Stevens 520-30 choke

I recently acquired a Stevens 520-30 riot gun for a bargain price. It's all matching and correct EXCEPT.... that someone installed a polychoke on the end at some point in it's life. Is there any way to get this off without cutting the barrel? How were they put on? I don't see any threads so I am thinking it was basically sweated on maybe? I don't know anything about these chokes and I foolishly believed that it would be "no problem" to get it off. Yeah. One of those "Oh, come on, how hard could it possibly be?" So now I appeal to the masses as to what I should do. I hate to cut the barrel and ruin the historical integrity. I would almost rather have the barrel refinished if I can get it off so the finish will match. Tough call. Advice? :dunno:

I have seen a few riot shotguns fitted with variable choke devices set up by Army unit funds. They had access to the riot guns, paid for the chokes and issued them to members for local hunting. Depending on location, some units had .22 target pistols, shotguns and commercial hunting rifles.

About 1971, I bought three Hi Standard .22 target pistols from an adjacent infantry unit's fund in the Panama Canal Zone. They were also selling Model 12 Winchester riotguns with variable chokes if I remember correctly but was outbid.

Of course unless you have paperwork, there is no way to prove that your gun came from a unit fund. For what it's worth. p.

Hmmmm.... that's food for thought. I've seen police departments selling them off in the same configuration. I know that they usually get military surplus and thought it was strange that they all had the same choke on them. That explains a lot. Either way, I got this one for about $170 so I really don't have room to complain either way. Thanks for the info!

I had a Remington Model 10-R with all the military markings that had a poly choke on it.

aftermarket chokes of the day, were installed many ways,,fine threads{most common} silver solder, brazing, and epoxy.
i have removed and recut many a riot and trench gun.. only a couple was i lucky enough to have a epoxied choke..it still had the original hole for the factory bead under it.
most have to be cut back at least 1/2 an inch, and a new bead installed.

A martial marked 520 with correct markings will bring 1700-2400 dollars today. Lots of these guns were sold surplus and bubba would polychoke them for hunting and chop them up and make turkey card shotguns out of them. In the 1950,s and 1960 many were bubba-rized. Collecter guns junked and the same with surplus boltguns. The last 520 roit I sold I got $1750.00 for it. And it was a police trade in.

Wow. $1750 for a Stevens riot? Where do you live? I have two 520-30s and a 620. None of which I paid more than $350 for. I paid $220 for my matching, beautifully conditioned 620 riot less than a year ago. Yeah, that was a find but they're out there!
I live in southern Ohio and we have a plethora of gun shows around here, one every weekend. So my opportunities to find deals I guess are a little better than someone who lives in an area that only gets one show every couple of months. I've seen comlpete Stevens trench guns go for that kind of money. Sure I've seen them higher at the bigger shows and of course condition is everything.

i was thinking kinda the same thing myself...id sell every Savage military shotgun i have, show me the money...heck last time i checked, i had 10 or so Riots, trainers, and a couple trench guns..

Wow Chuck, your collection is a biiiiiiiit more extensive than mine! I'm but a lowly beginner of a collector and only have a few shotguns. I have the above mentioned Stevens and I just picked up a Model 11 trainer. Only one trench in my collection and it's a parts gun with the wrong heat shield on it. Not worth much to a true collector but it has a home in my gun cabinet. Someday I'll sell a kidney or something and set out to find my Winchester Model 97. Until then I'll keep scouring for the gun show finds!

what iv learned about buying and collecting US marked shotguns, trainers are like kittens, if you have a couple..sooner or later, they mulitply everytime you open the door,
trench guns, are a gem...in owned and traded a few...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by breakeyp

I have seen a few riot shotguns fitted with variable choke devices set up by Army unit funds. They had access to the riot guns, paid for the chokes and issued them to members for local hunting. Depending on location, some units had .22 target pistols, shotguns and commercial hunting rifles.

About 1971, I bought three Hi Standard .22 target pistols from an adjacent infantry unit's fund in the Panama Canal Zone. They were also selling Model 12 Winchester riotguns with variable chokes if I remember correctly but was outbid.

Of course unless you have paperwork, there is no way to prove that your gun came from a unit fund. For what it's worth. p.

---

What I have learned so far depending on the configuration and SN it could be an AA practice shotgun used to train gunners during WW2. Once trained they would switch to the 30 cal or Ma duece.
I did not notice your thread, I have one going at the same time.

Jack

I just picked up this little jewel for a couple of hundred... I am guessing the military never used compensators for trainers?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/06/422-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/06/423-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/06/424-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/06/425-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/06/427-1.jpg

If figured it would be worth it just for a truck gun.

Actually they did use compensators on trainers. Just not all of them. And unfortunately there is no way to prove if it was put on by the military or by a civilian post-war. Because of that collectors generally turn their nose up at them.


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?ycwy4t

With Remington Model 11s , if it came with a choke the barrel would have no choke markings as that could be changed by the choke tip used. They did put these on short riot barrels. I would guess that Stevens / Savage would go by the same rules - no choke marks , factory for sure - choke marked , prob'ly a conversion ( again then , no telling when or by whom ) .
Chris

Here is a picture of my military Stevens 520-30 riot gun. Picked it up a few years ago from a walk-in at a local gun show for his asking price of $150.00. It has a recoil pad on it instead of the original buttplate.
[IMG]http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ber2011008.jpg[/IMG]

I have removed one on a model 12 win with my propane torch and then put the trench gun sheild on it

Trenchgun , was the stock cut for the pad ?

I picked up a US marked 520-30 at a Phoenix gun show about 10-15 years ago for $150 with " barrel and stock cut and pad added " . I saw the three grooves and knew the barrel was fine , so I bought it as I had a spare Win. heatshield . Removed the pad and found the stock had not been touched . Found a guy with a box-o-plates and picked out a mint one that was a perfect fit for $25 . Few years ago I picked up a proper heatshield for about $300 that was in about the same condition as the rest of the gun and so replaced the Win heatshield . Long road , but I have a correct trench for $475 .
Now , to find the same in a model 12 .
Chris

emmagee1917, I am pretty sure that the stock was cut because I ordered what was
supposed to be the correct buttplate and when I went to put it on the buttplate was too big.
I probably should measure the stock and see exactly what lenght it is. Mine is the riot version
not the trench barrel, I am glad I don't have to search for a handguard!