Racer88
.410
My first firearm ever was a Harrington & Richardson single-shot 12-ga shotgun. The model was also known as the "Pardner" or "Topper" (like Ford and Mercury).
It had a 3-inch chamber. Single-action hammer-fired. Break-open action. Case-hardened steel receiver. Love that case-hardened look!
It was lightweight and kicked like a mule! I blew up a lot of s**t with that gun.
When I was 16, my family moved back to the "south" US (after 11 years overseas). I was an impressionable high-schooler, and I couldn't help noticing everyone had guns. AT SCHOOL (in the parking lot, in their trucks).
So, I had to get a gun, of course! In 1979, at age 16, I went down to Gibson's (a local department store similar to Walmart) and bought a Harrington & Richardson Topper single-shot 12-gauge. No background check. No parent needed. I just needed the cash, which was somewhere between $60 and $80, if I recall. I want to say I paid $65 for the gun in 1979.
I could also buy ammo at age 16, no problem. I usually got my ammo at the local Western Auto.
Mostly, I blew up targets like soda cans and old appliances at illegal dumps out in the woods behind the house. I went "hunting" a number of times. Never shot anything (living) with it. But, yeah.... that shotgun kicked like a mule. Every time I fired it, I was reminded of the power of a 12-ga round in a lightweight single-shot shotgun.
In 1985, our family's home burned to the ground. My dad was able to save his guns, but mine went down with the house. I was away at school and not shooting, so I didn't replace it.
In recent years, I had thought of recreating the memory of that gun. But, H&R went out of business. And, most of the used guns I'd see for sale online were in really bad shape. Last December (2021), I went on the "hunt" again. I found one that looked good! For $120 + $50 (shipping) + $30 (NICS and FFL transfer), I had it in my hands! It looked to be in very good shape!
The stock has a few nicks / bumps. But, overall the wood looks very good. The barrel looks good on the exterior.
The bore was super-dirty! I tried to get some photos with my phone. Hopefully it's just crud and not rust.
Multiple soakings with bore cleaner. Soaking again right now. It's getting better, but I've doused it with CLP again and letting it sit overnight with the ends sealed with baggies and rubber bands.
The barrel isn't perfect. But the pitting is mild, and the barrel is safe to shoot. The gun is 1984 vintage (according to the serial #), so it's 38 years old!
I found some stupid-expensive ammo to test it out. And, so I did! The local indoor range allows only buckshot or slugs.
I think it just looks good and "just right" standing in a corner like this:
Then I took it to the range for the first time. Holy crap! I remember the shotgun of my teen years having some serious recoil. But, that was 40 years ago. Today... I fired two rounds of 00-buckshot and ONE slug.
Round 1 of buckshot... "DAMN! That's a kick!"
Round 2 of buckshot... "Fuuuuuuu**! That hurts!"
OK... Let's try a slug... "OMFG!" It felt like a prize fighter hit me HARD, square in the shoulder!
It was at that point, I put the shotgun away and switched to my Glock 23 for some practice! LOL!
I ordered a "Limbsaver" pad right away! I also decided to try to get a 20-ga barrel for it.
Also, is it just me? Or is there something just kinda cool about a break-action shotgun shooting that empty shell out of the back, and over your shoulder, after firing when you open it? Even the sound it makes is cool. Thwoop!
(Continued on next comment due to photo limits per post.)
It had a 3-inch chamber. Single-action hammer-fired. Break-open action. Case-hardened steel receiver. Love that case-hardened look!
It was lightweight and kicked like a mule! I blew up a lot of s**t with that gun.
When I was 16, my family moved back to the "south" US (after 11 years overseas). I was an impressionable high-schooler, and I couldn't help noticing everyone had guns. AT SCHOOL (in the parking lot, in their trucks).
So, I had to get a gun, of course! In 1979, at age 16, I went down to Gibson's (a local department store similar to Walmart) and bought a Harrington & Richardson Topper single-shot 12-gauge. No background check. No parent needed. I just needed the cash, which was somewhere between $60 and $80, if I recall. I want to say I paid $65 for the gun in 1979.
I could also buy ammo at age 16, no problem. I usually got my ammo at the local Western Auto.
Mostly, I blew up targets like soda cans and old appliances at illegal dumps out in the woods behind the house. I went "hunting" a number of times. Never shot anything (living) with it. But, yeah.... that shotgun kicked like a mule. Every time I fired it, I was reminded of the power of a 12-ga round in a lightweight single-shot shotgun.
In 1985, our family's home burned to the ground. My dad was able to save his guns, but mine went down with the house. I was away at school and not shooting, so I didn't replace it.
In recent years, I had thought of recreating the memory of that gun. But, H&R went out of business. And, most of the used guns I'd see for sale online were in really bad shape. Last December (2021), I went on the "hunt" again. I found one that looked good! For $120 + $50 (shipping) + $30 (NICS and FFL transfer), I had it in my hands! It looked to be in very good shape!
The stock has a few nicks / bumps. But, overall the wood looks very good. The barrel looks good on the exterior.
The bore was super-dirty! I tried to get some photos with my phone. Hopefully it's just crud and not rust.
Multiple soakings with bore cleaner. Soaking again right now. It's getting better, but I've doused it with CLP again and letting it sit overnight with the ends sealed with baggies and rubber bands.
The barrel isn't perfect. But the pitting is mild, and the barrel is safe to shoot. The gun is 1984 vintage (according to the serial #), so it's 38 years old!
I found some stupid-expensive ammo to test it out. And, so I did! The local indoor range allows only buckshot or slugs.
I think it just looks good and "just right" standing in a corner like this:
Then I took it to the range for the first time. Holy crap! I remember the shotgun of my teen years having some serious recoil. But, that was 40 years ago. Today... I fired two rounds of 00-buckshot and ONE slug.
Round 1 of buckshot... "DAMN! That's a kick!"
Round 2 of buckshot... "Fuuuuuuu**! That hurts!"
OK... Let's try a slug... "OMFG!" It felt like a prize fighter hit me HARD, square in the shoulder!
It was at that point, I put the shotgun away and switched to my Glock 23 for some practice! LOL!
I ordered a "Limbsaver" pad right away! I also decided to try to get a 20-ga barrel for it.
Also, is it just me? Or is there something just kinda cool about a break-action shotgun shooting that empty shell out of the back, and over your shoulder, after firing when you open it? Even the sound it makes is cool. Thwoop!
(Continued on next comment due to photo limits per post.)
