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Remington model 31 12g

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  • Jevaughn

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    I inherited a 1940-something Remington model 31. It's got an amazing action on it and is in relatively good condition aside from the bluing isn't in the best shape and the stock could use refinishing. It's never been a safe queen and saw a fair amount of use when my dad was growing up. It's only real downside is the 30 inch barrel which makes the gun abnormally long. I know my dad loves bragging about dropping a deer at 80 yards with #7 shot when he was out hunting small game. It holds an incredibly tight pattern even at 100 yards.
    I'm not much of a shotgun hunter, so that tight choke and long barrel are wasted on me. I'm debating on whether I should get the barrel cut down and beaded then completely re-blued/refinished or just leave it as is. From my research, the barrels were individually headspaced to the actions so even if you can find a barrel, it's not necessarily going to be a perfect fit like an 870 or Mossberg 500 would be. Do I leave it as a safe queen that won't get used or do I destroy the value by cutting it down to make it more usable and getting it completely refinished?

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    DFSgunner

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    When it comes to family guns I prefer to leave mine as they were left to me besides doing proper maintenance or killing rust to preserve them. That’s just my opinion
     

    Jevaughn

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    That's the way I've been for a few years since getting it, but I have having a gun gathering dust in my gun cabinet.

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    Snake-Eyes

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    When it comes to family guns I prefer to leave mine as they were left to me besides doing proper maintenance or killing rust to preserve them. That’s just my opinion

    ^---- THIS. Family mementos are one thing. Family mementos that are firearms, too? Semi-sacred.

    That's the way I've been for a few years since getting it, but I have having a gun gathering dust in my gun cabinet.

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    Well then, you could mount it on a plaque on the wall with a nice memory picture with your dad, and let it collect dust on the wall. :)

    For practical considerations, if you shoot a lot of 12g, and shortening the barrel and refinishing it all will make this your new favorite gun, then that's your call. Apparently they have super slick actions.

    Or you could clean it up, and sell it to someone who will appreciate it as is, then use the money to buy something more your taste.

    https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...f-grade-upgrade-12-gauge.cfm?gun_id=101380009
     

    Jevaughn

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    In my family, firearms were always considered tools, not necessarily mementos. The exception being an old Remington target master that my grandfather got as a kid, learned to shoot with and then handed down to my dad when he was a kid, then to me as a kid, then to my oldest son when he was a kid. That thing has seen countless rounds through it and has always been this father to son bonding item and can still drive nails. The rest were basic hunting weapons, and none were fancy other than being old and generally well made and taken care of, though heavily used through the generations.
    It's not something I necessarily want to get rid of, but I'd like it to be more practical for use. The conundrum is that it's somewhat of a collector's item and doing anything to it can't necessarily be undone. Maybe I'll continue looking for a replacement barrel and see if a gunsmith can headspace it to the gun and keep the original barrel as is

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    rviray

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    I would leave it as is, with the exception of rebluing and refinishing the stock. I would probably pop off a few rounds every once in a while to keep it nice and functioning. Then start a new tradition of passing off grandfather guns to the kids. Pass it along to your son and give him something that you have. In about 3 or 4 generations, that great-great-great-great grandkid will have an arsenal.
     

    Jevaughn

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    Some pictures for reference. It's definitely not a mint gun, but if the date code chart was correct, it's a July 1947 manufacture, it's good for being a well used 73 year old firearm, not a safe queen. Finish isn't the best, there's a little bit of rust and pitting, and there's a chip out of the stock. Maybe I'll get my oldest into trap shooting, supposedly this is one of the better shotguns (for those without high budgets) for that as it's configured.
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