I have seen one recently at the local Cabela's gun rack priced at $350. It was pretty beat up and had a crapco scope sitting on top. This one was a Winchester push-feed action. I thought about making an offer on it but hesitated too long and it was gone the next trip over.
The Western Field rifles that were 98 Mausers were appaently made by Heym. These were imported for a few years in the late 1960's and included both a standard sporter and a Mannlicher-stocked rifle. I owned one of the sporters for a little while and it was indeed made by F.W. Heym and was so marked on the underside of the barrel. The stock and barrel contour are characteristically Heym. Generally they don't go all that high because they are marked Western Field on the top of the barrel, but they are good rifles.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
I think the Western Field was Montgomery Wards line, and the Sears line was Ted Williams.
I remember a Western Field 12 gauge shotgun owned by an uncle, purchased in the 60s. It was, I'm sure, a Mossberg 500.
I haven't seen that shotgun in 30 years, but I remember it had a much greater finish/quality than the Coast to Coast 880 (also a Mossberg 500) that I bought in the late 70s.
I used to drool over the MW and Sears catalog sporting sections. Times were certaily different then.
I have a Western Field Model 720B made by FW Heym for import into the US in the 60s. These rifles were actually intermediate length actions designed for the 7X57 cartridge, so Heym cut and lengthened the magazine boxes so they would hold .30-'06 and .270 cartridges. Mine is an '06, and I keep alternating between thinking of selling it or converting it to .257 Roberts (which is based on the 7X57 case).
They are nice looking M98 pattern rifles...jim
LCDR Jim Dodd, USN (Ret.) "If you're too busy to hunt, you're too busy."
Showing my ignorance here but is the Heym a small or large ring action. Saw a Western Field about a month ago at a gun show and owner couldn't sell it. Offered $125 but a no go. Recall the action looked a bit slim at the barrel/receiver junction. Hearing the intermdeiate length comment makes me wish I'd offered a bit more. If it is a German made small ring intermediate length action, whew, I'll be on the lookout for the guy.
Colossians 3:17 (New King James Version) "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Years ago, I had a Sears FN and yesterday I bought a Wards "Western Field" at a gun show. Made in Belgium by FN. $350 with nice Bushnell 3X9 Elite scope in Leupold rings and mounts. .30-06 just like my other one.