Fake Stevens Riot Gun

[bigskybound]

Seems like a lot of trouble to go to for something so obviously fake. I'm assuming fake. It is obviously a 520, but has the 520-30 and martial markings added. And it is the Monkey Wards store brand Western Field. At least they are not trying to totally soak a potential buyer.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=347697533

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Someone got soaked...not enough *** to be a real riot.

There are Monkey Ward's shotguns that were accepted at the beginning of WWII under the Procurement Act. Not this one...

[Tom Doniphon]

How do you explain the Model 520-30 designation mark and the proof marks on the gun? They look just like the ones found on 520 and 620 Military riot and trench guns.

It's interesting that in addition to the standard ordnance bomb and P proof marks on the side of the receiver and barrel it also has two additional sets of proof marks (P proofs and additional punchmarks) on the top of the barrel and top of receiver.

[SPEEDGUNNER]

This is perfect example of a faker getting a bit too overzealous with the markings. It "could be" a WWII Ward's Western Field that was procured by the gov't at the beginning of the war and then U.S. marked, but that is where the truth ends with this shotgun. First of all, it is not a real riot, therefore it could not be a trench. Second, no Ward's were converted to trench. Third, there are too many markings in too many spots for a genuine martial shotgun. Some poor sap paid over two grand for a three hundred dollar shotgun.

[scosgt]

The P and punch marks on the top of the barrel and receiver are real, I have seen Stevens made procurement guns marked this way.
The rest of the markings are fake. The gun had a long barrel and those guns are never found US marked, only with the P proofs.
As well, it is NOT a 520-30.
The faker has pretty good stamps.

[Tom Doniphon]

Yeah, some of the martial markings on that gun are pretty darn good.

FWIW, I've seen a number of Military 520-30 trench guns in original condition with the xtra set of P proofs on top of the barrel and receiver just like the subject gun. All of these trench guns were in the 68,000 serial number range. Even saw one with additional punch marks there too. It seems like for some reason theses guns had to be re-proofed.

[joem]

There were some military bases that had shotguns for training purposes. Some bases had shotguns that could be checked out for skeet or clays but I don't know if they bought Stevens.

[bigskybound]

YIKES!!! Never saw that sale price coming - and I hardly know anything about this stuff. LOL!