Revelation 350 Shotgun Info History

[arakboss]

I looked at a Revelation Model 350 12ga with 18"ish barrel that caught my eye today. From what I have read it is a store branded version of the Stevens Model 94? I handled it and it breaks open fine. Are these generally reliable what problems might I want to look for? The hammer has a fairly heavy pull and trigger is ok. Sorry no pics.

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[Alexx1401]

That was the name the old Western Auto stores used. As you mentioned all their guns were made by the big makers and just marked for them. These used to be common to find great deals. Guns sold by them, Wards, Sears, ect. As always the only downside would be parts if something was to break. Sure there is still sites that will let you look it up by Serial # and tell you when and who made it for sure. Kind of miss the days when guns like this were all over in pawn shops at great prices.

 

[DeanMk]

I looked at a Revelation Model 350 12ga with 18"ish barrel that caught my eye today. From what I have read it is a store branded version of the Stevens Model 94? I handled it and it breaks open fine. Are these generally reliable what problems might I want to look for? The hammer has a fairly heavy pull and trigger is ok. Sorry no pics.

Was this a brand new gun?
"Revelation 350", or at least "Revelation", was as Alexx mentioned in his most excellent post.
However, it seems like I've seen mention of the Revelation name recently in new guns.
If that's what you're asking about, chances are good that it is a Turkish gun of dubious quality.
The 18"ish barrel length mentioned in your post has me thinking, because that length was never offered by any of the gun makers back then (although, I suppose someone could special order such a barrel, but the idea would've seemed fairly preposterous back then).
I suppose someone could've cut the barrel down, though.
However, if the gun seems, or is being offered as, "brand new" and it has an 18" barrel (approx.), I'd say it was probably made in Turkey...and probably is one.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

It is a store branded Stevens model 94 shotgun.

These are good simple shotguns and work well for grouse . ( among many other critters )

If you get it...take some time to pattern it...and remember that it is a fairly light shotgun...
So heavy loads , like those for duck or geese will make for heavy recoil .
Light trap and skeet loads....and even heavy field loads of the #6 and #7 1/2 will be pleasant to shoot.
Andy

 

[DeanMk]

It is a store branded Stevens model 94 shotgun.

These are good simple shotguns and work well for grouse . ( among many other critters )

If you get it...take some time to pattern it...and remember that it is a fairly light shotgun...
So heavy loads , like those for duck or geese will make for heavy recoil .
Light trap and skeet loads....and even heavy field loads of the #6 and #7 1/2 will be pleasant to shoot.
Andy

Limbsaver or even a good ol' red rubber Pachmayr will calm those loads down quite effectively.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Limbsaver or even a good ol' red rubber Pachmayr will calm those loads down quite effectively.

As will re-shaping the stock...at times the comb is too high and will give yer cheek a good wack...
Andy

 

[Alexx1401]

Limbsaver or even a good ol' red rubber Pachmayr will calm those loads down quite effectively.

First time I ever bought one of those "universal" pads was for a Revelation shotgun I got a screaming deal on. Cut it down to 18" and it made a dandy upland gun. Short, light, easy to swing. At home kept it with full house loads and those beat hell out of me first time out. So I bought one of those pads that you could slip over and made a world of difference. I beat hell out of that gun for a long time. Sold it for more than I paid for it many years later still cranking along great.

 

[DeanMk]

As will re-shaping the stock...at times the comb is too high and will give yer cheek a good wack...
Andy

As is having a stock of the proper length, so it doesn't smack you in the shoulder like a pro boxer, every time you shoot.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I would much rather have a coach gun/street howitzer personally. More useful, fun, and attractive imo. Plus you can give em' both barrels at once if u want.

 

[Stomper]

As will re-shaping the stock...at times the comb is too high and will give yer cheek a good wack...
Andy

Ahhhhh…… getting your cheek smacked! That takes me back to this one time in a cantina in Comayagua Honduras in '86… when I walked up to this sweet young thing and tried out the head-start Spanish they pumped us full of for three months before we deployed down there (the first time).

I thought I bombed out at first, but it turns out that's how the women down there initiate foreplay, but I digress!

 

[arakboss]

Was this a brand new gun?
"Revelation 350", or at least "Revelation", was as Alexx mentioned in his most excellent post.
However, it seems like I've seen mention of the Revelation name recently in new guns.
If that's what you're asking about, chances are good that it is a Turkish gun of dubious quality.
The 18"ish barrel length mentioned in your post has me thinking, because that length was never offered by any of the gun makers back then (although, I suppose someone could special order such a barrel, but the idea would've seemed fairly preposterous back then).
I suppose someone could've cut the barrel down, though.
However, if the gun seems, or is being offered as, "brand new" and it has an 18" barrel (approx.), I'd say it was probably made in Turkey...and probably is one.

This was a used and older looking gun. The furniture was black.

 

[DeanMk]

This was a used and older looking gun. The furniture was black.

Ok then, like Alexx and Andy were saying.
Rebranded Western Auto, which was a rebranded Stevens 94.
Still better than most like items you can get today.
My brother has a 16 gauge 94. Got it in the mid 60's and it's still his only shotgun.

 

[Dust2Dollars]

Essentially a Savage Model 94D sold through Western Auto. The 94D being based (if not an identical design) on the Stevens 94.

 

[DeanMk]

Essentially a Savage Model 94D sold through Western Auto. The 94D being based (if not an identical design) on the Stevens 94.

How do you know its a D and not an A, B, C or E?
I've never run across any explanation of the letter suffixes.

 

[Dust2Dollars]

Just a best guess situation on the (D).
The Stevens Model 94 was made in various letter designations from 1937 to 1984.
It's seems the (D) is the most common anymore.

 

[Dust2Dollars]

How do you know its a D and not an A, B, C or E?
I've never run across any explanation of the letter suffixes.

The letters are a simple designation that referenced a change in the model.

If I remember right one was for a change to the extractor.
A change is the design would prompt a new letter.

 

[DeanMk]

Just a best guess situation on the (D).
The Stevens Model 94 was made in various letter designations from 1937 to 1984.
It's seems the (D) is the most common anymore.

Interesting.
I've heard the original run of 94's lasted from 1929 to 1961, but then the model was reintroduced at a later date.
It does appear in the 1981 catalogue, because I have that one.
My brother's shotgun is a 94C. He got it at a garage sale in the mid 60's, but he thinks it was probably made in the 50's (a guess on his part).
Unfortunately, there are no serial's on these guns to use to date them.
There was a letter stamp inside the receiver that is sometimes used as a date code, but that practice only last from 1949 to 1957.
Of course, after the '68 gun act, all guns got serials, so those 94's that were made after that would have a serial number.
I've never seen a decoder for those guns, though.

 

[DeanMk]

The letters are a simple designation that referenced a change in the model.

If I remember right one was for a change to the extractor.
A change is the design would prompt a new letter.

Sorry, my post was a bit ambiguous.
I realize that the letter suffixes denote changes to the model.
I was asking what, specifically, those individual changes were.

 

[arakboss]

This shotgun sold but now they have a Brazilian made SS Kresgee (blue light special) break open 20ga shotgun in stock for $130 asking price.

 

[DeanMk]

This shotgun sold but now they have a Brazilian made SS Kresgee (blue light special) break open 20ga shotgun in stock for $130 asking price.

Kresge's (SS Kresge, that is) is a chain of department stores on the east coast.
The west coast version was K-Mart.
Are there any other identifying marks on the gun?
Maybe a picture or two might help.

EDIT: just found this - https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=584950
If its in good shape, $130 wouldn't be out of the question.
If it were me, and they seemed in a dealin' mood, I might try to talk'em down to a century note.

Here's a short video on the .410 version of that gun...