Stocks on the Marlin 16 gauge pump shotguns.

[BUSSMAN69]

Well I am one of the very few people that collect the Marlin external hammer pump shotguns. Trying to get a working, shootable example of each model in all of the gauges. So just acquired a 16 gauge "Field Gun". I have never seen one before but remember reading about this Model in Brophy's book. So I knew what is was immediately and also knew that it was a very rare gun. So I ended up with it, but BUBBA did a job on it already. I try to get these old shotguns functioning as they should and back to factory standards as close as possible. Bubba refinished the stock and forend and cut off the stock and put a "Whiteline" recoil pad on it. The stock was very aggressively sanded and the wood to metal fit is pretty bad. Air gaps everywhere. So is there a size difference between the 12 gauge gun stocks and the 16 gauge gun stocks ?? Would a stock off of a 12 gauge gun fit on this 16 gauge shotgun ??

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

BUSSMAN69;

The 16 gauge receiver is not the same as the 12 gauge receiver. On page 378 of the Brophy book, under the Field Gun description, you will see that Brophy mentions that the weight of the 16 gauge gun is less than the 12 gauge gun because of the dimensions of the 16 gauge gun is smaller than the 12 gauge gun.
Now, you no doubt have a 12 gauge gun that you can take the stock off of and try on your 16 gauge gun. In some areas, it may be the same, but it still may not fit properly. Somewhere, I have seen where Marlin stated that the 16 gauge gun was not a 12 gauge gun with a 16 gauge barrel attached. That the 16 gauge gun was smaller and lighter overall for those that wanted a lighter gun.

[BUSSMAN69]

Thanks for the reply back to me on this. That's what I was afraid of on the stock of that 16 gauge shotgun. I will take the Bubba stock off of it and try a 12 gauge stock on it to see what it looks like. The odds of finding a decent factory 16 gauge stock are slim to none. And if I did manage to find one, I would probably have to take a 2nd mortgage out on my house to acquire it. But I will keep looking for one, you neve know.
So I would imagine the same goes for the Model 30 shotgun in 20 gauge as well. Probably an all around smaller gun with a smaller butt stock as well ?? These old external hammer pump shotguns are hard to find and most of them look like they have been laying in a road ditch for the last 100 years. And 90% of them that you come across, have butt stock issues. Either broken and cracked or cut off with a recoil pad added. And almost none of them have the original factory butt plate on them in good shape yet. That old hard rubber gets really brittle and they take a serious beating also. I think that these were cheap, utilitarian guns back in their day. And they were definitely used and abused and show it when you do come across them.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

BUSSMAN69;

There is a Model 16j buttstock on eBay right now. Item number is: 355876048144