doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 1939 Winchester mod 24

The trouble with projects is they are time consuming and expensive. By the time you finish you would like to have something nice to brag about. A model 24 may be a Winchester, but they are butt ugly. You can still pick up a Fox Sterlingworth for the dollars you are talking about or an LC Smith. Either can be made into a beauty. Watch the projects going on here. You'll find one to light your fire.

Just remember these things about a project gun. - If it doesn't have good barrels, it doesn't have a prayer. If your project needs a stock go box lock. Side lock stock in letting is not for us amateurs.

Parker, the Model 24 is a terrible gun to do anything with, let alone buy. You can find plenty of worthy projects out there for that money, which, after completion, you'll have a good shotgun.

I am no gun prude, but have to agree with the above post, I would find something else besides a 24 on which to spend my time (and $$$)

I saw a very nice 16 gauge just today at the local gun show for $595.
CHAZ

One thing I don't like about my 24 besides having no fences is the skinny little extractors. Every once in a while it won't extract a empty light trap shell. Give it a diet of heavy pheasant loads and they extract fine.

If you check prices of Model 24's on internet gun auction sites, it is important to watch them for a while and compare the sales prices only of guns which ACTUALLY sell. Then you must be sure you are comparing guns in similar condition. Many of the Model 24's you see listed with unrealistically high reserves or Buy It Now prices of over $1000.00 will still be there unsold two years from now. Those prices mean nothing except that the seller is hoping some dumbass with more money than brains will pay twice retail value for a gun.

I saw a first year of production model 24 12 ga. in decent shape with an asking price of $495.00 at a local gunshow yesterday. Vendors were complaining that their guns weren't moving so it sounds like we're still in a buyers market.

We had our local gunshow in town yesterday. One guy had table full of overpriced stuff including two 16ga model 24 Winchesters. One had the barrels cut down and no choke and the other was in really nice original shape with 28" barrels and chokes of IC and Mod. He wanted $1,250 for the good one and over $1,100 for the cut off one.

I suggested a trade for a 20ga model 24 I have and don't like. He wanted to see my gun and I went home and got it. When I returned he went into 'pawnstar' mode and wanted to talk about boot for the swap. I explained that my gun was worth more than his and that he had his guns all priced at double their value. I don't think he appreciated the value of my advice...Geo

The 24 is one shotgun I've never had any interest in owning. The name aside, I just can't get past the looks.
I've owned early Stevens 311 SxS's that I feel are better handling and looking shotguns,,but again everyone has an opinion.

Lots of other options in the 500-700 range in 12 SxS's especially if you're looking for a 'cosmetically challenged project' gun.

The 24 in 20ga is a sweet little 6 lb gun. But it has those crappy spring powered extractors that can't lift a lightly sticky case.

My opinion is to spend a few more $ and get a NID, Hunter Special, Nitro Special, or Fox and go from there. If it's for upland, get one of the above in 20ga or 16 ga if you must have that large a shell.

Kutter,
+1. I actually can get by without any Winchesters, thanks very much.
You plan on stomping any of the usual areas in Pine county for Mr. Ruff this fall? I think I ran into you once-had my Darne, my girlfriend and my Gordon setter along, IIRC.

Best,
Ted