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Hello
Very new here and just acquired this shotgun.
I hope that someone here can give me some info on it. As you can see, there are no serial numbers on the receiver.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...PA175046-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...PA175033-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...PA175032-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...PA175029-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...PA175022-1.jpg
I am going to say it may be fake for one reason:
ALL guns taken into US service had a serial number. If there was not a factory serial number (not required in those days) the military stamped numbers on the receiver and barrel. The fact that it has NO numbers indicates that it was almost certainly not in US service.
Blanket procurement ?
Chris
There are some 620's that were blanket procurement. They have GIANT 4 digit serial numbers stamped on the receiver and barrel. You will NEVER see a US Military gun without a serial number. All guns have to be accounted for and signed in and out.Quote:
Originally Posted by emmagee1917
I have one with the same style of markings (minus the "US" above the Stevens name) that I know was NOT in military service. Mine in somewhat better shape but that one doesn't look too bad. Based on what I've found out it looks like yours would have been manufactured somewhere between 42 and possibly as late as 1960 or so.
I'm having issues with the slide and looking for a way to get the trigger group out to replace one of the springs. I don't have the "old" style with the screwed in trigger group that is shown in all the online parts lists. Mine swivels on some pins exactly like the one in the picture but I can't seem to get it to swivel out.
For what it's worth, it's a great gun, though not quite as smooth an action as some newer models. My family has literally been shooting this gun since the 40s and she's still going strong.
Blanket Procurement shotguns have the US "P" proof marking on the barrel and next door on the receiever. There is a serial number on the barrel that is visible when removed from the receiver. It should match the number on the front flat of the trigger guard assembly. Your gun has no number which means the assembly may be a replacement from a later gun that had the serial number located elsewhere. The feds consider the numbered triggerguard assembly as the "receiver." The missing p is questionable.
BP guns were taken as received, a few rounds fired, the p punch added and in some cases, the U.S. and issued. I have examples with the ps and no us marks. Springfield Research used to have a monograph on the Blank Procurements. Agents were told to purchase only 12 and 16 guage guns but I have a 20 gauge Stevens that made it through the process. Most "advanced" collectors ignore this area of collecting---which I do appreciate.
Not entirely correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by breakeyp
There are some early Stevens which were built without serial numbers. The US Govt had them stamped with BIG numbers on the left side of the receiver and on the top of the barrel next to the receiver going around from left to right., One of the posters here has one and previously posted some pictures. There ARE un numbered replacement barrel assemblies that are encountered. But a gun with no serials is simply NOT military, period. ALL US military guns MUST have serial numbers. If they don't come that way, they add them.
The P means nothing, because the barrel is not matched to the gun Could have come from anyplace (as in ANOTHER GUN).
I agree that when you see the P mark on the barrel and next to it on the receiver that is a BP gun. But if it ever entered service it had a serial number.
I believe that barrel with the P proof mark on top is either a Military replacement barrel that is not serial numbered as scosgt said or a barrel taken off a Military 520 shotgun and put on this commerical receiver.
I also do not believe that the P proof mark on the barrel is a Blanket Procurement mark. Rather, it's a Stevens proof mark or maybe a Military mark. I have a high numbered 520 trench gun that has that same kind of P proof mark on top of the barrel as well as on top of the receiver. There is at least one serial number range of Military 520s that have these P proof marks on them.
I think it is a military mark, most commonly seen on Stevens guns. Which makes me think it was put on in whatever Military Ordinance District Stevens was located in. I did not mean to say that the P means a gun is a BP gun, but rather that it is military, and in the case of the long barrel Stevens (montgomery ward etc) guns without US marks that they are commonly seen on, those guns were probably BP guns.
But again, ANY gun taken into service must have a serial number, and that barrel is almost 100% certain not to be the one that came with the gun.
Given that the P is questionable, I'd look for other ways to verify the gun. The glaring distinction that caught my eye is the U.S. marking. I have a 620 and in comparing that to Joe Poyer's book as well as Bruce Canfield along with the number of examples I have personally laid eyes on, the U.S. markings are not correct. From the examples I have seen, other than very early ones, the U.S. stamp is made of a single stamp, therefor having straight letters. This type of stamp could be found on Winchester model 97's, but I've never seen one on a Stevens, again with the exception of a very, very early one. Those by the way have markings that this gun lacks. All in all, in my humble opinion, this looks to me like someone got themselves a stamp kit from Numrich or eBay and went to work on a commercial gun. This may be an opportunity for me to learn something here in the event I am incorrect, but again, this is based on my own experience and research.