There is a '67 Belgian Light Twenty on the shelf locally. It's about 80% - 85% condition. Original bluing with light surface rust. The stock has a square grip, recoil pad added and it is finished dark red much like 50s vintage. No cracks in the forend. It's got three asterisks for choke and a vent rib. I suspect the choke was opened. They have it priced at $1299. I know twenty's are wild right now, but I just can't commit. What do you guys think?
I would save save my money and keep looking. I bought a Miruku Light Twenty 2 years ago and paid $995. It was in mint condition and I thought that was high until I went on line and started looking at the going rate. I went back 2 hours later and took it home. I found that gun at Larry's Trading Post in Ocean City, Md. He has alot of very nice eye candy and I'm sure he has a web site. Nice guns and good finds happen every day. Keep your eyes open.
Yeah. I'm passing on it. I've also got a like new Japanese light 20 with Invector tubes. I found it at a hole in the wall pawn shop back in 2004. Sweet little shotgun.
I went and visited this gun again just to see if a deal could be had. This time they let me take the barrel off. A black magazine tube and barrel extension amongst all the other stuff told me all I needed to know. This gun has too many stories.
You can't be too careful when buying used firearms. I got lucky with mine. When I bought my Browning A5 12 ga. 3", I found that it did not have all the parts to change from low brass to high brass rounds after taking the fore end off (friction rings). I asked the shop owner if if had the other parts. He did not. The gun looked like new and I was able to get the parts from Mid West Supply and the gun at reduced price. The shop owner had the gun priced at $700 and I got it for $500. It did have a fixed choke. I sent the barrel off and had it threaded for choke tubes which were included. The choke threading and tubes ran about $80 if I remember correctly.
I NEVER buy an Auto5 before removing at least the barrel to inspect things underneath. And with that being said, I have uncovered some unusual things. (!) Such as a Light Twelve with a pair of the thinner magnum BFRs, yet it had no tapered friction collars. Another with a two-piece recoil spring. It had apparently snapped in two at some point. The guy said it ran fine, not knowing with was supposed to be a single spring. A couple had loose barrel extensions, which would not have been caught unless the barrel was removed and inspected. If is old enough, I can match more numbers.
I always make it a point to look at the screws. If screws are buggered that a red flag for me that someone was inside and Lord knows what they might have done.
