Another Hijack. Would the Mach 2 be an option to get Stevens favorite .32 rifles usable again? Sounds like a great plinker gun.
Not really.
The Favorite is a bit sketchy on High Speed rated .22 ammo.
Stick to "Standard" velocity ammo and they last a lot longer. There are no 'lower' pressure loads available in 17M2.
The longer version is that they were built both to take the pressures of BP .22 and .25, and .32 ammo, and they were built as cheaply as possible. Part of the problem is that the two screws that the action pivots upon are not fully supported, allowing them to both flex a little. There is no physical lock-up of the breech block against a shoulder when they are closed, the pivot screw for the breech block, and the pivot screw for the lever carry the whole load. With the wear of the century more or less since new, this is made worse, and rims separating is a pretty common occurrence in many of them. Wear safety glasses.
If you want a Stevens Favorite, buy one of the new ones. Or a Model 44, which makes a pretty reasonable Rimfire gun. Stevens made the Model 44 in a couple larger calibers, but quit in a hurry. But they hold up OK as a .22.
The Favorites were pretty good for what they were, which was as a Boy's gun, to be bought cheaply and worn out. Try to keep that in mind. A good one is a better resale candidate as a collectible, than as a conversion candidate. The worn out ones are a bunch of work for not much reward. A good hobby, but not a means to a really decent firearm.
I'm down to just a couple Favorites. I like them well enough, but am pretty well aware of what they are actually fit for. In a perfect world, that would mean a conversion to a .22 Short chamber for mine. But liners for Short twist rate are none too common, nor are barrels.
Cheers
Trev
