Info. Needed

[C. Pfeifer]

Hello Everyone ~

I'm not sure I'm in the right place so if I'm not could someone PLEASE direct me to the correct Forum :)

My Grandfather recently passed away & left me ( his only grandaughter ) All his guns ( not sure why I got them I have 7 cousins that are boy/men ?? ) I have heard many stories about the gun's & where he got them, When he got them ect..

However their is 1 that I know nothing about and can't seem to find any online info. as far as manufacturing date ? It is a Stevens / Savage 12 Gague Pump.
It has no serial number ( that I can find ) but here is what is on the barrel.

LEFT SIDE- STEVENS ( in large capital letters ) Savage Corperation Chicopee Falls, Mass. ( both lines are in smaller letters & run one above the other ) MODEL 820B ( also in large capitol letters & numbers )

RIGHT SIDE- PROOF TESTED 12 GAGUE ( top line ) --- 2 3/4 INCH CHAMBER ( bottom line )


Their is a VERY SMALL stamp or engraving on the top of the barrel closest to the chamber that is either a circled 6E or a circled 8E
Their is also a 6 stamped or engraved under the barrel almsot hidden on the Right side, I'm wondering if their would be more number's their if it were taken apart ? But it dosent look like they would be very close to the 6 ??

I'm only looking for info. on how old it may be ( or as close as I can possibly get ) and if ( once properly cleaned ) it can be used ?? I have no intentions of selling any of the guns they meen too much to me & Carry far more sentimintal value than what their probaly actually worth & they will one day be passed down to my son's. I don't believe it's rare, one of a kind ( in fact i'mpositive it's not ) or anything like that.I'm just searching for info. on it.So if anmyone can help me or send me in the right direction I would GREATLY APPERCIATE it !!!!!!!

Cammie Pfeifer
PS- As i'm sure you can tell by my post I really know nothing about gun's of any kind so I appreciate any help I can get THANKS

[GoOfY-FoOt]

The 820 was made between 1949 and 1954, according to a quick Google search.
If you are looking for more detailed or specific information on any of your acquisitions, you may want to purchase a good book on the subject. Especially, if you intend to pass them down. The more information that goes with them, the more respect and (sentimental) value they will carry.

[BigJimP]

Well, first of all Welcome to the forum ...

Most of these old Savage 12ga pumps are valued in the $ 100 - maybe $ 150 price range. They aren't especially collectable ....and there are a lot of them around.

You have a gun chambered for 2 3/4" shells ( not 3" shells ) and that's no problem ...there are a lot of 12ga shells sold in 2 3/4" length. The length of a shotshell - is the fired length, just so you know, with the petals of the crimp at the top of the shell opened up. So don't measure an unfired shell and assume its ok.

Most of these guns are just fine to shoot today / but its not a terrible idea to take it to a local gunsmith or a good friend that knows shotguns to help you clean it up and inspect it before its fired.

[HotShot.444]

Now that's just ... ... refreshing. Thanks.

[hogdogs]

They aren't especially collectable ....
Yes... they were produced for the guys wanting a decent gun that worked great without the flash or "bells and whistles" of the finer guns owned by the more serious "Sportsman" or folks of the higher income range.

and there are a lot of them around.

And this is especially encouraging... Many of these guns have had high round counts run thru them year after year wing season after wing season and yet they are very numerous which suggests they were a very durable, reliable and worth keeping around.

Good luck and enjoy every moment shootin' the ol' gal!!!

Brent

[BigJimP]

You're right Brent ...

but remember a lot of the wingshooters in the 50's and 60's ...times were a little different ...and they weren't really "volume" shooters / we were meat hunters. Bag limits were higher in those days/birds were more plentiful ( as I recall anyway ) but a big day in the field ....might mean half a box or at most of a box of shells ...but the 500 or so shells I'm going to go thru just this weekend alone ...with my son and grandson ...was certainly not a typical thing when I was a kid in the 50's ...

We ate a lot of mallards for Sunday dinners at grandpa's house ...4 birds or so to a big sunday dinner / I'd be shocked if he went thru more than 3 or 4 boxes of shells all season...and a few more boxes in grouse season...and a few more boxes in pheasant season ...but maybe only 12 boxes a year ...at the most. They certainly did use their guns ...hunted hard ...but I think 300 shells a yr was quite a bit in those days.

Heck ...this morning, I took an hour before I came into my office -- and I loaded up 12 boxes of 12ga / and 12 boxes of 20ga ...( 600 shells )and when the boys get here on Sat morning, they'll load up another 4 boxes apiece of 12ga ---....and we'll shoot at least 500 shells this weekend on the sporting clays and 5 stand courses...

so some of those old guns ...are barely broken in ..../ and great guns to have passed down and stay in the family !

[hogdogs]

BJP, That does make sense and I am no where near old enuff to know first hand... Unlike some guys I know of:rolleyes::D;)

I never personally got to fondle a savage/stevens pump or auto (if they had one) But handled a slough of singles and, IIRC, some bolt guns.

Some of the singles had a cheesy hollow woodtone plastic (bake-o-lite or nylon maybe) but every one always went *BOOM* when the trigger said "click"...;)

Brent

[BigJimP]

Ohhh....now my feelings are hurt ....

but I'm guilty ...and old enough to be taking my youngest son ( who is 32 now ) and my oldest grandson, who is a Freshman at a major Universtity...shooting this weekend.../ which is very cool ....and I'm looking forward to it ....

[C. Pfeifer]

Thank's for the info. I found a local collector who's willing to meet with us & provide us with as much info. on all the guns as he's able as theire are a few that appear to be quite old & I'm wondering is he may have brought them back from WWII with him ? Does anyone know if that was allowed ??
He served withe The Flying Tigers AVG not sure what years ?

I'm hoping the collector we're going to meet with can give us a lot of info. so I write a "history" for each gun to be passed down with the gun's..

Thank's for the info.

Cammie

[hogdogs]

Back in WWII, our servicemen were afforded much more liberty in terms of "war trophy" items as well as they were buying firearms where ever they wished. Even the post and base stores had some firearms.

Many more were brought home "under the radar".

Brent

[Lee Lapin]

He served withe The Flying Tigers AVG not sure what years ?

Cammie,

I was impressed with your attitude and approach to your inheritance (and I'm sorry for your loss). But with the statement above you really got my attention.

Take a look at http://www.flyingtigersavg.com/index.htm and you might see why. Go to http://www.flyingtigersavg.com/tiger9.htm and you might find more about your grandfather. You'll see that the complete roster for that organization is pretty short...

BTW, the Flying Tigers disbanded as an organization on 4 July 1942, but continued as part of the US Army Air Forces through the end of WW2 (there wasn't a separate US Air Force until 1947).

Somewhere over China, as the old Jimmy Buffet song goes. What stories he must have had...

lpl

[hogdogs]

And do please do share any info you find about him with us... I for one would like to know the people I can never know who made a big difference in such important matters... A PM will work if it means not getting off topic with the thread.

brent

[C. Pfeifer]

HI~
My Gramps had LOTS of stories about China , The people & his buddies but never really talked about what he actually did their. We are now just starting to scratch the surface of the importance he & his unit played their.

I have LOTS of pic's. he took during his time their mostly of the people & his friends. They had a pet monkey & a honey bear too that we have many pic's. of.

I would like to THANK ALL OF YOU for all the info. & encouragement :)
And I will post any & all info I find out :)
Do you know if or how I post pic's. ???

THANK'S AGAIN

Cammie

[hogdogs]

I post pics from my photobucket account... you use the [img] [/img ] code and it posts a pic.

Brent

[Lee Lapin]

Cammie,

Thank YOU for cherishing his memory and thereby keeping it alive and bright. No one is ever really gone until they are forgotten about, IMHO.

My dad was in the USAAF in WW2 (North Africa, Sicily and Italy) and would never tell 'war stories' of the usual blood'n'guts sort. The war affected a lot of his generation that way, they cherished their friends and the good times they managed to have and talked some about those, but kept a lot of the bad stuff to themselves. It was a burden, I know, but it was one they bore willingly along with all their other responsibilities.

It would be a genuine pleasure to know more about your grandfather, if you choose to tell us more.

lpl