I was trying to just stay in the background on this � I though good, now Rick will be getting all the questions PM�ed to him
. I though I would just quietly add labels to my pictures but he kind of pointed everything at me anyway. I tend to start typing and having a problem stopping � you got me started.
All Stevens pumps I have seen are marked with a model number, early guns were marked on the barrels only, up to the model 75 (based on the Savage model 29), later guns were marked on the sides of the receivers. The picture has all but one Stevens pump model that I am aware of. The Gallery 80's and the experimental are the only ones with threaded barrels - all others have the barrels pinned on and they are easily changed requiring only simple machining. There are numerous house brands based on the savage actions from the model 25 up, I have never found one based on the 1914 action. House brands were almost always stamped on the left side of the receiver so barrels were unmarked except for caliber - these barrels could easily be swapped so it's possible that there are unmarked guns out there - a Stevens model 75 action with a house brand barrel would be a possibility.
The Stevens model 75 was made while Stevens was being ran as a subsidiary by Savage - all later versions are probably from after Stevens was absorbed and became just a brand name - it was then used just like a house brand name. The Stevens 75 may have transcended this change, most show a separate serial number range without an alpha suffix (highest I have seen just under 14,000) but I have found one example that had a serial number that was in the Savage model 29 serial number range with an M suffix (120,000+ range) - the only M suffix serial number I have ever seen. Also the model 75's (the one with the M suffix not known) had a .312 dovetail rear sight, a unique Stevens feature, later guns have the Savage standard .375 (and L suffix serial numbers just like house brands). I have not did a check of rear dovetail sizes on very many house brands but the one I have checked are .375.
Gene
