Help with a SxS ID question

[dshumburg]

Hello,
I have most of a RANGER 20 ga SxS. 'Have all metal but one internal hammer and the forearm iron. I can make the hammer and stock but have questions about the maker and the forearm iron.

I know SEARS had guns made under the RANGER name by a number of makers including Stevens. This one is not a model that is familiar to me. I've attached pics to help illustrate some of the following:

Marks: RANGER on left side of receiver. SN 19XX on barrels, watertable, and trigger plate. Small 4 on watertable, and on opposite flat a symbol that looks sort of like "&". There is a small circled 25 on bottom of receiver just ahead of a recess where the trigger plate end resides. Left barrel says "PROOF TESTED 20 GUAGE". Right barrel says "SPECIAL FORGED STEEL". Full ivory bead and a small ivory midrib bead. There is an 8 on the bottom of each extractor. No model number indicated.

Features I don't recognize: The mainsprings ride on shanks that point towards the knuckle and these holes emerge out the end of the knuckle. The rear of the receiver where the stock mates is curved concave and also angled forward into the receiver. There are small screws in the top of the receiver that retain the firing pins? A solid shank that is integral with the rear of the trigger plate is where the stock bolt screws in.

If I can learn enough about this (or find someone with an example) I could probably recreate the forearm iron. Then I can restore the gun. Anybody have one of these?

DSH

 

[oneounceload]

If you can find the Sears model number, you can cross reference it here:

http://www.proofhouse.com/cm/house_brand.htm

Scroll down to the Sears section and find out who made it

Good luck!

 

[dshumburg]

A few more pics

Unfortunately I find NO sears model number anywhere on this piece. I've included a couple more images. If it looks familiar please let me know. The block on the barrels and the lifter for cocking the hammers resembles a Springfield or Savage design, but the receiver is different.

DSH

 

[JohnBT]

The only thing that rings a bell are the barrel markings. I've seen Stevens 311A shotguns marked both

PROOF TESTED 20 GAUGE

and

SELECTED FORGED STEEL

John

P.S. - Maybe i'll sit here and thumb through gun books until supper. I need a break from tearing out 100-y-old double hung windows to replace the ropes and the zinc weatherstripping tracks on all 4 sides.

 

[oneounceload]

Guess I am confused - if it is a Ranger sold by Sears then the barrels or somewhere else WILL have their model number on it - at least every version I have seen drug out to the local club did

 

[JohnBT]

I'm still stumped on the receiver shape and pin placement.

I still wonder how something that sounds like Stevens' barrels ends up on a strange receiver. Belgium? Not enough proof marks. Crescent? They made a whole lot of stuff over the years and Savage/Stevens bought Crescent ten years or so prior to WWII.

Well, a little conjecture. Sears appears to have started using Ranger around 1926. Some of the guns were made by Crescent at some point according to the people who know more than I do.

Savage bought Stevens in 1920 and acquired Crescent in 1930 iirc. Heck, here, save me some typing...

www.savagearms.com/history

"In 1920, Savage purchased J. Stevens Arms, a company which was associated with the famous barrel maker, Harry Pope. Later, Savage acquired the assets of Page Lewis Company, Davis-Warner Arms, Crescent Firearms, and A.H. Fox, thereby becoming the largest firearm company in the free world."

Maybe they just slapped some guns together out of what they had. They wouldn't be the first to use up a bunch of parts.

 

[dshumburg]

More pics

Well that's a start. Perhaps I will be able to find something by digging into Crescent or one of the manufacturers. What I really need is to know what to look for or make in the way of a forearm iron. I have a Savage/Springfield one on hand from another project. Not a fit. The Savage forearm iron has the little ejector piece in the center made such that it fits the outside of the big pivot pin. The receiver I have has a vertical FLAT surface where this ejector part would rest. I hope I can find and example of this. I'll attach a couple more pics. Note the flat surface in the center.

I agree that the barrel markings are Savage/Springfield. ( I was wrong before... the right barrel says "Selected Forged Steel".) Also, the cocking plunger is a fairly close match to these designs.

I appreciate your input.... This is not a masterpiece, but I hate to have something that's 90% there just go to waste.

DSH