooting endeavors, when we were kids. He isn't doing well health-wise, these days, and he wanted to get his shotguns to someone that would appreciate them. I tried, but he wouldn't let me buy them.

I remember his Model 12, fondly, and I'm pretty sure I was at the gun show when he bought it in the late 80s. If I am remembering the details correctly, it is a trap model, with a factory Simmons rib. There are two proof marks near the rib, one on the receiver and one on the barrel. The aftermarket wood is about the same age for the pre-64 Model 12, itself. Fajen, maybe? Whatever the details are, it's a good looking shotgun:


Closer pictures of the wood:





He told me shotgun has not been refinished, so I guess he didn't shoot it as much as I thought he did. The bluing is in amazingly good shape.



The second shotgun he gave me is an LC Smith Field Grade 20ga. He bought this through the Shotgun News, in the early 80's. The serial number puts it in the late 40s. I forget if he said it was made 1947 or '49. I don't remember seeing this particular shotgun, and when I mentioned it to him, he said he never shot it. He just bought it, because he liked LC Smiths. He still has his 12ga and 16ga versions. This 20ga has 28" barrels.


If you knew this guy, you'd recognize that he's a little OCD, and I mean that in a good way. He took exceptionally good care of his guns.



The original case hardening is still in great shape!



The title of the thread is some things old, and something new. You've seen the old. The something "new" is a Fabarm XLR5 Velocity. I recently purchased this through Gunbroker. My dad and sister have been shooting their own XLR5s for several years, so of course, I should have one too!



Perhaps it's not a classic, but it sure is classy!



The trio:





It's a little early for New Year's Resolutions, but this year, I think mine will be to get and shoot my shotguns more regularly.

Exceptional! Nice looking guns.

Nice trio of shotguns. I'm partial to the model 12 myself but all 3 are great guns

Had one of the M12 trap guns!
The kids preferred biscuits and gravy over a sip of Hoppe's #9, so it went down the road.
We referred to them as "Y" series M12's.
I still have my "Elsie" in 16 ga. The L.C. Smith site has a S/N listing. My gun was built in 1904.

No doubt, those are beautiful guns! Respect them.

great looking scatter guns for sure.
Congrats on keeping the memory alive

That Model 12 is a factory three-pin duckbill rib model, the latest variation of ventilated ribs made in the pre-64 model 12s. Very nice gun.

good stuff

Nice set of shotguns !!!

GF1, thank you for the information! What else can you tell me about it? Is that factory wood or aftermarket? I’m thinking aftermarket, because of the lack of checkering, do you know whose it is?

I remember touring both Fajen and Bishop stocks, in the 80s. My grandparents weren’t too far from Warsaw, MO, and I remember going there one summer with my dad and Uncle. It was a neat tour. We saw the stock duplicator do it’s thing at Fajen, and I remember talking with the ladies doing the hand-checkering at Bishop.

Great stuff.

The wood is definitely not original, and the metal looks to have been refinished. The stock looks like one of Fajen’s.

It’s not a collector piece, but a very usable memento. Use and enjoy it.

Excellent, thank you! That’s what I was hoping. Game on!

Nice post....enjoyed the history and pics.

The Model 12 was made with an Etchen grip....originated by Rudy Etchen, one of the best shotgunners of all times. Interesting to see it was carried over on the Fabarm line of competition shotguns.

Kolar used to be big fans of that style grip too IIRC. Been forever since I looked at one tho.

Thank you for the added information. I Googled Rudy Etchen, heck of a shooting career!

His Father Fred was just as good.

Rudy said there are four points of contact. Shoulder, trigger hand, for end hand and cheek, and all should be solid. Then again, he was primarily shooting fully mounted games. Some current Sporting top guns have become a little looser. Especially the cheek weld. Joe Fanizzi and Wendel Cherry being two. Fanizzi often is not on the stock and Cherry mostly barely.