So that's why I started looking at vintage guns. One of the ones I've always been interested in was the Stevens Model 520. It was designed by John Browning in 1902. Stevens bought the design and started making these pump shotguns in 1909. The unique thing about them was the quick take down function. The entire front i.e, barrel, slide and tube comes right off. Stevens made the 520 (and 620) up until around '57. A couple hundred thousand were made, including some trench guns during WWI & II. They were used up until the Vietnam war.
The thing is they aren't very well known and they are kinda ugly so there isn't a lot of collector value. Guys buy them to cut down the barrel to make ersatz trench/riot guns out of them because they take down. Oh, and did I mention that the can slam fire like the Win 97, model 12 and Ithaca 37?
So anyway...I've been interested in them for awhile and finally put a "wanted to buy" post up on the Michigan Gun Owners forum. Got a response in hours with one for sale not too far from me. Went out to look at it today and came home with it for $100. Has a 28" bbl. Was very clean inside. The bore was bright and shiny. No gunk or dirt in the action. Very smooth operating. 106 years of use helps.
There is virtually no finish left on it. The wood is scratched and scarred but has no breaks which is very unusual for 100+ year old gun. Still has the original unbroken butt plate on it.
Based on the features and marking I've determined that this shotgun was made in 1915. The slide release was changed from a button to a small serrated tab at the rear of the trigger guard in 1914. The markings were changed from J Stevens Arms and Tool Co. to J Stevens Arms Company in early 1916 when they sold the company to New England Westinghouse in 1915. Mine has the new slide release but the the old markings. So the obvious guess is that it was made after 1914 when they changed the slide release and before 1916 when they changed the name.
Oh, and that little triangle thing sticking down in the trigger guard is the "suicide" safety. Forward is fire, back is safe. The slide release is the little serrated tab at the rear of the trigger guard.
The take down function is interesting. There are ribs on the mag tube (it holds 5 in the tube BTW). You use the ribs to unscrew the mag tube with your fingers. That backs off an machined piece with ears that locks the front end in place. You then slide the front end down and out of the receiver.
So what am I going to use it for? My thought was to cut the barrel down to 18" and use this shotgun as a take down truck gun. It would a cheap replacement for my Mossberg 500 behind the rear seat. I've run some shells through it and it seems to function but I've not shot it yet. If it's reliable it might make a viable truck gun.
One part of me wants to re-purpose it, the other part wants me to keep it as it is. They aren't collectable or valuable, nobody really knows about them so cutting the barrel down doesn't ruin it. On the other hand it is 106 years old which is kinda cool. Maybe I'll look for another one to cut down.
