Classic Swamp Yankee Guns

[Mountain]

My grandfathers lone shotgun was a Browning Sweet 16 with an added Poly-Choke. He used that gun for everything from crows to squirrels to ducks just by dialing the Poly-Choke. He didn't care for deer hunting though; he was taught that it was necessary to get a deer or two every winter to help fill the larder and looked at deer hunting as a chore to be done. If there were deer hunting rules in Maine in the early 1900's he never mentioned them. His father's deer rifle was a Stevens Model 425 in .35 Rem.

Glad to see we finally got around to mentioning the Model 12, AKA "The Perfect Repeater".

I see a lot of the Brownings with the Poly-Choke on them. A5's have appreciated a bit in the last few years, though ~8-10 years ago seems like they were fairly cheap. I'd grab one if a hell of a deal or maybe take one in trade.

O/U isn't exactly Swamp Yankee material, but I recently acquired a Winchester 96 'plain wrap' version of the 101 in trade. Shortly after acquiring it I dropped a couple nice pheasants with it- one of them a big rooster that was headed straight into a bonafide Yankee swamp if I missed.

edit-

My club had a 742 in a raffle. It was tricked out a little for hunting. First time I'd seen a 742 outside of a shop, LOL, but I'm not from here...

 

[enbloc]

Another +1 for the venerable Marlin 336 in .35Rem...

 

[Dennis in MA]

I see a lot of the Brownings with the Poly-Choke on them. A5's have appreciated a bit in the last few years, though ~8-10 years ago seems like they were fairly cheap. I'd grab one if a hell of a deal or maybe take one in trade.

O/U isn't exactly Swamp Yankee material, but I recently acquired a Winchester 96 'plain wrap' version of the 101 in trade. Shortly after acquiring it I dropped a couple nice pheasants with it- one of them a big rooster that was headed straight into a bonafide Yankee swamp if I missed.

edit-

My club had a 742 in a raffle. It was tricked out a little for hunting. First time I'd seen a 742 outside of a shop, LOL, but I'm not from here...

10-20 years ago, you were a moron and a fool to buy one of those darned shoulder-crushing hump-back POS's. At least that's what everyone, including every gun writer in the world, said.

I could never understand why they were shoulder crushers if my 870 was a pump and 100% of the action hit my shoulder. I just never owned one b/c I thought it looked funky.

 

[PatMcD]

I've got to agree with C Stockwell here: Remington 742 OR 760 with the stupid see-through scope mounts. Every moron thinks they have to have that "fast follow-up shot".
I always tell them "if you're first shot was a crappy one, your second isn't going to be any better". Everybody pretty much hates me.

 

[Mountain]

10-20 years ago, you were a moron and a fool to buy one of those darned shoulder-crushing hump-back POS's. At least that's what everyone, including every gun writer in the world, said.

I could never understand why they were shoulder crushers if my 870 was a pump and 100% of the action hit my shoulder. I just never owned one b/c I thought it looked funky.

LOL, I think if you have the load resistance ring set for light load and fire a very heavy load it might kick like a mofo. Otherwise those comments were made by idiots copying other idiots. If you want to be laughed at by an experienced and knowledgeable old FFL, make a remark about A5's kicking like a mule.

 

[enbloc]

 

[KMM696]

Ithaca 37, with extra swamp yankee points for a Polychoke. Mine's a 16ga, but no Polychoke. It does look like it lived in a swamp for a while, though.

 

[FrankNA]

I carried a .30-06 Remington 7400 carbine in the New Hampshire woods for about 25 - 30 years or so. An auto loader provides that quick 2nd shot that’s often required in the woods around here (IMO and experience). I switched over to a Ruger .44 magnum carbine a few years back after a double shoulder surgery that made carrying the heavy old 7400 a real chore. The .44 carbine is like carrying a 10-22 in the woods (weight wise) and is fast, accurate and an ass kicker at any shot in the 100 yard range which is the majority of the shots in these woods unless you hunt the power lines.

 

[Garddogg56]

Savage model 99 in a .300 Savage was king in Maine.

 

[MisterHappy]

Parker Trojan or V-Grade. Sure, the V-grade was probalby $40, but buy once, cry once.

I have a gun that's been in the family since before 1900. Still works. That's value!

 

[Coyote33]

... Deep South? .30-30 Marlin ...

Now, New England? Easy, the Remington 742 in .30-06

Go to KTP or any big store in New England and you'll see 742s for $400+/-. The 742 will harvest plenty of deer or moose or black bear. Max points if the 742 has express sights below a raised-up 3-9x40 Nikon or Redfield or Burris.

In addition to the 742/7400, I'd also say the Remington 7600 and 870 Wingmaster round out the Top Three Swamp Yankee guns. No classic Swamp Yankee would go without owning an 870 Wingmaster or some kind of Remington semi-auto .30-06. Guess I'll have to buy them now...

My Dad had a 30-06 742, but it was a lefty. Don't forget the basket-weave checkering and Redfield widefield. Don't think he had those raised sights though. He also had a Remington 12 gauge; I think it was an 1100 or an 11-87. He said it was not very accurate. I wonder if it was him. It looked like it liked to get clogged up easily, though.

For the record, I've seen plenty of 30-30 336 Marlins also.

In Central MA, a Swamp Yankee Staple List would be incomplete without an H&R Single.shot shotgun and/or and H&R .22 of some sort, a reasonable exception would be Iver Johnson. I can't number how many I've seen come through or hear about in passing conversations.

Yup, yup, and yup. Don't forget the breaktop H&R .22's.

Another +1 for the venerable Marlin 336 in .35Rem...

Great gun and cartridge, but I've never seen one in .35, but a zillion in 30-30.

Savage model 99 in a .300 Savage was king in Maine.

This is what they say. I don't have that firsthand experience, but wish I did.

 

[rocket500]

I’ve got an 870 and Model 94’s in 30-30 and 32spl. Each qualifies I should think.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

870s for hunting and 1100s for trap. Jack.

I have a Remington 58 for trap

 

[enbloc]

Great gun and cartridge, but I've never seen one in .35, but a zillion in 30-30.

Just because you don't see any Unicorns, doesn't mean they don't exist...

 

[jasons]

I've got to agree with C Stockwell here: Remington 742 OR 760 with the stupid see-through scope mounts. Every moron thinks they have to have that "fast follow-up shot".
I always tell them "if you're first shot was a crappy one, your second isn't going to be any better". Everybody pretty much hates me.

I don't know Pat, I kinda like you.

 

[Fixxah]

My deer rifle is a Belgian Browning BAR .30-06. Still have the box and manual that it came in. No iron sights.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

The first gun I bought was a Marlin 336 in 35 Rem. Picked it up used at the local hardware store. The owner had an FFL and sold mostly used guns but would order in whatever you wanted.
I was 18 and some of my buddies invited me to go hunting in NY state with them. My dad offered his 25-06 but I wanted my own gun. So I go to the hardware store and say I need something to kill deer with. Bob pulls down an 870 and says this kills lots of deer around here. I say I'm going over to NY state with the Crane brothers. Bob pulls down the Marlin and says this'll kill deer in NY.
And I gotta say it's done a damn fine job of it for me.

 

[PatMcD]

I don't know Pat, I kinda like you.

Shhhhhhh.......... my wife might read this.

 

[Dennis in MA]

LOL, I think if you have the load resistance ring set for light load and fire a very heavy load it might kick like a mofo. Otherwise those comments were made by idiots copying other idiots. If you want to be laughed at by an experienced and knowledgeable old FFL, make a remark about A5's kicking like a mule.

Oh I concur. I would read articles about it and go all ?????

Gun/hunting writers are not exempt from the "follow the crowd" gene we all humans carry. Better to follow the crowd and not think this through yourself than to trust your instinct and get the right answer.


There was another one I was thinking about recently that had me giggling. Something I read 100 times in F&S and OL a decade or more ago that just wasn't true -then or now. Damn if I can't think of it.

 

[dcmdon]

Win 94 in .32
When I was a FFL in CT, it seemed like every estate I bought had 2 of these in it.

 

[308rifleman]

My favorite. Bought because the sons all had .30-30s. That way I had ammo. Jack.

A 336 in .35 Remington was my first CF rifle. Got it at age 14. Kept it on the top shelf of my bedroom with 4 boxes of 200 grain ammo. Great deer rifle. Where I lived, no FID needed and no "secure storage" laws. No problems either. We knew what firearms could do and we respected them

 

[Chris M.]

There was another one I was thinking about recently that had me giggling. Something I read 100 times in F&S and OL a decade or more ago that just wasn't true -then or now. Damn if I can't think of it.

Lemee guess: That Porting reduces muzzle flip, does not increase report, and is worthwhile. ?

 

[Dennis in MA]

Nah. It was classically stupid, though. I need to start writing this crap down. LOL

Heck, I recall the push of the fishing department of F&S and OL advocating crushing the barbs on all of your hooks for the benefit of the fish back in the mid-80's. I crushed many a worm hook because of it. It didn't affect me none because I never caught any fish anyhow. LOL. You hear guys talking about it now for special situations and I look at them and say, "Oh yeah - welcome to 1984."

 

[AFVet]

My New England guns Savage 12 gauge copy of Browning A5 complete with poly choke. Marlin 336 in 35 Rem.
Southern guns Rem 7400 in .308 with the raised scope/ see thru mounts.. 870 12 gauge but it never hunted.

 

[Dennis in MA]

Ithaca 37, with extra swamp yankee points for a Polychoke. Mine's a 16ga, but no Polychoke. It does look like it lived in a swamp for a while, though.

I've lusted after an Ithaca for no reason other than bottom ejection. Why? I dunno. Maybe to shoot trap or whathaveyou and have the empties at my feet. LOL

 

[grey]

Remington 760 carbine in 3006 with a 1.5-5× vari-x 3, early fiberglass stock. No see through scope mounts needed

 

[KMM696]

I've lusted after an Ithaca for no reason other than bottom ejection. Why? I dunno. Maybe to shoot trap or whathaveyou and have the empties at my feet. LOL

The Ithaca has been good to me, and came to me beat up enough that I don't feel at all bad about what happens to it chasing pheasant. Smooth action, easy to get parts for - you should get one!!

I had forgotten about the crush the barbs movement - haven't heard from them in a while.

 

[Mark from MA]

I've got to agree with C Stockwell here: Remington 742 OR 760 with the stupid see-through scope mounts. Every moron thinks they have to have that "fast follow-up shot".
I always tell them "if you're first shot was a crappy one, your second isn't going to be any better". Everybody pretty much hates me.

No hate here......

I ve bought a lot of old new england deer rifles seems like almost every one had these dumb things on it. These mounts totally promote horrible shooting...... you can barely see the sights thru the dark batcave your looking thru, and the scope is so moronically high you cant come close to a proper cheek weld and my guess most guys shoot right over the game they are trying to find in the scope. Or have an aneurism trying to decide whether they should shoot sights or scope while the deer is showing them their ass.....

I have a bucket full of these mounts from changing them out to a real steel leupold or warne correct low as possible scope mount.

For the OP....I have or have had, just about all the below popular NE swamp yankee blasters. Nowadays people around here have more money and you see some fancy O/U's in the bird woods sometimes. I still carry the 37 mostly in 16 or 20 gauge for birds. I didn't pay a ton for my Ruger Red Labels, long ago in 20 and 28, and really could consider them a nice working mans OU.

Rifles
Win 94 in 32, Win 94 in 30-30, Marlin 336 in 35 and 30-30, Rem 760,740,742, 7600,7400, Savage 99, Browning BAR were all popular.

Shotguns.

NE Topper in every gauge, Rem 870, and 1100, Ithaca 37, Ithaca Deerslayer and Browning Auto -5, Remington Sportsman and Savage A-5 copy

 

[Mark from MA]

I carried a .30-06 Remington 7400 carbine in the New Hampshire woods for about 25 - 30 years or so. An auto loader provides that quick 2nd shot that’s often required in the woods around here (IMO and experience). I switched over to a Ruger .44 magnum carbine a few years back after a double shoulder surgery that made carrying the heavy old 7400 a real chore. The .44 carbine is like carrying a 10-22 in the woods (weight wise) and is fast, accurate and an ass kicker at any shot in the 100 yard range which is the majority of the shots in these woods unless you hunt the power lines.

My dad used the Ruger .44 mag carbine in VT in the 60's. Shot lots of deer with it. I still have it with the old vintage square type recticle weaver scope on it. Havent shot it in years, but it was a fairly popular back in the day for a brush gun.

 

[ccm75]

I grew up 15 miles from Ithaca Gun.
Everyone knew someone that worked at the gun factory. If you didn't have at least 2-3 model 37's in your house you were the minority.