Thanks to everyone who maintains this site and contributes to its' contents. After growing up seeing elsies in my dads hands, i just couldn't buy anything else when i began looking for my own gun this spring.
Yesterday i was fortunate enough to acquire a 1930 ideal grade 12ga. Its a pretty basic ideal with splinter fore-end, extractors, and pistol grip stock; but i am quite happy for what i paid.
the barrels were reblued and the receiver and sidelocks polished thus lowering the sticker price, but i will slowly begin correcting some of these deficiencies.
i sent an email to Vicknair Restorations (only 1.5 hours away from me) about getting the stock bedded to stabilize the slight cracking, and look forward to getting out shooting with it in the near future!
Thanks again, and look forward to joining the club! Ryan