The wife and I decided we would go to a couple of auctions today.

They first was a storage unit auction. There was a ton a storage war wanna-be's, all 40 and over spending stupid amounts of money. So we left, as we only planned to pick up another cheap unit under $100.

There was a big auction with guns, coins, knives and other stuff going on so we decided we would ride up there. I don't have much experience with a real auction setting, so I primarily went just for the experience and future knowledge. I figured that stuff would be going for an extreme premium. When we got there, the parking area was pretty packed. We walked in and got our bid number just as the coins were finishing up. There was easily 300 people there. To my surprise, the coins ended and bunch people left leaving about 50-75 of us there.

I was scratching my head until the auctioneer made the announcements about the guns. First you had to provide ID to buy so they could run a background check after the auction was finished (state troopers were there collecting the information on the guns). Then he announced you couldn't go across state line with the guns. That is when it struck me, we were way out in the middle of no where, just a mile outside of the Kentucky state line.

I couldn't believe how cheap the guns were going. The first gun was a black powder dualling pistol, sold for $30. Then it just kept going like that. A couple of guns went through that I wanted, and every time I would try to bid this giant guy would stand up in front of me. I missed out on about 8 guns I wanted. They started the bidding on a Savage Arms Revelation model 135 series A with scope, nice clean looking gun. They called for final bid of $75 and no one bid, I figured shoot might as well, so I bid. Got it. Few more guns went through including a M1 carbine of some fashion for $275. Then they changed auctioneers. Rather then starting at $25 and going up, the new auctioneer started at $100. They called out for a Harrington & Richardson Arms Topper M48 16 Ga, $100 no bid, $75 no bid, $50 no bid, $45, No bid, $25 I jumped out of my chair waving my little paper, beating 3 other guys that didn't want to bump the bid. From there we just watched the rest of the guns because I wanted to save what little money I had with me for a knife.

When the guns finished more people left, leaving about 15 bidders. I moved from my spot to the front. They started going through the knives and one guy was buying everything for $15 a piece. They pulled out the Rambo III knife, call me corny, but I have always wanted one. The bidding starts $5, $10, $15, when the auctioneer called $15 he turned his back to me, I was waving my little paper, he never turned back and closed it just as one of the spotters noticed me. Didn't get it.

So, my auction experience taught me some things.
1- get there in time to really go through what I'm wanting
2- get a good seat were I will be noticed
3- make my presence known. Bid on things I have no serious interest in while the prices are low so the spotters notice me and watch for my bids.
4- don't take the wife while she is pregnant and asking questions. Once the spotters took notice of me, every time I shook my head to answer her questions they thought I was bidding.
5- shout and yell if I am not being seen
6- take more money


But anyway the guns


I knew the old topper wasn't worth anything, and I knew it wasn't in very good shape. I don't see them very often and figured for $25 I would have a mate to the family heirloom 12ga I have.

Scotch tape holding it together



This appears to be JB weld


There is no serial number on a L stamped below the model number. L signifies 1951. My pristine 12 ga has a serial number beginning with F which signifies 1945. Given the design of these guns, I might just reblue the barrel of the 16 ga and toss the rest. The topper was designed to be able to just swap barrels for whatever use you wanted.



I didn't know much about the savage, but I figured I couldn't really get hurt for only $75, and I could always teach my girls to shoot with it. I started to tear it apart to clean it and check it over. When I took the stock off, I found it surprisingly spotless.



I took it out and fired all 15 rounds that it holds through. The action was very stiff and jammed after the 3rd round. Cleared that and it kept going.

I tore it back down and scrubbed it. Cleaned the bore, and lubricated the moving parts. Dug all the dirt out of the scope and then cleaned that. I then put the stock back on and wiped everything down with gun oil, followed by a wipe down with a soft towel. The action now feels buttery smooth.



I might be doing some horse trading tomorrow on the Savage. Local guy has a Youth ATV and is interested in the rifle for his 10 year old son. I still have the Marlin Series 60 I spray painted so I will still have a good rifle to teach my girls on.

I will note, that the Savage has ZERO recoil. With the Marlin you feel an ever so slight barely there recoil, but with the Savage there is none. One the savage there is a vent on the chamber, and I am thinking this is what kills the recoil. The Marlin is very quiet, where the Savage pops pretty loud.

 

This is what my 12 ga Topper looks like. It is only worth $100, but I am generation #4 to own it.






I am pretty proud of it. People are amazed by it outstanding condition for being sold old. The only marks are on the rubber boot that has been on it since day one.

 

Some additional research shows that your not supposed to swap barrels between the guns. I guess that makes putting the 16 ga barrel on the 12 ga a No-no. So I will be restoring the 16 ga.

Not a in depth restoration, just enough to make it usable again.