Yes, you can! - Shotgunner

Guns Magazine, Jan, 2004 by Holt Bodinson

The arrival of Brownells' latest No. 56 master gunsmithing catalog reminded me how easy it is today to repair or make modifications to your shotgun with nothing more than simple hand tools, if that. And it's a recent development. For decades, shotgun gunsmithing was a rather arcane craft. American gunsmiths, in general, tended to gravitate to the rifle and handgun business, and most of the available gunsmithing books reflected that bias.

Now with today's instructional materials and particularly with an increasing selection of modified parts and assemblies, the average gun owner can perform marvels.

Three of the outstanding instructional tools carried by Brownells are Patrick Sweeney's book, Gunsmithing Shotguns; Jerry Kuhnhausen's book The Remington 870 and M1100/M11-87 Shotguns--A Shop Manual; and the American Gunsmithing Institute's selection of increasingly popular video presentations covering most shotgun models and types. What is common to all three is their emphasis on diagnosis. In short, they urge you to be analytical before grabbing a screwdriver in hand and plunging in.

Of course, knowledge of the disassembly and reassembly of a particular model shotgun is essential, even if you are just modifying, even cleaning, and not repairing the gun. Brownell's offers a variety of manuals. My personal choice is the Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly series by J. B. Wood. Every essential step of the process is clearly illustrated by an actual photograph of the work in progress.

Suppose you need a part for a Benelli, Browning, Ithaca, Mossberg, Remington, Ruger or Winchester shotgun. Brownells' catalog contains 135 pages of factory parts alone. For example, a part that I replace annually, if not sooner, on my Remington 1100s is the rubber "O" ring that fits into a groove around the magazine tube. It is called the "Barrel Seal."

The factory part costs only $5.43. It's sized to each gauge, and you can't just pick it up at your local hardware store. If you didn't know the name of the part, you simply access Brownells" Website, click on "schematics," click on your make and model, and up pops a clear schematic of your gun. Better yet, looking further through the catalog, you will find that Nu-Line offers a packet of 10 barrel seals for only $17.00, and a full stainless steel/Teflon replacement kit for the piston, piston seal and barrel seal for only $19.95.

Two of the most popular modifications to a pump or semi-auto are the replacement of the recoil pad and safety button with upgraded parts. Currently, I am a particular proponent of Sims Laboratory's "'LimbSaver" recoil pads that are a simple screw-on exchange with the original factory pad. Brownells' new catalog carries them for the Rum. 870, Benelli Super Black Eagle/MI, Browning Gold, Mossberg 500/835, and Winchester 1300.

When it comes to safety buttons, there's an excellent metal drop-in unit that replaces the plastic factory part found on Mossberg 500s. Them are a variety of oversize, jumbo head buttons for the Remington, Benelli and Beretta series guns, and I particularly like Scattergun Technologies big "Tactical Response" button for the Remingtons that you can readily work while wearing gloves.

Need to shorten the stock of a Remington 870, 1100 or Mossberg 500 for a young and upcoming shooter? Don't cut down and sacrifice the factory stock that your youngster will quickly grow into. Brownells carries Outers' synthetic "Cadet" shotgun stock with a 127., inch pull and weight of only 1.5 pounds. It's a rugged, simple, screw-on factory replacement.

While we're on the subject of stocks, Brownells' cherry wood "Pull & Drop" gauge for $40.85 is one of the most useful tools you will ever own. It will save you many times its initial cost when buying used factory or custom guns. And once you determine a length-of-pull and drop that fits you, you can insure that your next shotgun purchase won't end up being a shot in the dark.

After replacing the pad, if you find that recoil is still bothersome, why not try one of the many cataloged mercury recoil reducers that fit into the factory butt stock draw bolt hole or which replace the magazine cap?

Screw-in chokes? The new catalog carries 1,000 models to choose from by leading makers like Briley, Carlson's, Colonial Arms, Hastings, Gunners Choice, Nu-Line, Truglo, Remington and Winchester.

And finally another useful tool that all serious shot gunners should own is a micrometer bore gauge to measure bore diameter, choke constriction, and forcing cone length. The new catalog carries the "Skeet's" brand with a dial micrometer head for only $87.75.

In short, Brownells' Number 56 catalog containing 4,118 shotgun related parts and tools, including a 1,000 chokes, 300 recoil pads and 363 sights is a shotgunner's dream book.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Brownells

[800] 741-0015

www.brownells.com