Dilemma

[onefastokie]

Okay I have a dilemma. I have a Stevens 520-30 trench gun the barrel is a half inch shorter than everything i have found on barrel length and has been threaded for a Weaver choke which is still on it, I bought an aftermarket heat shield and can push the heat shield back to the tube magazine mount and actually screw the weaver choke back on it. the dilemma i have is the barrel doesnt have the groves in the barrel and would have to have that done to mount the heat shield. I dont think it will hurt the value of the gun since the barrel is already messed up from the Weaver choke threads anyway and all the numbers match on the gun. I was trying to see what everyone else thought.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

First, it's your gun so do what you want. The barrel has already been hashed so what's the harm? Last, why put a heat shield, specially if it's original on that gun?

[onefastokie]

I didnt have a heat shield on it when i got it and i like the way it looks on it thats about it. i just wasnt sure about cutting the groves in and was curious what others thought about it. its strange it didnt already have the groves in it for mounting it because it is an actual trench gun.

[browningautorifle]

it is an actual trench gun.

Or perhaps a riot gun?

[onefastokie]

Or perhaps a riot gun?

No it has the j Stevens on the right side and the chamber proof on the left and has matching number and U.S. stamp just above trigger all the P's and the flaming bomb's on it. The chokes were added after the war to be sold to civilians. It's definitely a trench gun. I will try to get pics soon.

[browningautorifle]

and the chamber proof on the left and has matching number and U.S. stamp just above trigger all the P's and the flaming bomb's on it.

You know the Military had riot guns marked too, right? Those never had the shroud, thus no transverse grooves. Apart from the shroud, they were virtually identical and so marked as the trench guns...

So if it doesn't have the transverse grooves then it definitely ISN'T a trench. It's a riot that's been altered...see? Check what Bruce Canfield prints in his book for clarity.

[Aragorn243]

Doesn't sound like a gun that would have a heat shield so I wouldn't put it on. Not all did.

[Sunray]

Sounds like it's a commercial 520 somebody fiddled with. May be military with a commercial barrel put on too. No Weaver chokes on military models either. 20" cylinder choked out of the factory. It's right side of the barrel and left side of receiver have a “P” proof with Ordnance Corps flaming bomb and left rear side of receiver have the “U.S.”?

[browningautorifle]

Pics would be priceless though...

[Aragorn243]

I don't think it really matters what wikipedia says, your shotgun is telling you flat out it never had a heat shield as it is missing the grooves for one.