Shotgun Identification

[Lucar186]

So I found a bolt-action 20 gauge with full wood furniture and fixed sights (not bead sights) that belonged to my grandpa before he passed. I don’t have a picture of it and perhaps I’m blind but for the life of me I can’t find the manufacturer info on it. Does anyone know who made these and what it might be called? I took it skeet shooting and everyone looked at me like they had never heard of a bolt-action shotgun before so I’d assume there’s only a few options there.

 

[printcraft]

Without a picture we're not going to be much of a help.

Let me google that for you...

 

[Lucar186]

Without a picture we're not going to be much of a help.

Let me google that for you...

I’ll update with a picture when I’m back over there in a week.

 

[BigMoose]

You may need to pull the stock. It you can. Markings on old guns are known to hide under wood sometimes

 

[Mongo59]

Mossberg was the largest contributor to the bolt action market and they did make them in other names or no names. There are three basic types: single shot, box magazine and tube magazine. The best service came from the tube magazine varieties.

While they were made in many gauges, the largest and smallest are the most common as in 12ga and .410, so 20ga makes it one of the less available gauges.

Get us some picks and we will help you out or just type in "bolt action shotguns" in a search and look at the pics till something pops out...

 

[Michigan Slim]

A couple made in Spain as well.

 

[Mgderf]

J.C.Higgins also produced many bolt action shotguns.
I have a bolt action 16ga that was gifted to me by a friend.

 

[Mongo59]

J.C.Higgins also produced many bolt action shotguns.
I have a bolt action 16ga that was gifted to me by a friend.

Higgins never made any guns, they had others make them with that trade name on it, most of which were Mossberg.

 

[thunderchicken]

Higgins never made any guns, they had others make them with that trade name on it, most of which were Mossberg

Not sure about their bolt action shotguns, but Hi-Standard also made shotguns under the Sears & Roebuck, J.C. Higgins and I believe Ted Williams names. All of which were made exclusively for Sears

 

[Bstarkey_46947]

If you want to know the Manufacturer:

Age Verification - NRA

I've found this handy and helpful.

 

[Mongo59]

Not sure about their bolt action shotguns, but Hi-Standard also made shotguns under the Sears & Roebuck, J.C. Higgins and I believe Ted Williams names. All of which were made exclusively for Sears

That is true as well as other manufacturers such as Winchester for other arms. They even had a young upstart company make a .357 revolver for them, that company was Dan Wesson and they made the model 15 with Sears name on it.

What I was speaking of was directed toward the bolt action shotgun specifically.

I stocked those in the "back stock" of the Sears in the Altamonte Mall (Florida) which was the sight of the last public appearance of Lynyrd Skynyrd before the plane crash. Funny what things you remember...

 

[Lucar186]

So I found a bolt-action 20 gauge with full wood furniture and fixed sights (not bead sights) that belonged to my grandpa before he passed. I don’t have a picture of it and perhaps I’m blind but for the life of me I can’t find the manufacturer info on it. Does anyone know who made these and what it might be called? I took it skeet shooting and everyone looked at me like they had never heard of a bolt-action shotgun before so I’d assume there’s only a few options there.

Here are those pictures I mentioned. I’m slightly scared to take the furniture off to find out because I don’t have a screwdriver that large and they look like they haven’t come off since before I was born.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

Mossberg 185D ... trigger guard with molded finger grooves gives it away.

 

[Lucar186]

Mossberg 185D ... trigger guard with molded finger grooves gives it away.

Thank you

 

[BigMoose]

That is true as well as other manufacturers such as Winchester for other arms. They even had a young upstart company make a .357 revolver for them, that company was Dan Wesson and they made the model 15 with Sears name on it.

What I was speaking of was directed toward the bolt action shotgun specifically.

I stocked those in the "back stock" of the Sears in the Altamonte Mall (Florida) which was the sight of the last public appearance of Lynyrd Skynyrd before the plane crash. Funny what things you remember...

I tend to remember that Western Auto, Wards, and Pennys had store banded guns.

I remember finding a Wards Western 30 once someone had turned into a good trench gun replica.

 

[MrSmitty]

Still a neat gun, shoot, enjoy, repeat....

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

https://www.alloutdoor.com/2021/03/10/curious-relics-008-mossberg-model-185d/

Mossberg Model 185D. The Model 185D was a bolt-action 20 Gauge shotgun with removable, exterior chokes. All 185D shotguns were sold with a set of three chokes (Improved Cylinder, Modified, and Full) along with a wrench to assist in loosening and tightening if need be. The chokes were also knurled on the outside for easy gripping. Speaking of easy gripping, it also featured plastic finger grooves in the semi-pistol grip walnut stock. The Model 185D was produced between 1947 and 1959.

After the 12 year run of the Mossberg Model 185D, Mossberg still had the Model 185K that was in production alongside the 185D. The most notable difference was it had a “C-Lect” choke system instead of the type that came on the 185D. The C-Lect worked similar to tightening or loosening the chuck on a drill so it was much faster and handier.

The 185K was made from 1950 to 1964 with a run of similar small changes along the way.

 

[Mongo59]

I tend to remember that Western Auto, Wards, and Pennys had store banded guns.

I remember finding a Wards Western 30 once someone had turned into a good trench gun replica.

Belknap Hardware in Louisville, Kentucky sold guns under the trade name "Essex". I have a sweet little 20ga sxs of theirs made by Cresent Arms. I used to own a book that had all the crossovers listed but I gave it to my brother.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Belknap Hardware in Louisville, Kentucky sold guns under the trade name "Essex". I have a sweet little 20ga sxs of theirs made by Cresent Arms. I used to own a book that had all the crossovers listed but I gave it to my brother.

Numrich has a cross reference for name brands to store brands, in there book anyway, not sure about on the web