Stevens 77 E

[ww2imposter]

As issued......... 4550045501455024550345504

[Clark Howard]

I examined a shotgun nearly identical to this gun at a local gun show. It had a black stained birch stock and not one mark on metal or wood. I have never seen a modern pump shotgun with NO markings. Any ideas? Regards, Clark

[ww2imposter]

Was it a 77E or was it totally sterile?

[scosgt]

pre-68 did not require serial numbers
Could have been a prototype or lunch box gun.
Or maybe confused with a pre-war 620. They did not have serials, some of the military ones are found with hand stamped 4 digit serial numbers. They were however marked as to maker etc.

[Keydet92]

Scosgt,
Off topic, but I’d love to see a picture of an unserialized pre-war Model 620 (620A). I believe all Model 620s (1927-39) and all Model 620As (1940-48), including WWII production, are serialized. Stevens stopped serializing 620As from 1948-54 when production ended. This happened after a Savage corporate reorganization in 1947-48.

I suspect that any military Model 620 without an external serial number has had its trigger housing replaced with a post 1948 part. The receiver serial number of an M620 can only be seen with the buttstock removed.

[scosgt]

Look at the "fake"620 trench listed below.
At the OGCA show there was an entire table of 620 riot guns, with the same "United States Property" and funky looking bomb.
ALL had the serial hand stamped twice - once around the outside of the barrel next to the receiver, and once on the receiver.
I had one, but sold it years ago.
However Uncle Sam got them, they came without serials, and Uncle added them.

- - - Updated - - -

Just like this one, except they had hand stamped FOUR DIGIT serials

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/809481669

[scosgt]

Here is what I am talking about, not a factory serial number marking. Mine also had the 4 digit number stamped into the barrel

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=55472

[Keydet92]

Scosgt,
Thank you, I had not seen an example like that before, very interesting. Happy to learn something new today. That’s an early Model 620A receiver, Stevens is still using the old “Stevens Browning” roll marking from the recently discontinued Model 620. This obviously falls outside the 7100-9200 range that Canfield reports for early 620 riot guns. Do you remember the appropriate serial number on the example you owned?

[scosgt]

It was something in the 4000 range. But again, is was NOT a factory applied serial. They were all 4 digits.

[scosgt]

I looked it up in my C&R book. it was a 620a and serial was 2467

[Keydet92]

I wouldn’t rule it absolutely not factory applied. There are some early M520-30 riot guns with the hand stamped “M.520 U.S” on the receiver that looks like it was done by a kindergartener. I was sure they were fake until I found 3 more just like it. They’re in the correct serial number range.

I’ve got a Model 520A (JC Higgins 102.25) from 1946-47 that should have a 70k serial number but instead has a 4 digit serial hand stamped on the side of the receiver much like that 620 riot.

[scosgt]

Mine had the number stamped twice. Once on the receiver as shown, and also on the barrel, around the circumference next to the receiver (in other words not in a straight line, but rather in a circle around the barrel). There is no way that is factory. It was very well done, in large numbers, but no way factory.
There are other references around to arsenals stamping serials, since every gun in US inventory MUST have a serial number. I bought it off a table at OGCA, there were a bunch of them, they all came out of a PD. All were cutdowns with no provision for a front bead sight. But the US markings on the side of the receiver were absolutely correct, and have been seen many times on early guns. I think I paid $150, no one would go to all that trouble for that money.

[Keydet92]

I believe you.

Did your gun have civilian markings like the one in the link you sent? Maybe Stevens did a clean up of whatever they had on hand to satisfy their first delivery to the War Dept, serialized and unserialized. Maybe some Civilian Procurement Program guns.

[scosgt]

Yes, it had the normal civilian markings, and I think three stars.