Yesterday my 16 gauge Model 12 returned from Briley with a new set of choke tubes, which finished out this restoration project.  The 1941 Model 12 has been given a new lease on life, retaining its WW2-era charm while gaining modern features as ‘today’ as an iPad.  Here, have a look:

And the before:

The old gun was made in 1941, and the refit, refurbish and refinish has left me with a short, light, handy 16 gauge grouse or quail gun.  The gun originally had an old Poly-Choke mounted, and after that removal there was only about 24″ of barrel left; a bit on the short side, but that matters less than it used to with modern, fast-burning propellants.  Sight radius is shorter but the addition of a center bead to the old, 1940s-style solid rib should help with that.

To the trap range tomorrow to see how she shoots!  Briley still has my 1940 12 gauge Model 12, in the finishing stages, and they tell me I should have it back by the end of the week – watch this space for more.

And while I’m on the topic, I highly recommend Briley; they do quality work, and their customer service folks with whom I had occasion to interface were outstanding.

Stay tuned for tonight’s election live-blogging!