Stevens--Looking for Model and Birth Date
- Thread starter jpc
- Start date
Stevens
First of all, you GOTTA learn to post more information. There is lots of info on the rifle that will help us identify it. The pictures help, but are not the whole thing.
BIGGIE is Calibre. Is it .22, .25, or .32, and are there any other words like .32 STEVENS or similar.
Does it say FAVORITE on it, either on the barrel or the tang of the receiver behind the hammer.
Hazarding a guess, I would say a Stevens Favorite, made before 1915 (based on the "J Stevens A & T Co." writing)
There are usually no serial numbers on these mass produced rifles. Serial numbers were not required before 1968 in the USA. There is some question on the numbers stamped on the barrel.....a Serial Number, or an Assembly Number?
Always open the breech block if you are going to take the barrel off. The projection under the receiver ahead of the lever is the barrel locking screw.
.
First of all, you GOTTA learn to post more information. There is lots of info on the rifle that will help us identify it. The pictures help, but are not the whole thing.
BIGGIE is Calibre. Is it .22, .25, or .32, and are there any other words like .32 STEVENS or similar.
Does it say FAVORITE on it, either on the barrel or the tang of the receiver behind the hammer.
Hazarding a guess, I would say a Stevens Favorite, made before 1915 (based on the "J Stevens A & T Co." writing)
There are usually no serial numbers on these mass produced rifles. Serial numbers were not required before 1968 in the USA. There is some question on the numbers stamped on the barrel.....a Serial Number, or an Assembly Number?
Always open the breech block if you are going to take the barrel off. The projection under the receiver ahead of the lever is the barrel locking screw.
.
greyman441
CGN Regular
- Location
- Wasaga Beach, ON
These serial numbers never told the date of the these guns. The numbers that are on it were identification number when they were being produced. The is a takedown model Stevens Favorite falling block .25 Stevens long rifle. These guns were produced from 1901 to 1915. Then newer models were produced up to 1928. The gun looks pretty original except for the sight and looks like someone has redid the stock. That is a good cheap Stevens collector gun. Not really a cheap shooter because .25 Stevens long rifle is $1.50 a round. $75 for a box of 50. Ellwood epps in Orillia sells these shells but because the rounds are so expensive people usually just keep them for wall hangers.
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
greyman441
CGN Regular
- Location
- Wasaga Beach, ON
No problem. Glad to help
Best bet for it is to reline the barrel to .22 rimfire, or better, fit a new barrel, fit a matching extractor, and take it out shooting.
Keep it away from the High-Vel ammo. Standard speed is the ticket. The action is not real strong, and relies on the strength of the mostly unsupported cross screw at the front of the breech block, to hold the round in place. The screw bends a fair bit. I've seen several that were good for a ruptured case each time it was fired.
They are too new to be Antique status, ammo is too expensive to shoot it a lot, in the original caliber. Guys have butchered .22 Hornet brass into a CF case that they could load to modest levels. Always the risk with that of someone trying to get modern performance out of it...grenade in action, literally.
The "serial" number was to keep the parts together as they travelled through the plant. As far as anyone has been able to tell, they do not mean anything, and no records were kept, beyond bare production qty's. They recycled the numbers. Chances are good there are two or three others around with the same number, that have survived.
If you are good with basic info, look at the Frank DeHaas "Single Shot Rifles" series of books. The books by Grant go into a bit more detail of the variants and rough timelines for the different variant models.
Cheers
Trev
Keep it away from the High-Vel ammo. Standard speed is the ticket. The action is not real strong, and relies on the strength of the mostly unsupported cross screw at the front of the breech block, to hold the round in place. The screw bends a fair bit. I've seen several that were good for a ruptured case each time it was fired.
They are too new to be Antique status, ammo is too expensive to shoot it a lot, in the original caliber. Guys have butchered .22 Hornet brass into a CF case that they could load to modest levels. Always the risk with that of someone trying to get modern performance out of it...grenade in action, literally.
The "serial" number was to keep the parts together as they travelled through the plant. As far as anyone has been able to tell, they do not mean anything, and no records were kept, beyond bare production qty's. They recycled the numbers. Chances are good there are two or three others around with the same number, that have survived.
If you are good with basic info, look at the Frank DeHaas "Single Shot Rifles" series of books. The books by Grant go into a bit more detail of the variants and rough timelines for the different variant models.
Cheers
Trev
If it has the SVG stamp on the receiver it is 1920 or later, after Savage bought them out. Looks similar to the first model but I am not well versed in them. Mine does have 'favorite' engraved across the receiver.
