My Grandfather’s Gun: The Revelation Bolt Action

It was stored in a forgotten corner of my grandparents’ house for an unknown number of years. After their passing, it was used as a decoration in a room in my parents’ house that I had never really been in. It hung there above the door for a few years, adding to the western theme of the room’s decor. Then my parents moved to a smaller place. They had no need for the knick knacks and such from that room in their new home. So then the gun was passed to me. I don’t really remember the exact time frame when I came to possess this gun. I do know that, at the time, I didn’t have the interest in guns that I have now. It was a while before I even unwrapped it from the towel it was handed to me in. I knew, however, I would never get rid of it. My grandfather was a great man and this reminder of him was precious to me. There was just a lot going on in my life at the time and I didn’t have time to spend with this gun. Looking back, I rather regret that.

As my interest in guns increased, so did my desire to find out more about this gun. There was also an unending urge to see this gun restored to the shiny, working condition it so deserved to be in.

In my research of the history of this gun, I learned a lot about the firearms industry and just how our attitude towards guns has changed over the years. I’m not speaking in purely political terms, because that is forbidden on this site. I’m speaking more about the access to firearms overall. You’ll see what I mean soon enough.

First off, let’s look at the mechanics of the gun itself. Most people today, when they see a bolt action they immediately think “rifle”. Admittedly, that was my first thought when I saw this gun. It turns out, however, that this is a bolt action, .410 shotgun. I’ll let that sink in for a moment. A shotgun…with a bolt action. They sure as heck don’t make them like that anymore! The bolt action shotguns were a kind of stepping stone between the break actions and the pump actions. They didn’t last long either. Most of the bolt action shotguns only held 3 rounds so the 6 round pump actions were much more desirable. Consumer demand drives production and the bolt action shotgun disappeared from the market and memories of the firearm industry.

So where did it come from? This particular gun was built by a company called “Revelation”. I wouldn’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of that brand. I would be surprised, however, if you haven’t heard of that company’s real name.  Much like the Kenmore brand is just Whirlpool appliances repackaged and sold exclusively at Sears, Revelation is another name for Mossberg (and a couple others, as it turns out). Revelations were rebranded Mossbergs to be sold exclusively for Western Auto Parts stores.

And Bam! An M. Night Shyamalan twist in the story! You read that right: this gun was bought at an auto parts store! Western Auto wasn’t like your typical Pep Boys retail store that you know today. They were a pretty massive mail order catalog company similar to Sears, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penney at the time. The difference was that Western Auto pretty much only sold auto parts at first. Sometime in the 1940s, Western Auto started selling rifles and shotguns through their catalogs. They weren’t the only ones either. All the major catalog chains sold firearms that were rebranded for their stores. You could be getting Mossbergs, Remingtons, Winchesters, Savage Arms or High Standard guns and never know! Even crazier better, at one point you could order a Thompson Machine Gun from Sears and it would be delivered right to your door. No need for an FFL or even a background check! Talk about a whole different mentality towards firearms!

But I digress. Mossberg wasn’t the only manufacturer that was rebranded as “Revelation” for Western Auto. Depending on the gun you purchased, you could be buying either a Savage or a Marlin as well. All three companies sold their guns under the Revelation name. This lasted until the late 60s when the stores all stopped selling guns due to political and societal pressures.

Let’s talk about the features of this gun: In short, there aren’t many. In order to keep prices competitive, these store brand guns were the absolute basic models. You see, stores wanted something to sell and the manufacturers didn’t want to be undercut. So if you wanted a cheap gun, you bought their gun from Western Auto or Sears. If you wanted something with some toys features, you had to go to a real gun seller and get the real brand name. In this case, you get a single brass dot for a front sight, a blued barrel, and a solid wood stock (I’m not sure if it’s birch or walnut).

As far as the condition, I’ve got some work to do to it. There’s some corrosion on the outside of the barrel and it desperately need to be re-blued. The stock is in surprisingly good condition, however. After a quick wipedown with some Ballistol it looks almost new (yes, you can use that stuff for polishing wood and it works great!).

In terms of the functions of the gun, it feels great. The trigger is really crisp and the bolt moves smoothly. The only thing that worries me is the condition of the barrel. I plan on taking it to a local gunsmith to get it looked at in the near future.

I want this gun working. It deserves to be in working condition. Not only to honor the unique history of the gun itself but the great man that bought it.

---

Like what you read?  GunNoob is now part of Pew Pew Tactical.  Check out the rest of our awesome resources:

• Ultimate AR-15 Guide
• Beginner's Guide to Guns
• DIY Gunsmithing
• Gear & Gun Reviews