Sorry for the lack of pictures! I will try tomorrow.
I know we are all familiar with the offerings of Winchester, Parker, LC Smith and the like, What has grabbed my attention the last few years is fine guns from "cheaper makers".
The Stevens 535 is as nice a pump shotgun as I have ever seen. According to a period Stevens catalog, the internal parts of this gun were hand polished. The engraving and finish is as good as on any Model 12 or 97 Winchester I have. Steven made some fine single shots but this is by far the nicest Stevens Shotgun I have ever seen. It sold for $100, according to the catalog and was the most expensive gun by far they offered at the time.
I will post more pics tomorrow, but I finally gave up on the slow Photobucket process tonight. The wood on the Stevens is fantastic.
I am sorry I had about 5 nice pics of this gun and Photobucket will not cooperate!
Neat old Stevens. Photobucket has become unusable. You might try Imgur.
Back when I was shooting on a National Guard smallbore rifle team, I decided to buy my own rifle. Found an old Mossberg target rifle. Cleaned up the bore, had a new front sight installed, added a web sling . . . I think I had about $30 in it. (That was in the mid-60's.) Very well made and very accurate. Was a great deal for a college kid. The Armory was located between my house and the college I was attending. Had a 50 foot indoor range. Whenever I had time, I'd stop by the armory, draw some ammo, and do a little shooting.
For a number of years my Squirrel rifle was a Mossberg 42MC if memory serves me correctly. This was a bolt action with 7 shot detachable magazine (clip). The original sights were an abomination but I fitted it with a Bushnell 3x7 variable scope made for .22's. This was a rather inexpensive scope for grooved receivers on .22's. This rifle didn't have grooves so I machined an aluminum block with the grooves to attach to the top of the receiver. After a bit of use I just left the scope set on 5x & never changed it thereafter. In spite of being a relatively Cheap rifle it was a Tack Driver. It accounted for a pile of them Bushy Tails over the years I shot it.
The first shotgun I owned was a J Stevens Arms & Tool Co 12 ga double. It was one of their low end models, a 325 if memory serves me correctly, wish I still had it but traded it off many years ago.
Daryl, that is a spectacular Stevens! I had no idea they made guns of this quality.
Hopefully, Wallis will find another photo hosting site and show us his gun. Wallis, try tinypic.com. Owned by Photobucket but not restricted and very easy to use.
Daryl, nice Stevens!
I have some older Stevens.....like WW II era. They are/were all good shooters. Nothing as fancy as Daryl's Stevens though!
There was a Stevens 375 that had less engraving, but was still nice.
Mr. Vernon we can't see what you post; it might as well be penned in the local PTA bulletin board. To all who continue to pay that extortionist web-site: Anyone who continues to use that fly-by-night, shake-down artist company, to pay them for what is free everywhere else, should just surrender their guns to the next car-jacker.
I could not have said it better, Argo.
I'm sure it's a nice gun. I get that message "...to unlock your account visit photobucket.com/500 and pay $99 per year if I remember correctly to use the site for posting pics.
The 520 series pumps are great shotguns.
The 520 was the field grade. 522 the straight stocked Trap gun.
525 made to order fancy wood and checkered but no engraving.
The 535 was the top of the line. Made to order, engraved, best imported walnut, checkering, ect.
Hollow matted rib avail on the 522 and up.
Lots of engineering changes along the production life. Early (pre '15?) guns had a hang fire safety in them.
They had the same run up in class in the Models with their Model 425 Lever Action Rifle. The HighGrade offerings rarely seen as with the 520 shotguns.
Their higher grade SxS's aren't too hard to look at either.
added..
Is this the 535 in the OP?
Not many around.
http://archives.collectorsfirearms.com/?page=322&category=&product=s4245
Many years ago I saw a high grade Cresent .410. I know who ever knew they made one. But it was much nicer than I knew they were capable of making. Not a British best but just as good as a Smith. Shame I could not buy it. It was not for sale at any price.
Yes. that is the 535 in question. I have owned a few 520's in the past and paid in the 100 dollar range for them and have always been impressed with the quality and, of course, the Browning design. I knew of the 535's and knew they were very rare. If anything it looks better in person!
I have a day job and children in school sports and haven't been able to fool with the pictures today. I will post them using another image hosting service soon.
I have no idea why the photobucket image in on this post as I haven't tried to post a picture!!!
Mr. Vernon we can't see what you post; it might as well be penned in the local PTA bulletin board. To all who continue to pay that extortionist web-site: Anyone who continues to use that fly-by-night, shake-down artist company, to pay them for what is free everywhere else, should just surrender their guns to the next car-jacker.
And how about me, Argo? I pay them nothing, never have, and continue to be able to use their site to post pictures as often as I like. What should be my punishment?
SRH
Shunning? I don't know Stan..photobuket can be used to store photos. But if you want to post them on a forum it'll cost you. So if you post a photo here, the rest of us can't see it unless you are paying.
But the problem comes when you ask about the future. PB levied that $200 a year charge without warning and ruined thousands of hobby websites and lines like this. When I go back through DGS lines, it makes me want to punch somebody when you see what's been done. It was clearly an attempt at extortion. What happens if you are storing your photos there and next year they hold them hostage? Just saying.
I'll go through this once more. Even though you and many others here have to pay to use Pb to host pics I do not. Repeat .........I have never paid them a dime. Everybody keeps telling me sooner or later it will happen to me. Okay, maybe so. No big deal, my pics are stored someplace else even if I lost them there. but, please don't tell me I can't do what I certainly can do. I'll ride this old horse until it drops.
If you can see this pic, it was posted from my
free photo bucket account.
Shazam ...........still works.
SRH
Yes. that is the 535 in question. I have owned a few 520's in the past and paid in the 100 dollar range for them and have always been impressed with the quality and, of course, the Browning design. I knew of the 535's and knew they were very rare. If anything it looks better in person!
.....
That is a very early 520/535, and one fitted with the hang fire safety.
The inside fitted bolt slide capture screw is another feature of the very early guns.
I've only ever seen one 535 in person. I've had a dozen or more of the 520's and their different versions and brand names.
A Trap Gun was the highest grade I ever had.
Still have a liking for them.
A Stevens Model 200 (20ga 3") pump is a current project focus.
I don't think they made any upgraded Models to that one, or at least I've never seen or heard of any. Maybe it's about time for one.
Nice Stan...very good. No one's trying to tell you what to do. You're fine and that's a great picture. Of course dozens of your friends and colleagues here lost all their past work and posts as did thousands of others to extortioners and that company can't described in any other way. But you're fine...
Okay, Argo. You made a mistake when you said that no one can post photos from Pb to forums without paying them, and I showed that you were wrong by doing so. Now, you want to spin it back on me, and paint me as the bad guy, because I continue to use a site that has caused me no problems and done me no wrong, and because you and others can't use it anymore.
Come on, we're supposed to be the good guys here. We don't need to be sparring. I didn't begin this. You did, when you said that all of us who use Pb should surrender our guns to the next carjacker. You think, possibly, it was you who crossed the line and invited contest by saying what you did?
What I can't seem to understand is why people who have a problem with something feel the need to lambast others who don't. I just don't get it.
SRH
I gave up and paid PhotoBucket a $99 fee for an annual membership that includes storage and 3rd party sharing, and no ads. Shoot me...Geo
I won't shoot you, Geo. Argo might. He's pretty rough on folks like you. He says you should surrender your guns. Whatcha' think?
SRH
Sorry....sitting in Africa with nothing to do and I'll admit I drank a couple of Gala Beers (Chadian beer - and good too) too many....and I'm still upset about the research I did on a couple of lines that disappeared. So no blood no foul.
And I don't understand what's going on with postimage.org. I get this image...can't fine "cc" but posted this using the usual address. Might explain the "girly pics that showed up on one posting.
Mine seems to be fine. I logged in and it behaved like it always does.
I checked the 16g. site and two of my pictures are gone with just addresses left in place. One of the pictures is fine.
Wally,
Will Gurton here. I lost your cell number when I changed jobs last July.
I was headed to a soccer tourney in Dyersburg so I went by your place, only to find out you had moved. I have PM'd you my contact information please give me a call.
Thanks, Will
