Info on a Wards Westernfield SB85TA???

Need some help id'ing the age and value of a rifle i looked at today. It is a Wards Western Field model SB85TA AKA Stevens model 85. I saw it today in a pawn shop and they are selling it for a pretty reasonable price i think but i would like to have a little more info on it.


What is cool about it is it has an adjustable "recoil plug" to match the ammo being used. It also has a Ventilated breech, which must be related to the adjustable recoil, which enables 'weaker' ammo to cycle the action. Rifle looks very well made; the trigger group looks very well engineered and machined.

Found a little info in an E-Bay add.

"Stevens Models 87 (tubular magazine) and 85 (clip magazine) rifles are instantly adjustable as autoloaders, bolt action repeaters or single shot rifles. This exclusive 3 in 1 feature allows a ready choice of either rapid fire, or more deliberate precise, bolt action shooting."

hi mjstef,
this one's got me stumped. i've never seen one or heard of the 3 in 1 feature. it could possibly be very rare and a professional appraisal would be in order. if i ran across one and it was reasonable i'ld pick it up just for the uniqueness of it. JMHO
Kim

The odd thing is it is not in any gun value books nor is the Stevens model 85. No one seems to have a clue.

Look at this. WTF model is this thing? It has to darn many different designations!!!

i can't believe they made alot of them if that's the case. i'ld snap it up if it were me.
kim

It followed me home this am!

We'll it shoots well and is a tack driver!! Cleaned and oiled it good before i took it out. It is stovepiping quite a bit though. Can't figure out why...........

glad it shoots well, all i could suggest would be to try a slightly larger brush in the chamber. i'm not familar with the mechanism or the adjustments but if you've cleaned it well i would almost have to be a wear issue. JMHO
Kim