doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Montgomer Ward / Iver Johnson Hercules Model 50

I have my eye on a nice Montgomery Ward Herucles the seller says was made by Iver Johnson.

It is marked "Wards Hercules/Model 50/Pat. April 20, 1915."

Double barrel hammerless, double trigger, extractors, 32" barrels.

Has anybody had any experience with these?

Thanks,

Mike

I believe the Wards Hercules Model 50 is a Stevens 5100. A variation of the 311. Like the 311, tough as nails. My son is now using his great-grandfathers Model 50 for ducks. That gun has been in the marshes since at least the 1940's.

My father recently passed down his Montgomery Wards Model 50, a 20 gauge with 28" barrels, that he bought used in 1953. Somewhere along the way the wood was refinished and the checkering re-cut. Still very tight, with top-lever well right. A very sturdy utilitarian gun that never needed any repair. I've also been told that these were made by Iver Johnson but haven't substantiated that as fact.

I killed my first duck (mallard drake) and ruffed grouse with this gun when I was 13 (fall of 1967). I also have the same gun in .410 gauge handed down by my Dad's dad.

Bryan

The gun is a Savage Stevens, a very good, plain, utilitarian gun.
I have used a Savage Folx model B just like it for about 57 years. It has never given me any problems. I have shot a lot of waterfowl and upland gfame birds with it. Now it is used for upland game birds and trap shooting since one has to use steel shot for water fowl. The gun cost $75 when I bought it in 1952

Mike, if the gun looks like Sven's it's definitely a Stevens.

Guys thanks for the information. It looks likes Sven's. This was very helpful. If I make the deal I will post pics on this thread.

Thanks again,

Mike

Great looking gun, and if you have it in .410, that's awesome. Mine are a bit later (5100's); great salt o' the earth doubles that will last forever. Mike, if you buy it, please do post pics. I know the food chain runs pretty high here, but these are the guns I love to see, and I love to see them still being used!

Mike, I believe you are looking at a Stevens/Savage made double, as advised.

I pulled the only Savage marked gun I own from the safe to compare to my Montgomery Wards Model 50 double twenty. The comparison gun is a Utica NY manufactured early Savage Model 219 single-shot 30-30 rifle (made ~1939). Besides sharing a very similar hammerless break-open design I observed some other similarities. I agree F2F, both guns are quite low on the food chain, but I like them too.

The M-W is marked 5000 on the lower right-rear of the receiver, the Savage is marked 219 in the same place, same size letters and font.

The safeties on both guns look identical, same size and finish.

The date stamp on the bottom front of the M-W double is an 8 with a circle, on the upper right rear of the 219 is the date stamp 21 with a circle around it. I don't know if this means the M-W is 13 years older (made ~ 1926)???

The clincher was the buttplate... identical.



Bryan

Now that I studied Sven's "Wards Hercules Model 50" and the one I am looking at I notice the pin arrangement is different. I guess if I had posted the pictures earlier it would have shortened our trip:



Thanks again or all the replies. Maybe it really is an Iver. The Iver Johnson "Hercules" I have seen have a set screw in the forend iron in the sideview which this one doesn't have.

Mike

Mike the gun you pictured is a Stevens made gun. the Iver-Johnson Hercules is completely different. I looker around for a good photo and the best I could find was this one;

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=125500884

I have owned a couple of I-J Hercules and they are really no better than a Stevens, they are kind of clunky and soso in workmanship.

Jim