How hard to find an old 22??

darcy32171

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Just talked with my dad (76yrs old) tonight. He sure talked highly of an old 22 he used to own. He traded for a Ruger 10/22 a very long time ago and said he wishes he would have kept it. He said it was a Stevans Semi auto and you fed the shells through the tube. Can anyone tell me if these are easy to come by? Id sure like to surprise him and find one and give it to him!!!
 
87 series or the one before that, but i forget it. All of them are known as the "gill rifles" fire either semi or single repeater.
 
Believe it or not, I was asked last Friday if I would be interested in buying one. I was at a local auction that had some rifles for sale.
I will try and source it again this week.
257Roberts
 
87 series or the one before that, but i forget it. All of them are known as the "gill rifles" fire either semi or single repeater.
Ueah that was what he had said: you could use it as a single shot or semi.
That video sure does look like it, but then again....I was a very young tike when I last seen it. I highly doubt my Dad would remember the exact model number though. I sent him that video, will have to wait and see if he says it is exactly the same.
Back then, they used to grouse hunt and he didn`t like the fact of having a loaded gun in the car that couldn`t be easily unloaded if the warden pulled up, thus the reason of trading it. He did mention though that the local gunshop did give him a good trade-in value so he couldn`t resist.
 
The Stevens/Springfield/Savage .22 "gillers" are indeed quite common, but not when you are actually looking for one!:p

I have a haphazard collection of these rifles and am always looking to add different variations or better examples. I got fooled on one I bought at a gun show this Spring. It had a couple of differences , and I thought that is was just another model. It turned out to be made by different company after the copyrights had run out on the original. (I don't remember who made it, and I'm not at my house right now. :redface:)

The S/S/S models are rather odd in that if you hold the trigger back after firing, the action will stay open until you release the trigger.

All in all, great old rifles!:)
 
I have had several of them but chose to keep the nicest for myself. quite an accurate rifle and great for gophers. The hold open trigger option draws a lot of attention at the range too.
Mine is slotted for a scope, and called Stevens 87D but made by Savage Arms Corp., Chicopee Falls, Mass.
 
Funky gems for sure..
as stated:
-Accurate semis
-Gills are funky, but making it a single-shot is really funky
-Bunch out there (under different #'s87A/6S are tube fed, there are magazine fed too)
-bolt stays open until trigger is released
-Still affordable...there were 2 at SFRC's counter at 150, or less. I popped in to buy one and both long gone!

They make a very distinctive sound too!
 
87d

I scored a mint carbine version (20 inch barrel) of the 87D, with gold plated trigger, and chromed safety, take down screw and tube magazine mount. Also grooved for a scope. Thought it was a bubba until I did some research, apparently was a limited production run in 1959. Metal is 99%, wood has been tastefully redone. I can hardly wait to get out to the range to give it a go. I`ve always liked the gill guns for some reason.
 
They're a few premium models out there such as the 87M (military look)
20111109_201556_666-1.jpg


Or the 87J/ C.I.L.227 Has monte carlo stock with nice wood and improved action that can cycle shorts in semi mode.
22%201.jpg_thumbnail1.jpg


There are probably alot more cool gill rifles out there but these two are my fav.
 
The 87J is very interesting...

I have the 87C (without mount grooves ) .It's been flawless in action and plenty accurate .Fit , finished VG and built tough.
Bought mine in '79 from the original owner , and is my go-to bunnie gun still today.

87c7.jpg


The 87M is actually a 87A
There are many other varients
87mg.jpg
 
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