doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT - Duck bill shotgun muzzle

I'm not questioning the legitimacy of this being used to throw a specific pattern from the guns, but to my eye, this looks a lot like a flash hider. I can imagine a short barrelled shotgun in dark jungle/night engagements would probably need a good flash hider, or else it would be a beacon for enemy fire and fairly blinding to the operator. I am sure I could be wrong though...

I mean this with sincerity. Its good to see RwtF back with his reminisces and colorful words and phrases such as FUBAR, Top, "shit canned" etc.

-Joe

Good point, oh "Hunter who falls from the skies" (and hopes his chute pops open when the static line is tightened) . As my old hunting pal- 82nd. A/B once told me: "At Jump school at Bragg, they had a motto on the wall, in the hut where we packed our 'chutes-- 'only 2 things fall from the sky- fools and birdshit.

I have a pal who has just about every 'Nam era weapon that was in service, by both US troops, and "Charlie" and he has a class 3 FFL license too. I'll ask him if he has a "duck-billed" muzzled 12 gauge, and if so, we will test it at 0 dark 30 hrs.. Will report our findings, but as Winter has hammered its way through the barn door, we'll wait for Spring, and warmer weather.

No one that I can discern so far as question the 10 gauge M37 Ithaca statement. Did Ithaca tool up for Uncle Sam to make that pumpgun in 10 gauge- if so- 3&1/2 Mag- like their Special NID model of many years ago-- a M37 in a 10 gauge 3&1/2" Mag loading would kick like a constipated mule- RWTF

I accept with sincerity- and many thanks for your kind words. I do tend to get "windy" at times, with my postings and replies to posts here. I think we all owe Dave Weber a big ol' "Thanks, Buddy-- for his tolerant attitude on how he runs this outfit.

I do have fairly good recall- but at 77, somedays I find can better recall what I did 12 years ago, than what I had for lunch yesterday-- RWTF

Gene, in looking at the photo of Dale, I believe that's an M37. I can almost make out the portion of the barrel that has the bearing that locks into the magazine cap's detents. The slide handle is thinner than the existing slide handles on the 870 during the period that photo was taken. Earlier 870's had the thinner slide handle similar to the M37's. Gil

As did Model 12's- Gene. from 1912 through 1954- the field grade forearms change in oal, diameter, and also the number of rings- post WW11 M12's (and other fine Winchesters) were stocked with lesser quality wood (except the Pigeon grades) and Custom Shop guns- due to all the walnut being used in America for military rifle buttstocks.

That may be one reason why I prefer M12's and M70's mfg. prior to 1940.

Thanks Gil. I flew up to Dak Pek once and spent the night. The camp was built on 7 hills in the vale. The Yards had been tunneling for 4 years - you'd follow a tunnel and suddenly come upon a .50 cal overlooking the valley through a slit. Jack kept a .45 in his commo bunk to fire at cat sized rats. As far as I know we didn't have any shotguns at my A camp A-233, Ban Don, on my first tour 1966-67. But Dak Pek was a world unto itself.

Jack is an expert on Randall knives (he posts on Randall boards as "jacknola") and an advocate of big caliber military rifles, specifically the M-1 Garand.

Man after my own heart- Love the Garand, and own 2 Randall Made knives- from the Master Bladesmith in Orlando, FL. None better--

I've been hammered by VN era Special Forces friends. They all had shotguns at their camps. Here's a picture of my buddy Louis Ira Holmes, who was the Medic out at Ple Djerang in June 1968. He's holding the shotgun and it has a bayonet lug on it. Somewhere there's a site that has a list of all the types of shotguns used in that war. (Check the faces on those troops including the three guys by the Jeep - they've just come out of a hell of a firefight mission).

Louis is holding the M37 Trench Gun. Here's the business end: