[rritter]

A friend of mine has inherited an old Wards 20ga shotgun and asked me to help figure it out. I know pretty much nothing about shotguns. This is a bolt-action gun with a fixed box magazine that looks like it could hold two or three shells. The outside length (front - to - back) of the magazine is 2 3/4 inches.

Looking around on the net, it seems that shotgun shells for a particular gauge come in different lengths. Which length would fit this gun? Is there a default length for 20ga. shells?

Does anyone have any more information about this model? Again, it's a Wards Western Field Model 16M 20ga repeater. Web searches don't seem to turn up very much. Anything much I should look out for before shooting it? I've disassembled it and don't see any obvious problems aside from a crack in the forestock. The firing pin tends to stick forward when I dry-fire it, but I don't think it will do that with a cartridge in the chamber.

Thanks!
Roger

[Dave McCracken]

A couple things...

First, posting queries on old shotguns down on Harley's forum will get you faster results.

It's probably a Mossberg, Marlin, or Stevens. Sorry, can't narrow it down further.

ALL old shotguns should be checked out by a competent smith before firing.

That smith can tell you if it safe to shot, and with what length shell.

Oldest cartridge 20s take a 2 1/2" shell, newer ones a 2 3/4", newest a 3" magnum round. These later ones will also function fine with the shorter shells, the reverse is NOT true.

HTH....

[rritter]

Thanks, Dave!

Which forum is Harley's?

Roger

[rritter]

Whoops! Never mind, I found it.

Roger