Remington 510 TargetMaster - Smoothbore

[bigbossman]

Just picked up a weird one, a Remington 510 TargetMaster that is marked "Smoothbore". Apparently, it is fairy rare, and was originally sold with a small clay pigeon thrower and miniature clay pigeons. Imagine - a .22 caliber shotgun.

It has no provision for a rear sight, and has a shotgun bead up front. Pretty cool, and only cost me $130.

[Spyder]

No pitchers?? I'd probably grab it too, and would love to have the little thrower and mini pigeons.

[bigbossman]

No pitchers?? I'd probably grab it too, and would love to have the little thrower and mini pigeons.

Pictures coming soon......

[bigbossman]

OK - here are a few pics:

[bigbossman]

Date code is AK - March of 1941?

Remington Date Codes

[edgerly779]

Put a .17 cal barrel liner in it and shoot .17 mach II

[bigbossman]

Put a .17 cal barrel liner in it and shoot .17 mach II

Turns out, these things are rare and collectible. So no, I'm not going to ruin it's value.

[bigbossman]

No pitchers?? I'd probably grab it too, and would love to have the little thrower and mini pigeons.

According to my Google searching, the thrower and pigeons are almost impossible to find. Mine did not come with them, just the rifle. Looking on GB shows two completed auctions in the $400 - $600 range for just the rifle. Hmmmm..... may have to pass this one along after I'm done fooling with it.

[Quiet]

AFAIK...

From the late-1890s through the 1930s, .22 caliber smoothbore firearms were often sold as "garden guns" and used for pest control (rats, rabbits, moles, etc) for backyard gardens.

[dfletcher]

Break out your "22" and have someone toss NECCO wafers in the air. Dust them and folks will think you're the best shot around.

[bigbossman]

Break out your "22" and have someone toss NECCO wafers in the air. Dust them and folks will think you're the best shot around.

Excellent idea!!

[hambam105]

So bigbossman bought himself a 80 year old rabbit gun? You jest?

[TRAP55]

Is it smooth bore from the chamber to the muzzle?
I've seen a couple with the first 6" having light rifling. I don't know if it was because they just drilled out a rifled barrel, or drilled one and left that section of rifling for shooting LR bullets.
There's Smooth Bore, and there's Routledge Bore, they're the hard to find, and more expensive ones. The last 12" or so, the bore gradually opens to .375", looks like a .410 at the muzzle.
Just picked up a Smooth Bore barrel for a Stevens Favorite, soon as I can find a forearm for it, I'll have a two barrel set.

[operavoice]

I bought a 510 smoothbore from a friend's father's estate.
Tried running regular .22lr through it, but it keyholed at 25 yards.

Installed a rifled barrel on it, and it's an absolute tack driver.
Just had my gunsmith drill and tap for scope mounts.
"No, you'll ruin the value. . ."
It's always been a cheap single shot, the drill and tap cost me more than the gun did.

[bigbossman]

So bigbossman bought himself a 80 year old rabbit gun? You jest?

A man's got to have a hobby.