Montgomery Ward Mystery Shotgun

D

danmiller

Inactive
Helped my dad clean out his father house (Grandpaw passed away and house has been empty for some time) and came across a old shotgun. It is a 12 Gauge pump action with a choke at the end of the barrel you turn. It has Western Field logo stamp on it so I know it is a Montgomery Ward model, but it has no visable serial numbers, model #'s, or markings other than a stamp on the barrel saying "Browning Patent 12ga proof".

Any idea who made it for them? :confused: Any value in it? :rolleyes:
 
Browning Patent 12ga proof".

Any idea who made it for them?
Click to expand...

Ah...maybe Browning? Like Sears never made a stereo (Fisher) or lawnmower engine (B&S), MW never made shotguns. Someone made it for them.
 
Ah...maybe Browning? Like Sears never made a stereo (Fisher) or lawnmower engine (B&S

That is what I was thinking, but in the list of manufactures I found online Browning is not mentioned anywhere....
 
Lot's of those things, made back when, were built by Mossberg. They were manufactured, (like the Sears, Ted Williams series) then stamped with the desired Brand, Name, Logo or whatever the "seller" wanted on it. Western Auto, in my neck of the woods, (no longer in business) was a chain that sold lots and lots of "tent stake" .22 rifles and shotguns. Mossberg wasn't the only manufacturer of such items, but the only one that comes to mind at the moment. I think Revelation was also made by Mossberg, or Revelation built guns and stamped them with store names!
It seems that Montgomery Ward also, back in the 20's and 30's sold a single shot break over stamped with "White Powder Wonder". The few of those things I've ever seen, wouldn't even make a good tent stake!
If it's stamped "Browning Patent", it was either a copy of such or the "pattern" was purchased from Browning for manufacture.
 
Probably made for them by Stevens, a version of the Model 520 which IS a Browning design; maybe a 620.

You got pictures so we can be sure?
 
If it's a pump marked "Browning Patent" it's likely a Stevens 520 or 620 as Jim said. For pictures, see:

Older model 520 ('double hump')- http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=143403320
The newer model, the 520-30, had a tang safety and a single hump that looks much like the H&R Pardner Pump receiver at the rear.

620 - http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=144170002

These are great old guns, true take-down designs, and are pretty robust though often they have been hard used for many decades, and show their age and wear.

hth,

lpl
 
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