[unclepaddy]

I have a Stevens model 520 that shows considerable wear and is missing the spring that keeps the action locked. It's been around and I would say the bluing is about 75% and the stock is in fair shape with some cracking on the fore end but no missing wood. If my limited research is correct, it would be worth about 100 bucks or so if I fixed it mechanically, and ignored the cosmetics. I like the look of the gun. It's cool looking in a "retro-clunky-mechanical way", but it's a beast of a thing and quite heavy for a pump. It's made out of a major chunk of steel! It doesn't appear to have any of the "trench-gun" markings that would make it collectible.
I wonder if anyone here has one, and could offer an opinion on how it shoots, and so forth. I'm trying to decide on parting it out, trading it etc, and I don't want it hanging around in it's present, dangerous condition.

 

[Goatwhiskers]

If it's the action bar lock spring they are available from Numrich. You may possibly have a very early model which used an inertia bar to unlock the action. It mounted in a groove in the left side of the trigger group, not visible without disassembly. These are not available, but the group can be converted to use the more modern spring if you want to mess with it. Goatwhiskers the Elder

 

[M1894]

I have the same one only marked Savage, They are the same just marked diffrent. customer brought it in to the shop with a 12 inch barrel,and a missing action bar and wanted it repaired. I told him what it would cost, and he decided that he didn't want it any more. Removed the old barrel and destroyed it. found one on gunparts site with a cutts Comp with removable choke tubes. Cost to rebuild was $58.00 and some change. Ended up doing a complete rebuild including a rebuild of the action bar, reblue, and stock refinish. It is a very smooth action with great balance for shooting skeet. Almost feels like a Model 12. (both are heavy)

 

[unclepaddy]

It turned out to be a simple fix. Someone (probably the same guy that buggered up all the screw heads) had re-assembled it with the left side of the split spring under it's fulcrum point rather than on top. It was pushing the catch the wrong way. The right side of this split spring is the trigger spring, and it's sandwiched under the hammer spring by a common bolt. I thank you guys for your help. I am assuming I must have a very early model with what was referred to above as an inertia bar. It's a rather large elaborately contoured piece of nickel-alloy flat stock that basically acts as a cam on the disconnect. Anyway, the NRA assembly manual and the Numrich illustration both don't show it, so I guess it's an oldie. The insides of the thing look like they were made by a blacksmith with a hammer and tongs and without a forge. Rather primitive. I'll give it a try once it's cleaned up and I'll keep it if it works decently.

 

[unclepaddy]

Well,
I fired the thing, and the action stays locked up now. It has so much wear and tear and it's getting discouraging. I don't know if it's interesting enough to tear down again. I see how the inertia bar is supposed to work, but it doesn't. Any suggestions, or should I just go cry in my beer?