I've just acquired a Wards Western Field Model EJN 750 in .308. It is built on a Sako L57 action. It's an interesting proprietary "store brand" gun with stock and barrel features that appear to have been meant to mimic the popular Winchester Model 70 of the day. I'm guessing that it was put together for Wards by Hi Standard, but have no positive information. Anyone know or able to hazard an informed guess?

IIRC, Wards used the "Western Field" name for its guns, but may have also used a person's name on some products like Sears used "J.C. Higgins", and later "Ted Williams" on its guns and sporting goods (Trivia Warning: Sears also used "Catfish Hunter" on some of its very last proprietary sporting goods.) Does anyone recall what name Wards might have used? Also, J.C. Penney's had a proprietary line of sporting goods with a person's name (likely fictitious like "J.C. Higgins"). Does anyone know that name?

BTW: The Western Auto stores used "Revelation" for their store brand guns -- mostly made by Savage, I believe.

I had JC Higgins with FN Mauser action made by High Standard (s/a High Standard High Power Deluxe rifle). Your rifle was probably made by Harrison and Richardson.

I have an older "Ranger" single-shot 22 rifle.
Dunno who marketed that name.

quote:

Originally posted by conifer:
I have an older "Ranger" single-shot 22 rifle.
Dunno who marketed that name.

"Ranger" rings a bell. Could that have been J.C. Penney? The defunct White Auto that was headquartered in Wichita Falls, Texas may have also had a store brand.

Seems like Wards may have also used the brand name "Signature", but I'm not sure if they used it for sporting goods.

quote:

Originally posted by Paolo9,5x73:
I had JC Higgins with FN Mauser action made by High Standard (s/a High Standard High Power Deluxe rifle). Your rifle was probably made by Harrison and Richardson.

Harrison & Richardson did build rifles on the Sako actions, but their production was well after the L57 had been replaced with the L579.

Colt marketed some rifles with L57 actions, but they looked quite a bit different from the Wards rifle I have so I don't believe it was made by Colt. Besides, the Colt-Sakos I've seen appear to have Sako-made barrels and this Wards does not.

Too bad there's not a way to sample a gun's DNA to find out who made it.

Stonecreek: I had a Model 94 Winchester, that was made for Western Auto, I can't remember the name they used, but I am fairly certain, it was not Revelation. Sorry all I can remember. Now that I think about it, it could have been a Wards. Traded it, and a Golden State Arms Santa Fe, in 300 Win Mag, for a Model 77 Ruger in 220 Swift, back in 1974.

Jerry

Winchester made their 94's for several proprietary marketers. They usually had a birch stock in the place of walnut and some small shortcuts like no sight hood. But they were Model 94's just the same.

I saw a Marlin Model 57 lever action .22 LR for sale a few weeks ago with the Wards brand on it. I was sorely tempted since the Marlin 57 was my first gun and it seemed that I couldn't miss with it as a youngster.