RE: Model 59 Winchester shotgun
 

It may have been advertising hype, but I remember that Winchester's adds for the 59 claimed that its barrel was STRONGER than STEEL...The adds also said that the thin steel tube was wrapped with 500 miles of glass fiber...
I remember the retail price being $150...The proprieter of my local poolhall/gunshop would let customers take a gun for a small down payment and an agreement to pay a small amount per week or month....A gent took my M59 home ( new)and agreed to pay $5 per week for it until it was paid for..He paid $45 and then quit paying... The gunshop owner took the gun back and put it on the rack with a price tag of $105, the amount the original buyer still owed....I paid him a small amount down, can't remember how much, and then paid it off at $5 per week... Unfortunately, the days of doing business like that are long gone...<<sigh>>....

My 2 Cents
 

This is an old post but I inherited my 59 from my grandfather who used it extensively. It actually had 3 barrel options. one is the 26" IC barrel for the different choke options, I have all 3. Also, there were 2 other barrels, 29.5" Full choke, and 27.5" Mod. Only one I am missing is the 29.5" Full. I agree with low velocity load <1200 FPS and no steel for this barrel type. All in all though, this gun has ahead of it time from 1960-65. I remember going good and duck hunting with my grandfather and he used it a lot. Given that, the barrels show no wear so I assume he took good care of it. I did have to replace the ejector as it was worn and not grabbing the shells, now it is fine. Part are available at time at Numrich.

My father had one but sold it before he passed. I remember it being super light. I think I may have two or three old choke tubes for it.

You can sell them, Numrich offer them at abut $23 a piece.