A Nurse with a Gun

Friday, October 17, 2008

Pawn Shop Circuit: Riot Gun

I stopped by Neil's Pawn Shop today, QJ wanted to put a few bucks on his Browning Buckmark, and he had asked me to go with him. As they were passing cash, I was scanning the long gun rack behind the counter.

"Say Neil, isn't the barrel a bit short on that one?" Click to enlargeI asked. I pointed to an oily stocked shotgun that looked like it had seen better days.

"Nope," said Neil, "That's a police gun."

"Let me have a look."

Neil handed the shotgun over, and went back to trying to sell QJ a zippered gun rug. The beat up wood was impregnated with old oil, and was sticky in a few places. The recoil pad was hard with age. Barely visible in the grain of the stock was a stenciled 6, as well as LPS6 underneath the forend. Oddly, the forend was an extended type, not really my choice, but apparently authentic. I took a look at the rollmark on the barrel. RIOT. The old gun definitely appeared to be a past lawman's weapon.

I held down the slide release and opened the chamber. Click to enlargeClean. Although the furniture looked like it had been bounced around in the trunk of a police cruiser, the action was like new.

"How much you want?" I asked.

"A hundred and thirty," came the response.

"One ten," I countered.

"I can't make any money like that Xavier........"

I wavered. Lord knows I have enough combat shotguns. Still, this old girl had waited patiently for years to be run hard. It was speaking to me. "I tell you what Neil, give QJ that gun rug, and I'll give you one twenty nine."

Neil looked at me, then at QJ. "Damn. I'm double teamed," he said, "Deal."

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11 Comments:

Blogger West, By God said...

Good find! I love old interesting scatterguns.

5:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

lol. Nice vignette.

6:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Damn. After I read that I laughed so hard half my stitches pulled out.

Then, I read it again, and the other half pulled out.

Now, I'm off to the ER for repair.

Thanks for the laughs. (I think).

8:24 PM  
Blogger Rorschach said...

so does the CFR have a loophole for police weapons? and if so, is it legal for you to own it now? is the barrel actually under 18"? or was your well calibrated mark 1/mod 0 eyeball a tad off?

8:57 PM  
Blogger Xavier said...

My eyeball was off. The barrel is exactly 18.2 inches, measured from the breech with the bolt forward.

I'm use to seeing my 18.5 inch guns with a "corncob" forend. The longer forend and the slightly shorter barrel of the riot gun combined to fool my old eyes.

10:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dammit man, that is precisely what I have been looking for and having no luck good deal wise here in Houston, just like all the nice little Smiths you run across out there, they are here too but at twice the price and all the pawn shops want a tad over book value. would you take $200 for it in cash and I meet you half way or work out some sort of shipping arrangement paid for by me shipped to my local ffl?

10:41 PM  
Blogger Keith Walker said...

Funny. I was just talking to someone yesterday about "sawed off shotguns."

8:13 AM  
Blogger Hunsdon said...

Never mind the shotgun, for me the moral of the story is that Xavier not only gave QJ an introduction to firearms-owning responsibility, but he's following up! Extra points for the teacher-student relationship!

PS: how apropos that there's a "ccw" in the middle of the verification word.

11:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

QJ.is one lucky guy to have you to help him out. He'll learn more about firearms in six months with you than ten years any where else. Keep up the good work, you're a teacher and a friend to your fellow. (and us)

Ronaldo

5:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I picked up a riot/defender barrel for $50 online and have it on m trusty old Winchester 1200. I had to order the longer mag tube from Numrich.

I prefer those over the Mossbergs, but, I like the rotating bolt Win better.

Good purchase!!!

12:28 PM  
Blogger red said...

I really need to start shopping the Pawn circuit! Great find!

2:39 PM  

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