doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com custom from an SKB

Has anyone ever used and SKB as a base for a custom shotgun? I'm thinking of doing something with an SKB 100 that I recently bought. These guns seem quite strong and I probably need to restock this one anyway to get it to fit, so why not reshape the receiver a little and repolish it and have it engraved or at least case colored?

I'm not sure if the metal of the receiver is amenable to case colors. Anyone know?

anyhow, has anyone built a custom gun out of one of these?

I believe Angelo Bee did a bunch of upgrades on SKB's years ago. Here is one expired link, but at least one can see what he did.

https://www.gunsamerica.com/906049164/SKB-585-20-Gauge-O-U-ANGELO-BEE-ENGRAVED-10-GOLD-INLAYS-WO.htm

Brent,
Not sure about the SKB 100, the Ithaca/SKB 100 has a very tough to remove black chrome finish on the receiver and barrels. I did restock mine, I'm satisfied with it. Another board member here has one case colored. Looks good. So yes, some customizing has been done. I was reluctant to go too far past the restock as I don't have the skills to do the metal work myself.

Good Luck!

My 20 ga. 200E receiver appears to be simply blued.



SRH

I've seen more SKB's that were blued then had external hard chrome. The SKB is a copy of the W.S. 700, and the RBL is a copy of the SKB. So basically whatever you can do to an RBL you can do to an SKB.

Maybe Stan, The Ithaca/SKB 100's, I think not. Col. Brown might know for sure. I had a SKB Royal that was blued barrels and receiver, nice gun I regrettably traded.

MarkII,
How is an RBL a copy of SKB? I'm not seeing it.

Thanks for all the comments. These are helpful and I think the actions are worthy of being upgraded like this. They have a feel of durability and good reputations, so far as I know.

Mine (2) are both blued. I restocked one of them and will probably restock the other. So, why not go a little further?

It is interesting that the RBL is a copy. If the RBL is what I think it is, I was thinking about making the SKB into a more round-bodied receiver. Not sure this is really feasible, esp. with just a file and a grinder. Not sure I'm up to it skill-wise, but maybe. I know I can polish and rust blue, so maybe it would be fun to see what else I can manage.

One thing I know has to go, and that's the sliver plated trigger. And it's not really silver of course. But how to get that stuff off and then simply blue it or case color or something - ANYTHING, because that trigger is really the one abomination (besides there being only one per gun).

Brent,
Not long ago, within the last year at least, the conversion to double triggers on SKB 100 was very thoroughly discussed here. Many pics of the process. Might be worth a search if you want to convert your gun.

One thing I want to do soon is pack some PlayDough in the barrel channel of the forend, place it back on the gun, then remove it to see if it is fitted closely enough that I could convert it to splinter. I've never seen one with a splinter, but I think I'd like the gun more if it was.

I wouldn't mind getting rid of the gold plating on the trigger, and the RayBar front sight, too. Those three things alone would entirely change the looks of the gun. I shoot the little gun well, and killed the first Gambel's quail I ever shot at with it several years ago.



SRH