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Pawn shop buy. It is a H&R 12 gauge, break-open single shot. It has a 3" chamber. The barrel is pretty long. I'm thinking about cutting the barrel down to the shortest length allowed by law for a trunk gun, or even for shooting flares.

Would you cut it down or leave as is?

It's up to you, but if you don't plan to hunt with it, cutting it down, would make sense, and you won't lose any money over it. The only downside, is that it is only a single shot. Not something I would use as any type of self defense gun, because, after that one one shot, it will need to be discarded, to transition to to another weapon. JMHO

nice find -- anything that shoots for 70 bucks is a deal

I have the .410 and 20 gauge versions of this gun. I bet the 12 gauge kicks like a mule.

ml1209 wrote:Pawn shop buy. It is a H&R 12 gauge, break-open single shot. It has a 3" chamber. The barrel is pretty long. I'm thinking about cutting the barrel down to the shortest length allowed by law for a trunk gun, or even for shooting flares.

Would you cut it down or leave as is?

It's a collector's item. Save it as it is?

mojo84 wrote:I have the .410 and 20 gauge versions of this gun. I bet the 12 gauge kicks like a mule.

I had one in the 80's, my shoulder was black and blue from shooting it.

mojo84 wrote:...I bet the 12 gauge kicks like a mule.

Yep. It does. I know because I have that exact model.

If nothing else, it might be a good therapy tool.

Way back long ago, when I might have had a particularly frustrating day at work every now and then, sometimes after I got home I would get that old shotgun out and go out in my backyard (I lived out in the country) and just blast through a whole box of shells with that thing, one shot after another. Not with a handgun, not with a rifle, not even one of my other autoloader shotguns, just this old, steel butt-plate, single shot 12 ga shotgun - the simplest, meanest, foulest, biggest bore, hardest kicking thing I owned at the time. For some reason, I always felt much better after having a knock-down drag out with that thing - it kicking me as hard as it could, and me slamming and firing it as hard and fast as I could. After a few minutes of that, life was good again.

Now you amateur psychiatrists, tell me about that!

Keep as is. The H&R single shot break open actions are discontinued and are rising in price. All the HR NEF guns especially the Handi models are at least twice what you paid. Some in centerfire command 3-500 dollars. You got a bargain. I have a three in .410, a 20 ga and a 12 ga. I plan on giving them to my grand children wjen they are ready. One of the .410's is the youth model. I have a couple of Win 37 too.

I would leave it as it is.

I have the same model in 12 gauge and .410. Great shotguns for the price! Never had misfires--easy to load and easy to clean.

If recoil is a problem buy some lower recoil target loads. You can even get buckshot in low-recoil loads too.

I use my single-shot 12 gauge as a "long-range" rattler gun if I am hunting out in the country. Also just a fine all around varmint gun in no. 4 and no. 6 high-brass loads.

Jusme wrote:It's up to you, but if you don't plan to hunt with it, cutting it down, would make sense, and you won't lose any money over it. The only downside, is that it is only a single shot. Not something I would use as any type of self defense gun, because, after that one one shot, it will need to be discarded, to transition to to another weapon. JMHO

It just needs a good Enfield bayonet.

Quote: "Not something I would use as any type of self defense gun, because, after that one one shot, it will need to be discarded, to transition to to another weapon."

Not my first choice either, but, after shooting one off and on for well over 50 years, I can attest to the fact they can be reloaded and fired again rather quickly.

Back in the day, weren't those sold as the "topper" shotgun?

Jeff B.

mojo84 wrote:I have the .410 and 20 gauge versions of this gun. I bet the 12 gauge kicks like a mule.

The 12 gauge does kick like there is no tomorrow. My dad has one, I love it.

Classic light weight! Wow! Back it high school i had my big weighted friend shoot it. It knocked him on his butt! If it still tosses shells without needing help, it may be the only guns left legal by the time the libs and Rino's have their way. Keep it as it is!

Great find!

Jeff B. wrote:Back in the day, weren't those sold as the "topper" shotgun?

Jeff B.

They were named "158 Topper" at on point. There are many model nominations, 48, 58, 88, 158, Pardner, Handi Rifle. H&R and New England Firearms. Early models had top levers and then switched to side levers. Earlier I stated they were discontinued, but they are still catalogued on H&R's webpage as Topper and Pardner.