$100 riot gun project

[dwh]

Looking for a summer project and being a sucker for any takedown firearm. I acquired a Stevens 520 (Riverside) at a local flea market for a$100. The thing was filthy 100 years of shellacked oil, dirt and rust. The last 4-5 inches of the barrel were pitted on the outside. So, after cleaning and researching the guns overall history. I decided a takedown riot gun was in order.

The barrel was shortened to 19in, and a new big bead was installed. Next the swivels, sling, rounding of the top of the butt plate and a 4 shell Velcro carrier.

It definitely performs better with Federal buck shot but the Hornady isn’t too shabby either.

 

[6518John]

It’s hard to beat a good short barreled 12 gauge and buck shot. Especially up close and personal. Doubly so at that price!

 

[Glashaus]

Nice! I had one of the WWII US marked 520’s. They are very compact when taken down.

 

[jimmyj]

Years ago I disassembled one and was very impressed by the workmanship and manufacture details.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Nice old gun!
In 1974-1975 my airbase armory in Thailand had one of those, military marked.
I checked it out and shot it a few times.

 

[dwh]

I like the fact that if you hold the lifter down you can unload the mag tube.

 

[mikerjf]

I believe this model (the double-hump) had a few prototypes made for the WW1 military, but none have survived. It pops up in pictures with Clyde Barrow, and was also the shotgun purported to have been used at the St Valentines Day Massacre. Lotta historical cred. I love mine, along with its sidekick Remington 11 20 gauge.

 

[Rudi]

That is a great looking gun! Classic!!

 

[alwslate]

The Stevens 520 was another JMB design I believe. I had on for awhile but mine had the common flaw of the 520, a cracked stock at the wrist so I passed it on. Handle yours carefully and enjoy.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Mine is a Winchester 97 takedown made in 1904, with an 18 1/8" Barrel. I used it for cowboy action, so I have a modified follower for 6 (2 3/4") in the tube.

My F-I-L lead the charge into the Ohio Pen. riot in 1968 carrying a Stevens Riot Gun and a bag of No. 4 buck shells.

One of my friends prefers 3" Mag Steel "T" shot for better penetration.

Ivan

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Not a bad looking old scattergun. You did well at $100 and you did even better with rescuing it. Well done.

 

[robvious]

I absolutely approve this project... I did kinda the same thing a while back as a tribute to my "Uncle" Vern that had a real one when I was young.. his hung on a coat hook in his closet by the stock swivel.. I was probably the only one that ever cleaned his back in the 80's.. gathered a crowd at the trap range when I function tested it.. lol

 

[AJ]

Great project and looks good. Mine does not look as good, but I paid less ($87.00). It is a Winchester Model of 1912, made in 1918. Just cut off the barrel at 18 1/4. Will post a picture later.

 

[D Brown]

That looks better than most "purpose built" riot guns in my opinion.

Nice job!

 

[JohnRippert]

Did the same thing with a Stevens 620 16ga several years ago. I think I paid $160 for it. I wanted a take-down that I could fit in a small zippered carry.

 

[DWalt]

I believe this model (the double-hump) had a few prototypes made for the WW1 military, but none have survived. It pops up in pictures with Clyde Barrow, and was also the shotgun purported to have been used at the St Valentines Day Massacre. Lotta historical cred. I love mine, along with its sidekick Remington 11 20 gauge.

Indeed there was a 520 (Wards Western Field house branded) used in the St. Valentine's Day massacre. Some years ago there was an episode of the PBS series “History Detectives” in which it was discussed. The gun still exists but I don’t remember where it is. Long ago I replaced a broken firing pin in one of them. Not the easiest job. As I remember from about 50 years ago, there was a flat section that was cracked completely through. I arc welded it back together and dressed it flat again. It worked but I have no idea how long that repair lasted. Was not my gun.

 

[rockquarry]

Look for a summer project and being a sucker for any takedown firearm. I acquired a Stevens 520 (Riverside) for a local flea market for a$100. The thing was filthy 100 years of shellacked oil, dirt and rust. The last 4-5 inch’s of the barrel were pitted on the outside. So after cleaning and researching the guns overall history. I decided a takedown riot gun was in order.

The barrel was shortened to 19in and a new big bead was installed. Next the swivels, sling, rounding of the top of the butt plate and a 4 shell Velcro carrier.

It definitely performs better with Federal buck shot but the Hornady isn’t to shabby either.

I don't know anything about the short-barreled Stevens shotguns, but always thought they looked good.

 

[sigp220.45]

Very cool! I found a Model 12 “brush gun” (long barrel but cylinder bore) so it was the perfect candidate for making a Wild Bunch shotgun. Hard to beat a six shot takedown 12 gauge pump.

I like your project very much.

 

[mikerjf]

Clyde Barrow and the Westernfield 30: The gun with the bent trigger guard (s/n U 12034) was captured in the 4/13/1933 Joplin MO battle, auctioned in 2019 for $68,750. It must have been brand new when Clyde acquired it, since it has the 1933-design shell stop (evidenced by the lack of an external screw for the old design).

 

[mikerjf]

St Valentine's Day Massacre Westernfield 30: S/N 18514 B, alleged to be the shotgun used 2/14/29 in Chicago. This gun was the subject of a "History Detectives" PBS episode (S7E3). The story is, the gun was acquired at the time by the Chicago Fire Commissioner; the current owner's father got it from him.

What the Detectives didn't research was, with the 1928-design-change pinned trigger guard and having the pre-1933 shell stop screw, this gun can be dated to 1928-1933 and so could have been present that day. Would have been near-new, and of course Chicago held Ward's headquarters and main store.

At the time of the show the connection couldn't be proved but since then, believe it or not, some collector that wound up with boxes and boxes of stuff from a private lab that the Chicago PD used for ballistic testing has turned up the original shotgun hulls from the St Val Day scene. I don't think anyone is pursuing this, but it COULD be done!