I have recently purchased this Wards Western field 4M 488A rifle (.22 rifle). I was given the story that it is a model that was discontinued because it was easily modified to fire full auto, therefore few were sold. The rounds are tube loaded thru the stock. I want to know if the history on this gun is accurate and who may have built this piece and an approx. value. It is a nice piece and I believe it must have been built in the late 60s or early 70's.
Thanks

Numrich's cross reference list shows the 488A to be the Mossberg Model 51, produced only in 1939. The 51 was apparently a varient of the model 50, produced from 1939 to 1942. Production shut down more than likely to WWII, not because it would be easy to convert. I don't know of any huge collectability of Mossbergs, but there might be something out there.

I come across those every so often normally hold a price tag of only about 50 bucks but old mossbergs are coming up in the world and their values are increasing.