A friend of mine has a shotgun that belonged to his grandfather, but does not know anything about it, and neither do I since I'm not into American guns.

It's a pump action shotgun, looks to be a 12 gauge.
On the action it says "Western Field" and underneath that it says "Montgomery Wards". The model number looks to be 30, but I'm not one hundered percent sure. It has a POW grip and serial range of U153XX.

Any information anyone has about these guns is, as always, greatly appreciated.

Thanks...

Western Field was a name MW used on many guns sourced from different manufacturers. Best bet is to compare it to other pump guns of the era, might be an Ithaca, Mossberg, Stevens, etc.

Is there any patent info?

High Standard made quite a few guns like that for others.

The action is stamped "Browning Patent 12 gauge Proof Tested". However, there are no patent numbers.

I'll try to get pics.

I would guess it is a Stevens-manufactured, Browning-designed pump, either model 520 or 620. Pix will tell.

If it has the famous Browning Hump-back, it a Stevens 520, a classic pumpgun...Geo


P.S. I checked mine, a 16ga and the 520 was indeed the MW model 30. I've been toying with the idea of asking Ken Hurst to engrave it to copy an early A-5; and convincing people on dove shoots that its a rare Sweet 16 Pump!

It is one and the same as George says: another Browning humpback design.

jack

If it is a Model 30 it's a Stevens 520 or 620.

The Stevens 520's were available in factory engraved versions up to full coverage. Euro walnut stocks, solid rib bbls, ivory bead sights, etc.
Here's a Model 535. Not nearly as full coverage as a couple of others I've seen.
http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=40062



I'd guess the M/W edition wasn't available with the engraving but sure would be a looker at the dove hunt get-togethers!
I have seen M/W marked 520's with the raised bbl rib though. I used to own one of those.

It's obviously a Stevens-built Browning designed squareback pump, a gun that quality-wise is equal to a Model 12 or 97 Winchester. I used to buy these at bargain prices because nobody knew how to take them down and because they were Ranger or Western Field. They remain a classic in my book. Some had their safety in the inner circle of the trigger guard; later ones had safety atop upper tang. I still own a sweet "slim Jim" of a 20 ga. with which I've never missed a bird. Gave my son a mint 12 ga. Western Field. He loves the thing and has bagged ducks and turkeys. If you see one, BUY IT before anyone figures out what it is: hand checkered corncob forend, all milled forged steel. Chops

Here's a link to pics of the gun. Should be the first two pics in the album.

http://s889.photobucket.com/albums/ac99/Atlas2112/Doubles/

chopperlump, if it's not too much trouble could you please provide me with directions about taking the gun down for general cleaning. Or, if this information is posted somewhere could you please provide a link to it?

Thanks

Jim, you unscrew the magazine tube (hand pressure onl! Never use pliers or a wrench. As the tube unscrew the milled bolt that goes into the frame will be lifted above the frame. Now slide the forend back as in loading, pull the barrel and magazine tube free from the frame. You may have to fiddle with the slide steel a bit to remove the assembly. Goes back together in reverse. Hope this helps you out. It was one of the best pumpers ever designed in the days before guns were punched out like so many donuts. Chopper

Thanks so much for the information. One last thing, what range do you usually see these guns priced at?

Thanks again!

Three to five hundred...Geo

To everyone who responded, thanks for your help and information!

JM, that is the earlier model with the double-hump top and suicide safety in there amongst the trigger. Later ones smoothed out the second hump and moved the safety to the top tang...Geo

The John M. Browning designed No. 520 was introduced by the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. in their 1911 General Catalogue No. 53. It was offered in a number of grades from the basic No. 520 to the 535 --





J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. was bought out by New England Westinghouse for wartime production during WW-I and became the J. Stevens Arms Co. They were still offering the full line from No. 520 to 535 in February 1917. By 1919 the higher grades were gone and only the No. 520 and the No. 522 Trap Shooter grade were offered. Not long after the Great War, J. Stevens Arms Co. was bought by Savage Arms Corp. They continued to offer the No. 520 and No. 522. By their J. Stevens Arms Co. Catalogue No. 57 dated 1927, the double hump No. 520 had been repaced by the streamlined No. 620 and the old No. 520 was being marketted as a Riverside Arms Co. No. 520. Through this point in time these guns were only offered in 12-gauge. By 1928 only the No. 620 was offered but the offerings were expanded to include 16-gauge. Between 1928 and 1930 the No. 620 lost the suicide safety and got a crossbolt safety behind the trigger. By 1930, 20-gauge was added to the No. 620 offerings.

None of my J. Stevens Arms Co./Riverside Arms Co./Springfield Arms Co. paper from 1917 to 1941 shows the single hump pump gun. Neither does any of my post-War Savage/Stevens/Fox/Springfield catalogues. I have never seen any of these smoothed out single hump pump guns as sporting guns, only as riot guns marked 520-30. However, I just picked up a November 1951, Savage/Stevens/Fox parts catalogue and page 37 is for the Stevens Model 520A --

My very sweet and light 20 ga. is a double hump with suicide safety. Last one I bought at a gun show several years ago was $150. Paid $120 for the 20 ga. twenty years ago. A truly great gun. Everybody calls it "ugly gun" -- a name I bestowed on it when I saw it. Shooting it many thousand rounds changed my opinion. Never judge a book by its cover. By the way, 20's are pretty rare. Chops

chopperlump, would you be able send me an email with an attachment containing the catalog you posted above? Or, if it's already posted somewhere provide a link?

Thanks again.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=215876679


Hurry, JM and for about$20.00 you can buy a instruction manual that will help you take that complicated so-and-so apart and put it back together...Geo

I've got to agree with Chopper on this one, they're a mighty slick pump gun. I've got a Model 522 which is the trap grade, straight stock with a 32 inch solid rib barrel. The humpback really appeals to me because of my love for A-5 and Model 11 shotguns.

I bought the gun cheap because it had a rough buttstock, metal parts were great though. Then shortly afterward found another one with a short barrel that had a killer stock with amazing figure so I bought that and put that stock on my good metal. Ended up with a little more in it that I probably should have but it's a really fun piece.

I'm currently on the hunt for the 3 inch chamber 20 gauge Model 200 that's a very similar design. Been looking for awhile but haven't run across one yet.


Destry

Interesting that that RANGER version made for Sears, Roebuck & Co. was done in 12-, 16-, and 20-gauges when all of the offerings of the No. 520 in J. Stevens Arms Co. catalogues were for 12-gauge only!?!

An early version of the 520 had an inertia unlocking system for the slide to avoid the operator opening the action in the event of a hang fire.
I've only owned one such 520 with that feature. I don't know how long they were made like that.

If you dry fire, or have a mis-fire, you can not open the action as normal by mearly pumping the slide handle to the rear.
On these guns fitted with the inertia block, you had in this instance, to manually unlock the action using the slide release button.

If you fire a round, the recoil moves a weight inside the action fitted within the trigger group that swings a short distance and unlocks the slide so it can be cycled 'normally' by pumping the slide handle.
The 'weight' is approx. 5/8" sq. and sits on the left side of the action inside to the rear. It is barely visable looking in from the bottom along side the carrier on the left side.


I've had at least a dozen different 520's & 520A's. There are several changes to minor parts over the years of mfg.
The carrier springs will break (there are 2 styles of those), firing pins fatigue and break the tips off about 1/4" from the end occasionally, and the slide arm gets loose on the forearm allowing it to come unlatched from the bolt.

The last one is fixable, but many times someone else has decided to 'fix' it first and has twisted the slide arm out of the sheet metal forearm tube. They are rivited in place and occasionaly soldered also.

Ejectors wear out with extended use and the later type mainspring (torsion spring) sometimes looses it's power. The early guns use a leaf spring.

They're slick shooting shotguns and still available at bargain prices. I shot one Ranger 520A 12ga over 5K rounds before the firing pin went. It needed an ejector also somewhere in there.
It's since been converted to a slug gun for another owner and still sees use.

Still kicking myself for not grabbing a 20ga for $100 last year! Gotta be fast..

If you mail your address to me, I will send copies detailing these guns. Ed Dvorak Jr. 3 Carlisle Rd. Lake Zurich, Il. 60047

How many pages is it?

Kutter,

That 522 I've got has the odd safety feature you're talking about. I had another 522 that did as well, a strange idea but nothing really too inconvenient.


Destry

I've never did come accross another example other than the one I had, and I was always looking at 520's,,still do.
I have to admit I did fumble with the mechanism a few times. You get so used to operating a pump gun slide w/o doing anything else when the 'hammer is down'.
Hang fires,,long hang fires,,must have been a problem back then or at least perceived to be.

At least some 97 Winchesters had a hang fire safety, have no idea how long it was continued. On those after dropping the hammer without firing you had to push the slide slightly forward, then pull it to the rear. If I recall correctly you could also push the slide release button instead of the slide.

i just saw a stevens 520 20 gauge (actually a stevens 200 )at a gun show . he wanted $175.00

Was it a Model 520 or a Model 200? I've been looking for a Model 200 for quite awhile but haven't had any luck. Very similar to the 520 but they'd take 3 inch shells.

Destry

according to my 1914 stevens catalog , they're the same. the catalog says it is chambered for 3 inch nitro (modern) shells.

i love my 20 gauge stevens 520. you're right. it is one of the sweetest lightest pumps i own.