doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Simmon's new solid rib

Has anybody seen or had one of these solid ribs installed on their guns?
I called yesterday about having my pre-war Model 42 restored and asked about it. I asked if it was comparable to the original and all I could get was " Its a Simmons rib not a Winchester rib" from the guy. One minute he would suggest they are a lot a like but would never commit.
Who else would be able to restore a pre war Model 42?

They are very similar the only visible difference is they are parallel where as the original tapers.
John Mc

There is a shop in upstate New York that bought the original Winchester rib matting machine from Andy's a couple of years ago. I don't remember the name of the shop, but there was a discussion on this board about it. A search should turn it up.

Some info here --

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=213655

Gun Shop of Central New York is apparently matting with an original Winchester machine. Call Simmons on a different day.

Too many m-12 and m-42's seem to have had a "heavy hand" when the refinishing was done. I would think the buffing or sanding was too vigorous. Just seems that you would not want rounded edges or "disappearing" lettering. Perhaps do the sanding yourself? My 2 cents.

Wisborn, you are right on. I had two minty vent rib skeet grade 42s, one with scratches on one side of the receiver, one that was not bad, but it was purple. I had a very skilled and patient craftsman make them right. It was not cheap, but it was worth it. You can't just throw a Winchester pump gun in the gunsmith's door and expect it to come back "proper". You have to beg and plead and pick the right guy on the right day.

Eightbore, I think you can appreciate how some of the reblue jobs have "butchered" these fine old pump guns.You just don't hurry some work. Remember you can't put it back on after you have buffed it off.
Palunc, you might call the folks at Gun Shop at Central New York. They have the equipment and may be willing to do it right. If you are willing to take it on yourself, you can then do it the right way. Go slow, keep it flat, and don't round the edges. Another thought, there may be someone here who could sand it down to the right polish.

The last time I talked to Simmons, their standard procedure for a M12 rib installation was to buff the entire gun and hot blue it. They do nice work, but it looks like a buff and dip job and would not be my choice if the intent was to restore.

http://www.simmonsguns.com/services.html

Anyone know if Simmons was installing ribs with "football" posts, specifically on pigeon guns, in the 1930s? From the website, 1945 is noted as a founding date. Did Schoverling, Daly & Gales, Sloan's Sporting Goods or others have a contract with Simmons to install ribs or would the rib just have been sourced from Simmons and installed by a gunsmith at S, D & G or Sloans? Say an O/U pigeon gun was sourced from Germany, what state would the top tube near the breech be in prior to a Simmons rib being installed, unfinished block form?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse