M77E Stevens Trenchgun pictures

[harold]

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[harold]

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[harold]

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[harold]

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[harold]

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[harold]

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[harold]

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[Tom Doniphon]

scosgt stated in the prior thread, "I have heard that the armorers did retrofit adapters to some guns over there." That is apparently true. A number of years ago an armorer stated on one of the shotgun forums that he had done just that. He also claimed it was done pursuant to written order and that he seemed to recall they used Stevens heat shields. But the subject gun is not one of those. If anyone has Swearengen's book on "The Worlds Fighting Shotguns", there is a photo of a 77E on page 286 that appears to have the same type bayonet adaptor as Harold's shotgun. Swearengen states in his book that in the 60s, "the U.S. Army contracted with Savage for a small quantity of Model 77E guns equipped with a bayonet adaptor..." He says these adaptors were shorter in height and were to be used with an experimental bayonet/knife, but that the bayonet was never adopted. He goes on to further state that these bayo adaptors were later sold off to law enforcement. Who actually put the adaptor on Harold's gun? We may never know.

Harold, is there a hole on the front of the adaptor? If so, it is one of the adaptors that Swearengen is talking about. Rather than having a ring to slip over the barrel of the gun, the experimental bayonet had a pin that slipped into this hole on the front of the adaptor.

[harold]

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[James B.]

So that's what those handguards were used for. I've seen these at shows from time to time but figured they were made by aftermarket companies for commercial use or for Police depts.; I always passed them by.....in the past. Odd looking, I mean, Allen head cap screws and made for a US M5 bayonet? Go figure.
Harold:
Are there any markings on the adapter? What did they do with the sight bead hole in the barrel, filled in or left open? In your pics. it sort of looks like the heat shield is blued, is the adapter the same way or parked?
Cool gun, thanks for the pics.
JB