Older S&W long guns

[setxn]

Is anybody still using 70's vintage Mod 916 & 1000 shotguns or Mod 1500 rifle? Just wondering how well they held up over the years? 916 riot guns could be picked up at my local FFL for $60.00 back then because he had to buy matching amounts of other S&W products to get the handguns that were wanted.Used to shoot a borrowed Mod 1000 skeet gun that was real nice,kind of a copy of a Winchester Super-X.The Howa built 1500 rifles never caught on around here due to being built in Japan,never shot one or knew anybody that did.That was most likely our mistake because they looked like a quality gun and were way cheaper than Remington,Winchester etc. at that time.Let me hear from from you "old" shooters.

 

[Troystat]

I don't know about the shotguns but I have a 1500 in 30-06 and it shoots well and seems well made. I still need to take some pictures of it and post them.

Troy

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I have an old S&W M-3000 police riot shotgun that does duty as a bedroom shotgun. Gets out and shot a few times a year and is still going strong. I've had it for quite a few years.

 

[Class III]

I've got a 1500 in 30-06 that was a custom order gun. As most know these where produced at the same time Weatherby was farming work to Howa. Mine is a factory custom with Weatherby wood with the S & W grip cap, custom 18" carbine bbl with Williams sights front and rear. It is the only one that I have ever seen that had iron sights. Mine is NIB. I'll post pictures next week when I get my camera back from the camera repair shop. Note to self; DO NOT TAKE EXPENSIVE AZZ CAMERA AND ACCESSORY LENSES IN BOAT. DIGITAL CAMERAS AND WATER DO NOT MIX WELL!!!

Class III

Edit: If you have a S & W/Howa 1500 there is a recall involving the bolt sleeve. Google to see if your serial number is in one of the blocks covered by the recall

 

[gunfish]

I used a Model 1000 Trap for a year until the nylon bolt bumper broke. I took the 1000 trap barrel and put it on a Model 3000 field type. I have been using it for a couple of years now. I have about 5000 rounds thru it with little or no wear so far. I shot well with the setup so I bought another 1000 Trap barrel. The semiauto trap gun is built a little weak, 4000 rounds broke it. The pump action appears to be as durable as a Remington, I will let everyone know if it gets to 40,000 rounds with out breaking.

 

[BuzzardBilly]

I have a M-1500 7MM that still looks and shoots like new.

 

[opoefc]

S&W long arms are a field of S&W collecting that few members are involved it, to my knowledge. However, if you attend the Tucson, AZ., annual meet this year, a display is being prepared by the premier collector of these guns. Examples will range from the first hand made percussion target Rifle, made by D.B.Wesson, Revolving rifles, Light 9 mm.rifles and up to today's modern shotguns being made in Turkey for S&W. Many of the bolt action rifles in the display are in rare calibers, never cataloged, but made for foreign countries. Come and enjoy! Ed #15

 

[310Pilot]

I have a 1500 in .30-06 that is still very accurate. They were well-built, high quality guns, later produced as the Weatherby Vanguard (still in production). I sold a lot of Vanguards while I had my gun shop, as well. I don't have any of the shotguns, but I sold several 916s and the S&W semi-auto shotgun (1000? - I don't recall) back when they were new out of my shop, all of my customers that had them liked them.

 

[W.E.G.]

Love my 3000.
Suspect it is early-80's vintage.

Got the extended mag-tube from Choate after they stop making them for that model, but before inventory was depleted.

 

[Centenniel]

I bought a Model 1000 automatic shotgun in the late 1970s and it is still a fine shooting shotgun. I also have a Model 3000 that I picked up a few years ago that is like brand new. It is an excellent pump shotgun.

 

[akviper]

My police department bought a bunch of 916s back in the 70s. Within a few years all of the eight guns had pretty much fallen apart. The were not fired a lot but the department policy at the time required unloading each gun at the end of your shift before handing it over to the oncoming officer who then had to reload it before placing in the car rack. We didn't have a department armorer so the guns were traded off for Remington 870s. Some of those 870s are still in service today.

IMHO the 916 seemed to be a cheaply built gun to under sell the 870. It did not come close to the Remington or Ithaca for quality or durability.

 

[grayelky]

I have a model 1500 in .243. Looks great. Shoots better than I do!

 

[Slufstuff]

I have a Model 3000 police shotgun with factory folding stock that I still shoot. 18" blue. Nice compact shotgun. I like the S&W folder much better than the Remington top folder from the same period.

 

[ko41]

My Model 1500 rifles, Model 1000 and 3000 shotguns have served me well. All are accurate, well built and good looking.

Photos of some of them here http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/104511-s-w-long-gun-photos.html

KO

 

[Ponyman]

I have 2 1500's, one is in .243 and the other .270. Both are tack drivers.

I used the .243 at turkey shoots in Co., brought home alot of ham and turkeys with it.

The .270 was used to shoot my first elk.......yeehaw

Ponyman

 

[lrad]

I have four S&W shotguns two 1000's. One 20 ga. the other 12 ga. A 1000 Super which is a 12 ga. 3" magnum. The forth one is a 1000P 12 ga. pump. I also have two 1500's one in 30/06 the other is new in the box .243

 

[much ado]

Question:Were not some some S&W bolt rifles made by Husqvarna?

 

[setxn]

Good question

Good question much ado.Maybe there is somebody out there with as much knowledge about longguns as there is on handguns that can answer that.

 

[setxn]

Irad-was your collection something that just happened or did you pursue these guns?

 

[kshock]

Smith and Wesson sold rifles called Model A and B, C,D and E that were made by Husqvarna back in the 70's. The model A was the standard with each succeeding letter model being a higher grade.