The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

A friend has this Champion Model 36 shotty that was her dad's and has been hanging in the basement for who knows how long....
It's in fair - poor condition and I'm wondering if it's just a wall hanger now, or if it can be shot safely.
I'm not sure if it's a 10 or 12 gauge, but from my research (there's not a lot of info on-line about these), I don't think they made a 10 gauge in the "Champion" series.
I only own 20 gauges myself, so I don't even have a shell to try in it.

Anyway, here's some pics. The top lever drifts over to the left too far, so it has to be held in roughly the center position to cock the hammer. The barrel locks up to the action good and seems tight.
There are some 12 gauge actions for sale on an auction sight, but the price of a "new" action is probably more than this baby is worth.
I'm worried about the condition of the bore though... very pitted.

What say you?

Wall hanger. SHotguns are not expensive or hard to find in good working order. There is no need to stress a relic like this. Decoration.

Thanks JYD.... I figured as much. After looking at it more, it is a bit spooky! It's a cool old shotgun though.
I think I'll just clean it up a bit... get some of the rust off of it, put some CLP on it , oil the furniture and hang 'er back up!

cjsimoh wrote:Thanks JYD.... I figured as much. After looking at it more, it is a bit spooky! It's a cool old shotgun though.
I think I'll just clean it up a bit... get some of the rust off of it, put some CLP on it , oil the furniture and hang 'er back up!

Good choice, let her rest.

The top lever must have had the loose "drift to the left too far" issue for a while. I saw what looked like a wired jammed between the stock and the receiver tang right next to the lever. It turned out to be a broken off rusted nail. Whoever had this shotgun drove a thin nail in it so that the nail stuck up and kept the top lever from coming over to the left too far. I'm not sure what broke/wore out that would let the lever go to the left too far. Maybe either the lever cam or where the locking bolt connection rod met the locking bolt. The lever seems a bit loose vertically too. Maybe the screw was just loose enough so that the cam didn't engage correctly and it got worn out after repeated use....

Junk Yard Dog wrote:Wall hanger. SHotguns are not expensive or hard to find in good working order. There is no need to stress a relic like this. Decoration.

I concur. Give it an honored place on the wall, (If you can, remove the firing pin first) and she can cherish her memories every time she looks at it.

I know what parts wore out to cause the lever to drift like that, but in this case, just let it be.

Well, the wall it is! Any suggestions about how to go about cleaning it up and what to put on it before putting it back on the wall?
I don't think I want to try to get all of the rust/corrosion off of it... it would take forever and I think it would look kinda odd afterwards. Or should I?
The rust isn't powdery or flaky, but if I us a little oil or PB Blaster on it, I'm wiping brown off of it all day long.

I'm thinking of oiling/PB Blasting it a bit, maybe use a little steel wool here and there and then putting a coat of Break-Free Collector's Long Term Preservative on it.

I would suggest a brass/bronze brush over the steel wool.

I have one of these. It is a 1946. My grandmother gave it to my Grandfather for Christmas that year. I think it came from Woolworth's.

Form what I see in your pics, you really don't need to get anything off there; the only rust you would need to remove would be lighter colored (orange) rust and/or rust that is built up above the surface. I don't see any of that in your pics. I'd coat it with: 1.) Kroil, 2.) Ballistol, 3.) Eezox, or 4.) 3 in 1 Oil. Let the first coat sink in good. Then a light second coat, and hang it up.