Local gun shop got in a Mossberg M46B in particularly nice condition. Has the vintage 4x Mossberg scope mounted (grooved receiver). It is a full size rifle and I was impressed with the quality of the rifle; walnut stock, very nice bluing, fit/finish, etc.

I've did an initial 'net search and have confirmed it's a version of the 46B. As mentioned it has a grooved receiver for scope mounts, tubular magazine, and marked S-L-LR.

It does have a bolt handle that is a bit different than what I'm finding photos of; the bolt handle is 'T' shaped with the handle end being somewhat cylindrical rather than a round knob.

Anybody know what that style of bolt handle is referred to amongst Mossberg collectors?

Also curious if the grooved receiver indicates a post WWII manufacture rather than 1938-40?

UPDATE: It is a 146B (1949-54?) with the 'T' handle. It followed me home.

I have a Montgomery Ward version of a 146B, I think. It matches my Dad's first rifle which my brother has. They have a dog leg bolt and not the cylindrical bolt handle. They are a "man sized" rifle. Mine has the Montgomery Wards rimfire scope still with the hang tag and box. Fun guns and very accurate.

I have my Fathers. The one that nearly got him killed by my Mother about two years after they got married.

Her younger brother had a pilot's license and used to fly over the field my Father was working in and land. He owned the 46B and my Mother had saved "Butter & Egg*" money for a year to surprise him with a nice Savage/Stevens 20 gauge SxS. They would work the fencelines for rabbits in season, and the timber for squirrels. If they froze, Uncle Louis shot them with the 22. If they ran, my Father dealt with them with the 20 gauge. My uncle was doing about 80% of the shooting, and offered to trade my Father. IN what I can only figure was a temporary fit of insanity, he traded. That was great, he shot a lot of vermin off the tractor with that rifle as well as rabbits and squirrels.

Sadly, the next Thanksgiving when the family got together to enjoy a Turkey and some fat squirrels for dinner; my Mother began to brag up my Father and that killing machine 20 gauge double. When she went to the living room closet and drug the gun case out, the 46B emerged instead of the 20 gauge. If she had not been pregnant with me, my brother Ed jr might have been an only child. As it was, I did not get a younger brother for seven years.
Some women know how to hold a grudge...

Rich

* "Butter & Egg Money" was how farm women made their own spending money. They had chickens they raised for the eggs and meat, and a milk cow or two they milked and hand churned for butter. Saturdays we all went to town, and my Mother sold the eggs and butter, bought feed, and herself nice things. If my brother and I had a good week, we had trapped several rats and got hard candy. Does anybody but me remember horehound drops?