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  1. #1
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    Default New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    An old hunter passed away and left behind some nice weapons, one of which I managed to purchase from the widow who was happy to sell this gun to another hunter. The price was nominal, but the other alternative would've been giving the guns to the police to be destroyed.

    I think this shotgun is from seventies-eighties, but I haven't found exact info yet, still looking though...

    The wood was extremely dry and dirty on the surface, but cleaning with a xylene retted rag and an application of gunstock oil did the magic.



    The finish is in decent condition...














    The first thing I did this evening when I got the gun was to take it apart, rinse the firing mechanism with brake cleaner, check mechanical function which is like a Swiss clockwork alas made in Japan, lubricate and after the wooden parts were ready, put the shotgun together.

    The gun is a natural pointer to me, so I'm really looking forward to shoot some clay later this spring :) ...and then some hunting later on...

  2. #2
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    Don't "alas made in Japan", Japanese firearms are amongst the best ever. Most of the Browning line of shotguns are made in Japan by Miroku. The ever popular Howa rifles hails from the Land of the Rising Sun.
    SKB shotguns were distributed in the US under the Weatherby name for quite a number of years in the late twentieth century.
    Two of my mates has SKB 500's, top quality and excellent shooters. What you may not know is that the 500 are quite sought after guns. Hang on to yours and enjoy shooting it for many years.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    Quote Originally Posted by obasch View Post
    Don't "alas made in Japan", Japanese firearms are amongst the best ever.
    I Know, I said it grinning like a Cheshire cat Compared to my 1960 Valmet and the more contemporary Finnish shotgun designs this one is like a Porsche among tractors :)

    Just moments ago my wife used her everlasting veto and wearing her nightgown took our virgin shots with this wonderful piece of gun industry history. The comment was "Nice!" with a big beautiful smile :) As a sidenote, after she a few years ago did the same with my .458WM expecting huge recoil from an "elephant gun" she uttered rather disappointed "Aaaand this is it?"

  4. #4
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    Quote Originally Posted by AK-Gunner View Post
    ...
    The gun is a natural pointer to me...
    And that is the most important quality to consider on this type of gun.

    Even a well-fitting clunker is better than an ill-fitting Perazzi.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    I do concur, sir. I've got a very nice Aya side by side which doesn't point well with me. Should either make my own or have a new buttstock made by a pro... Either hugely time consuming or utterly expensive.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    Hey-ho lets go necro and resurrect this thread.

    I was lucky enough to find an SKB 505 in really good nick for a good price. It followed me home last night and after a good clean up I'm a very happy camper. Later today I'll begin the process of a hand rubbed oil stock refinish.

    A remarkable coincidence was that a friend who has been been letting me use his 585 realised that he knew the original owner. On shooting each others guns they found that the stocks fitted them better so they swapped them. So 20 odd years down the line theses fine old guns will be reunited in the field.





  7. #7
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    My gun was owned by a Protea shooter who shot his first clean round of clays with it. I think its reasonable to assume that it was shot an awful lot but despite that it is still as tight as a drum and it fantastic condition. The bores are mirror bright and there is zero discernible play in the action.

    If this and the 585 are anything to go by I'd say that SKBs are tough old things.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    Nice catch!

  9. #9
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    Thanks. Same to you!

  10. #10
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    Default Re: New to me: a vintage SKB 500

    This weekend, under the supervision of a very knowledgeable friend, I removed the existing finish with 0000 steelwool, steamed out dings, pore filled, cut back with steelwool again and then began hand rubbing with Schaftol.

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