doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 20 ga. Ranger

Tomorrow at a auction they have this gun. I looked it over today and the gun is in good overall condition. Prolly 80% original with a detereated pad looked like maybe a hawkins. Gun had checkering on the fore end and butt grip looked like good walnut. Case color was there also mixed with some surface rust but not pitted just yet. Blue looked good, bores looked good. It has a rib extention with the slot cut out like a Ithaca I once had. Looks just like a Stevens 311. Whats too much?

IMHO $250

Probably is a Stevens; I have a 5100 20ga marked Ranger. These guns are starting to bring a little more, especially in the small gauges. I'd say $250 would be a great price if you can get it for that, but I doubt you will.

If it looks like a Stevens, that's probably what it is. However, a lot of Hunter Fultons were sold as Rangers, and most people consider them to be a somewhat better grade of economy double. If you've seen many Fultons, you won't have any trouble telling the difference. If you haven't, look at the bottom of the receiver. If there are 3 large screws that form a triangle, it's a Fulton.

I bid and won. Payed a little more than you guys suggested. But I figure they are only going up. It has more condition than I had first realized. Blue is close to 95% and case color prolly 90% wood is the worst but not bad 80%. Also this gun has twin ivory beads. I guess they where added later not original. Done very nice however. This isn't a Hunter Fulton.........it doesn't have a removeable trigger plate. What does the "X" before the serial number indicate? Would a Red Head pad be period correct? I'll try and post some pics tomorrow.
thanks,

CONGRATULATIONS !

Some of us like Savage/Stevens/Fox/Rangers a lot. They're solid guns that represent what an "average hunter" used in the 1930's to 1950's.

I used a refurbished Savage/Stevens this weekend on pheasants. It dropped the birds just as dead as my fancier doubles do.

In the 1927 Sears catalog a Ranger dbl is listed. It is described as having "Checkered, Genuine Walnut" Stock & Forend as well as "Twin" Lyman Ivory Beads.If the illustration is accurate it appears to be a Stevens model 315, so this may be another option. This gun externally appears much like the 311 series, but is striker fired rather than having hammers. On the two pins which go through the frame the rear one is the higher, while on the 311s etc the rear one is lower, near the bottom of frame. This is because of the location of the sears for the different firing methods. Should it be one of these it will likely have a 1915 patent date stamped on it.

Battle, I'd bet those twin beads are original; my Ranger has them too. Also a red pad that looks similar to a Hawkins, but unmarked. I think it's original too; I have a 16ga 5100 marked Springfield that has the same pad and beads (front I replaced; was broken when I got it). Like Jerry said: just good old Blue Collar shotguns!

Do wonder about the serial number, though; I have three of these guns and none have a serial number; didn't think Stevens had serials until some time later?

Fin

Hmm; Didn't catch that about the SN. I didn't think Stvens began applying SN's until after the 1968 gun law. By that time I also thought that few of them had real walnut stocks, other than the Fox B. Interesting to see what it turns out to be when you get it.

I have it as of last night after the hammer fell about 5:20 pm. Actually I have it here at work with me and just remembered I intended to take pics. Thanks Guys.........almost forgot!