|
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums10
Topics38,433
Posts544,713
Members14,402
| |
Most Online1,258
Mar 29th, 2024
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,064
Sidelock
|
OP
Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,064 |
I have a very early (1939?) Utica Savage Fox Model B in 20 ga. with 28" tubes choked IC/Mod. Apparently these early guns could be choked as requested. Mine also has a serial number on the flats of the breech, assembly marks by workman, well-struck barrels without a lump or dip. Rib is plain, straight, brazed, water-tight. Double triggers (plated nicely), well-done if plain checkering on black walnut stocks, pistol grip uncapped butt and splinter forend. Gun weighs 6 lbs. 6 oz. and is handy, a good pointer unlike later clubs by Stevens and Savage when they started fooling with tree-sized BT forends and bogus stamped vent ribs secured by Phillips head screws. I rust blued the tubes as someone had cold blued them years ago, polished the frame to a nice coin finish, and am totally happy with a gun I just traded for $260 bucks. I know the old vintage hardware store guns aren't in the same league as the fancier names but there is a certain pleasure in owning these oldies. I also have several early Stevens 520 20 ga. pumps made for Wards and Sears that display a level of workmanship way beyond that found on contemporary guns. Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Thanks for your time and attention. Chopperlump
Last edited by chopperlump; 05/24/07 06:00 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743 |
Chopper;
Yes, I have a few thoughts. Those older Savage Foxes as you say are a total cut above the later trashy ones. You are fortunate indeed to have acquired such a gun at that price in a 20ga. I have extremely fond memories of an even earlier (pre WWI) J Stevens 12ga which I foolishly traded off many years ago, was the first shotgun I personally owned. Most of the Pre WWII Savage/Stevens guns I have seen were all reasonably well built & gave a lot of folks a very good value for the price. That 520 pump as I recall was a Browning design & had several worthwhile features, a person owning a good one need not feel envious of someone with one of the "Better" pumps.
Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 137 Likes: 24
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 137 Likes: 24 |
Ditto on a Ranger 12 ga. side by side in 98% condition including case colors I picked up on consignment at a local shop for $250. The 1933 Sears catalog shows this gun for $18.45, a Fox Sterlingworth for $36.50, and a Winchester Model 12 for $44.25. Hardware store guns all!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,883 Likes: 106
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,883 Likes: 106 |
At the Nimrod last weekend, Don Hardin displayed a Krupp barrel 16-gauge J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. No. 375 that had seen quite a bit of service, and Ron Hunter displayed a minty mid-grade Meriden, then took it out and shot it in the Nimrod Classic.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 2
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164 Likes: 2 |
I've got three pre-'49 Stevens 5100's: .410, 20ga and 16ga. The .410 owns up to being a Stevens; the 20 is a Ranger and the 16 is a Springfield, but all are stamped 5100. All have twin ivory beads, real (albeit crude) checkering on real (tho plain) walnut, and the 20 and 16 have factory Jostam-type pads. Lots better guns than the later Steven offerings, IMO. They've been good to me; the 16 was my go-to for years. It and the 20 are more rainy day guns now, but I've never been ashamed of my hardware store doubles.
Chopper, it would be neat to see some pix of your Model B; I had a chance to buy an early 20 and .410 "pair" once but I was cash poor at the time; I have always wished I could have bought them!
Fin
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. - Albert Einstein
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1
Boxlock
|
|
Boxlock
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1 |
Hello the Camp,
This is my first post here. In fact I just discovered this site, yestereday but I already love it.
Anyway, I too have an old Stevens 16 ga. I know it is pre-war but I'm not sure which war. It is definetly not one of the newer ones that resemble a model A car axel more than a nice S X S shotgun. It is marked J Stevens but I can find no model number on it. I would love to know more about it but I don't know where to start.
Thanks,
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,082
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,082 |
I'll take all the Crescents I can find.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,375 Likes: 105
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,375 Likes: 105 |
Ranger doubles, as we've discussed previously, weren't all Stevens. I've seen several Ranger-marked Hunter Fultons, and I think someone here may have indicated that Lefever Nitros were also sold as Rangers, although I've never seen one of those.
With Stevens and Fox B's, the older the better--for sure.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,064
Sidelock
|
|
OP
Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,064 |
Lads, I will post photos of the early Model B when my daughter visits on Sunday. I also have a Lefever Nitro Special 20 ga from 1926 that is marked Wester Field - MW & Co. Paid $275, shimmed the hook, shoot 7/8 oz. through its 28" M&F tubes and have killed as many doves and club pheasants as I ever did in the old days of the 12 ga. obcession. Thanks for your support. Chops
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,406 Likes: 311
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,406 Likes: 311 |
Here's a Hunter Arms Fulton/Ranger for Sears  and a Fulton Gladiator for Sears 1917-1919 
|
|
|
|
|
