Hawthorne

D

danbgt

Inactive
My dad was a moderate hunter and accumulated a few guns. He was a very "thrifty" guy, having been raised during the depression in near destitute conditions. The guns he bought were guns he used. He had no use for collectables or name brands.
He hunted with a Savage bolt action 30-30 for years, but was able to go on his first Elk hunt in Colorado sometime around 1960 or 61. He quit smoking and saved his cigarette money for a year to buy a better suited rifle. He ordered it from Montgomery Ward. And it was new. A new gun was unusual for him.
When he passed away in 2004, I came into possession of his modest collection of firearms and that rifle is among them. I would like to know a little more about its manufacture. It is a bolt action Hawthorne M760 in 30-06 cal. It is also marked Montgomery Ward & Co. Al the markings are on the barrel. There appears to be no serial number and the action is marked "Made In Belgium".
Any ideas?

PS) Yes. He did resume smoking as soon as he bought the gun!! Unfortunately.
 
The action is surely an FN Mauser, hard to beat for quality and a good enough value at the time that American companies were able to use them instead of paying to tool up for their own. I don't know who made the barrel and stock. (Sears got theirs from High Standard.)
 
"Hawthorne" was a trade-name used by Montgomery Wards, the same way that Sears used "Ted Williams", and so on.
 
High Standard made the barrels for the Sears rifle, and they might have made them for MW as well.

Jim
 
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