Yesterday I gave up an evening of elk hunting and one this morning to take my girl friend to the airport so she could catch a flight to see her oldest sister in Calif. I was pleased to do it, since I have all of elk season off, I figured a few missed hours would not hurt
Anyway this am I am returning home, when I pass a small gun shop that usually has some nice stuff in it.
I actually drove on past it and was intent of getting home, when I decided, a few minutes won't hurt, I can't hunt elk til evening. So I made a U turn, probably illegal, but made it without getting caught. Drove back to the shop and looked over the racks. In the second rack there sat a model 31 Rem. I have made this my excuse for haunting the used gunshops the last 5 years. I wanted a nice model 31. Over the years I saw some, but they had either been beat, screwed with, or didn't fit worth a hoot.
The first thing I did was feel the barrel to see if it had a rib,SURPRISE, SURPRISE
It had a rib, I do not know if they ever made this model with a vent rib or not, but this one was a solid rib... Just what I wanted.
I plucked it from the rack and checked it over, the numbers matched, the bluing was very good, the stock had a nice piece of figure in it. It had been altered with a recoil pad, but the length was perfect.... I looked at the price...$350. Maybe too much, but I decided within 30 seconds this 30" beauty in 12 ga. had found a new home....
Shot it 10 or 12 times to see how if functioned, and it was flawless. Now I had my gun with the famous
"ball bearing action." The only problem now is I need a new gun to look for....It will be a model 97 12 ga. with a 2 3/4 inch chamber.....That will keep me busy for a while.....
