Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Western field 20 gauge bolt action

To keep or not to keep? Picked one up about 10 years ago from a gun show for about $75. It was in kinda rough shape but thought it was so weird and would be fun to restore. I fully restored it and I think it's really nice and an interesting piece but have only put a couple of shells through it. I have done a little research on it and from what I found it was made by Mossberg in the 60s for Montgomery Ward's. It's one of those in my collection that I don't see myself ever really using but not sure if I'd want to get rid of it. I realize it's not a sought after gun but sometimes I think I'd rather have a single shot 410 instead, for a yard(snake gun). Thoughts? Keep it? Sell it?

As noted, they aren't worth much on the open market. They are great shotguns for kids and beginners. I killed my first pheasant and duck with a Mossberg 185D in 20 gauge. If you want to sell yours, send me some photos and price proposal. mark at cardinalguns dot com

I never had any desire for these so would sell it if at all possible. I would hope to get my original investment back and chalk the time and materials to "restore" it up to experience. If I didn't want to sell it myself, I would look for a pawn shop to sell to as that is where I see these guns the most. They may not sell very well in the listed $140-170 as the local pawn shops seem to have a steady inventory of them.

Those bolt action shotguns were quite popular with beginners, farmers and poor country folks around here who just liked to hunt back in the 60's and '70's. I inherited one when my father in law died. It was the only gun he ever owned and was used primarily for pest control around the farm. I look at them as an interesting piece of history from a bygone and sorely missed era.

I would keep it and assign it to rough detail down in the barn or beside the front door.

Thanks. Yeah I'll probably just keep it in the shed out back

I just happen to have a 1969 Montgomery Ward fall/winter catalog on hand so I looked it up. That gun with adjustable c-lekt choke barrel retailed for 44.95 and with fixed choked barrel 39.95. The Western Field model 100 break open single shot on the next page sold for 37.95.

It's hard to imagine it wasn't that long ago that folks owned just a couple guns at most and many couldn't shell out the coin for a pump gun. How times have changed.

Good leave it at camp gun.

My first gun was a .410 this style, killed a bunch of critters with it. Its by no means a status symbol but definitely a cool small game getter.

Makes a good barn gun.

My first shot gun was similar...hawthorn was the name...bolt action 20. The first shells I used were high brass #4 s..that thing was light and kicked hard...I rescued it from the loft of my dads barn when I was about 12.. The bolt was rusted closed but I soaked it in diesel and got it freed up..I re blued and refinished the stock...I could knock down a phesant as well as anyone with a 12 ..couldn't hit a quail with it to save my life tho..probably to tight a choke my guess...I still have it and will probably keep it...I have been tempted to hunt Turkey with it...

I bought a Mossberg 20 GA bolt gun for #3 son as a youth turkey gun. He took several turkeys with it before graduating to 12 GA 2 3/4"

My grandpa, born in 1892, had one of those. May have been the only gun he owned.

shaman, that is a great picture. Hope we never forget from whence we came. Give the young man a 'high-five'.