It means your Montgomery Ward branded gun was made by Savage/Stevens and is identical to the Stevens model 94B.
If the number is engraved and not stamped then it was done by a previous owner and not Colt. It could mean anything.
The model number should be stamped on the barrel just above the trigger guard.
Could be an inspection number.
Yes and it dates the gun at 1939
Generally it is stamped on the side or top of the barrel near the receiver.
It should be stamped on the side of the receiver.
THE NUMBER IS A PRODUCTION NUMBER NOT A MODEL NUMBER. I HAVE USED THAT NUMBER TO IDENTIFY PARTICULAR GUNS IN MY COLLECTION BUT, I AM NOT CERTAIN IT CAN BE CALLED A SERIAL NUMBER EITHER.
Depends on whether it is an NFA item or a C&R
Stevens 12ga. /mod dhead naught
Can be found on the left side of the weapon just above trigger housing.
The serial number in modern guns is stamped into the portion of the gun that is considered the receiver by the ATF where it will be visible. For most steel pistols this would be on the side of the frame If the gun has a plastic frame, such as a Glock pistol, a strip of metal is stamped with the serial number and is molded into the frame. For some pistols, like Kel-Tec, the receiver is not the frame but the metal frame insert and the serial number is on the rear of the insert under the hammer slot. On revolvers the serial number is usually stamped on the butt portion of the frame. Sometimes grips need to be removed to see it. Sometimes the serial number or the last digits of the serial number are also stamped onto other parts of the gun, such as the slide, to identify the parts as belonging to that particular gun, however, the only serial number that matters legally is always on the frame.
A whole number has no portion.