not military but this could be the place

[ocrambones]

Hello Everyone, I have a stevens 520, Dont know jack about this one other than it appears to be an early model, serial number u 322xx It says Ranger on left side 12 ga Browning patent proof tested on barrel. Picked it up at auction for 175 just cause i liked it but there seems to be a problem, when its (dry) fired you have to push slide forward to release, I took barrel off (very kewl take down) and the slide spring does not look right to me, It just sticks out from the top and I think it should go under, Does anybody know if that is the problem? Also, Do you know if the Barrel has been cut, I haven't seen civilian models online with this short barrel Any other info on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ocrambones

[JohnMOhio]

OC, what I happen to have in one of my books is as follows: Slide action: 12,16,20 gauge,5 shot magazine, 30" barrel, weighs 7 1/2 lbs. checker American walnut stock, forend, safety inside trigger guard, made exclusively for Sear, Roebuck, marketed as Sears Ranger, intorducted 1915, discontinued about 1930. Sorry I could not be of more help to you regarding your other questions.

[Tom Doniphon]

Have you actually fired the shotgun yet? I think what you are experiencing during dry firing is actually part of the safety mechinism similar to the safeties found on Winchester repeating shotguns. When you fire a live round, the rearward motion of the gun unlocks the safety mechinism which releases the action slide bar. Because you are dry firing the gun, there is no rearward motion like there is when firing a live round. So after you dry fire you have to slightly push the action bar forward to release this safety.

[JimF]

Tom is correct.
I noticed with mine (16 ga., Montgomery Ward, Model 35) that when the gun heats up from a string of trap shooting, it's difficult to "take down" 'til it cools some.
I think the point of impact also shifts a bit as it heats up.
The magazine is difficult to un-screw 'til it cools.
Ole' John Browning sure designed a "bank-vault" type of take down mechanism, eh? --Jim

[emmagee1917]

Yep. When you chamber a round , the slide locks forward . When you shoot , the recoil forces you to push forward on the pump , releasing the lock so you are now able to cycle the action.
Chris

[ocrambones]

Thanks for the replies, found out that spring is correct, gun has been cut and re-blued, payed all the money for it but i like it, and cant wait to try it out.
Thanks again
Ocram.....

[chuckindenver]

check the locking lug at the top of the action, make real sure it has no cracks or peening wear from being slam fired .

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Where the barrel screws up into the receiver you will see ****, how many are there?

[ocrambones]

Locking lug looks good no cracks etc. Not sure what you mean about barrel screwing into receiver, it doesn't, it looks like the barrel and the funny block are one piece. The bottom tube screws on and i just do that hand tight. sorry, not sure what you mean by (****)
The barrel was 21 1/2 and whoever did it did not do a very good job so today i cut it down again to 18 and blued the end, Looks better and it probably goes faster now.
This shotgun will fire automatically every time you pump it if your holding down the trigger, a neat feature i think, it is alright to operate in that fashion?
Thanks again
Ocram....

[ocrambones]

Just found em for sale at sears, Cheap!!!