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All of the factory records were burned by Westinghouse right after WW1, to avoid having them become evidence a Congressional inquiry. By my own survey, which I've only just started, a 46xxx s/n would put it somewhere in the mid to late '20s. Manufacture of the plain Model 44 ended in about 1932, (according to Frank deHaas). The highest s/n I've seen on a.25-20, (so far) is 52xxx. It's possible to date some Model 44s a little closer, when they are in the 1894 to 1903 area, due to feature changes which can be correlated to dated catalogs. Catalogs are the only signposts we have, unless somebody has an original sales receipt with date, or some other such document.
It's also pretty certain that anything in a caliber bigger than.32-20 is pre-1903. In that year they started with the Model 44 1/2, and dropped the 44 action for everything but.22LR,.25 Stevens,.32 Long RF,.25-20,.32-20, and maybe.25-21 on special order.
It seems to me that there were no obvious feature changes in run-of-the-bog Model 44s after 1903, but I haven't looked very hard at the post-WW1 (i.e. Savage ownership) period. Model 414, which used the 44 action, was 1912 to 1932. The Model 417, which was.22LR only and had a plain round barrel and other features, started in 1933, when the 414 was discontinued, and ran until 1947. Naruto shippuden ultimate ninja storm revolution nosteam crack.
I have read that serial numbers of those get into the 60xxx range. Never seen one to verify, though. I'm open to correction on any statement I've made, so fire away. The 417 was available in.22 short on special order.
Also in.22 Hornet for a brief time. The 417 1/2 was in addition available in.25 Stevens and.22 WRF.
I have a 417 1/2 in.22 Hornet. The 418 and the 418 1/2 was available in the same chambering's as the 417 and 417 1/2 with the exception of the.22 Hornet. I have a 418 1/2 in.22 Short and.25 Stevens. I have never seen a 417 1/2 in.22 Short,.25 Stevens, or.22 WRF. I am still looking for these. Dating the Stevens is pretty much impossible to pin down any closer than some year ranges as stated earlier. Makes it interesting and sometimes frustrating.
The source of my information is the 1933 Stevens catalog and my personal collection. Yes, that's the way those scopes were mounted from the factory. Note that there is no dovetail where the ordinary rear sight would have been. They specifically say in one of my catalogs that the normal dovetail will be omitted when the scope is specified.
I have seen the dovetail cut into the barrel just in front of the receiver for the rear ring itself to dovetail into, but hadn't encountered the rear barrel dovetail purposely cut larger than the dovetail size already existing on the rear ring itself. Seems strange to remove more metal than necessary, which then requires an adapter to 'fill the gap', so to speak. From what I've encountered, for the front dovetail, the dovetail cut on the front ring was cut sized to fit directly into the existing large Steven's size front dovetail. Always something new to see. Is it me or does the checkering look too coarse for factory checkering?
I have a 44 in.25-25, 6 o'clock extractor, serial #361XX if this helps any. Also have a 414, #784XX and one #672XX. My 417 1/2.22 Hornet is #1XX.
417-1.22 #4XX, 417 1/2 #3XX, 417 1/2.22 #24XX, 418 1/2.25 Stevens #G4XX, 418.22 Long Rifle #H9XX, 418 1/2.22 Short #21 H1X. No idea what the letter prefix means and the on the last one the 21 is done with a different stamp than the H1X and the 21 is in front of the front tang screw and the H1X is behind it and that stamping is similar to the other two.
The 21 is definitely from a different stamp and much more distinct. I haven't got a clue on these unless they are assembly #s like they used on the Favorites. I have more if needed but would prefer to pass any additional serial # info by PM. Just to add to the Stevens 44 action information: My Stevens Model 47 Range rifle is a 28-30 with a central extractor. SN is about 20200.
That puts the date of manufacture in the 1900-1903 period. This rifle has the dovetail near the receiver. Before I got the rifle (1967), someone put a folding buckhorn into that slot.
Now that I have learned something new (a common occurrence on this Forum), I have to put a long scope on the rifle. Another 47 is the 25-20 Stevens that I described in the thread about the.25 Hornet.
This has a #3 barrel with a.251 groove diameter and a 17' twist. That is a rimfire barrel installed on a 44 centerfire action (by Stevens), the SN on the barrel matches the SN on the tang and the 25-20 caliber stamp is definitely Stevens. SN is about 23000. My thoughts about this rifle is that this is what you got if you did not buy a Stevens-Pope.
My guess as to year is about 1905. A Plain Jane Model 44 in.25-20 Stevens has a SN about 48000. I have always thought this was a post-WW1 rifle, maybe from the 1920s. The wood is of a much lower quality than either of my 47s. No checkering on any of these rifles. Slumlord44, is the 44 centerfire rifle listed in your 1933 catalog?
A little summary so far: Highest number on my list with side extractor is 16260 - Gunbroker 415163717 Lowest number seen to date with centre extractor is 18040 - a model 45 DST owned by frankeore Grant wrote that the center extractor started in 1901. Highest number seen with screw pivots is 14542 - was on Gunbroker. Lowest number seen with two-piece bolts is 15329 - was on Gunbroker. In the 1903 catalog they tout the new design, so it must have been implemented between the 1900 catalog publication and 1903. According to catalogs, no centerfire Model 44 actions after 1903, except.25-20 and.32-20 Also from 1903 on the Models 45, 47, and up were on the 44 1/2 action, so any such on a 44 action must be 1903 or earlier.
Highest 44 action in a large centerfire caliber is 25423 - GunBroker 407393445 - a.32-40 Highest centerfire action to date is 52341, a.25-20, Gunbroker 410040824 Highest centerfire caliber barrel is 61674,.25 caliber in my collection. Highest Model 44 rimfire to date is 90039 - Gunbroker # 4216 catalog does not mention iany/i centerfire calibers for the Model 44, only.22/.25/.32 rimfires.
Stevens Shotgun Serial Number Lookup
All Model 44 style actions discontinued in 1932. Except model 417 which seems to have a new s/n series.
It is time to add my ideas. 1) Grant was right all swinging block Stevens large frames are in one serial number run. What my notes show is as follows Side plate actions low serial 41 high 1257 100 actions low 2023 high 2629 44 w/ one piece bolt and 7 o'clock extractor low 3267 high 14842 44 w/ two piece bolt and 7 o'clock extractor low 15329 high 16269 44 w/ two piece bolt and 6 o'clock extractor low 17108 high 62644 44 w trade mark stamped reciever and change to case colors low 71245 high My thinking is that the trade marked reciever and change in case color was the start of the Savage production. I think when one is accumulating serial number info on a maker who's records are gone, you need to be careful. Some general things will hold true, and often can come to some 'general' conclusions that apply to most guns.
But like many of the old gun makers, Stevens continued to assemble some 44 frames after the catalog dropped that model. They didn't just melt down all those 44 parts once they stopped cataloging the model.
You'll also find an occasional gun with odd features for the serial number range, as it was not uncommon for a gun maker to find parts in a corner of the factory and assemble them into later guns. The idea back then was to make money, and tossing new old parts was taboo if they could be incorporated into use and save money. Yes, so far as I know that's original. None of mine have a spring with a hole, and that includes my 1894 Model 108. Favorite model numbers are two digits, 17, 18, 20 for the smoothbore version, etc. Those 4 digit numbers that are so often referredeto are dates of introduction for new versions. As I get it, there are 1889s, then 1894, then 1915.
I saw and passed up what I now think was an 1889 at a gun show in April. Shoulda bought it, even though it was a wreck. I know little about Favorites, since I'm much more interested in the Model 12 and Model 101 in the boy's rifle category. All of the factory records were burned by Westinghouse right after WW1, to avoid having them become evidence a Congressional inquiry. Hi Phil - I certainly appreciate that you wish to help this person with his question/s.
At the same time, permit me to offer one addendum to your information. That being the fact that it was never proven by the available direct evidence that Westinghouse Corporation personnel ever destroyed business records belonging to the J. In order to impede the work of the U.S. However, I would hasten to add that some such allegations were alleged by certain individuals. That's a very common mainspring arrangement, both for Favorites and for 44's. The spring should have a slightly concave end to keep it indexed on the peg, and the metal at the rear of the frame and inletting in the grip area of the stock will keep it from wandering out in any case. There was a guy (think his name was John Kubelka or something) who sold aftermarket springs of that type for several years.
They would primarily fit Favorites, but would work on 44's too, in a pinch. I e-mailed him about a year ago but he'd run out of stock and wasn't planning on making any more. I should have bought a couple extras, I guess. Download anime shugo chara season 1 sub indo.
The shape of the spring is crucial. The geometry of the 44 action moves the force vector from the spring much closer to the hammer pivot as the rifle is cocked, when using the OEM spring shape. This is why good 44s have such a light trigger pull, and require so little effort to cock. Use spring of the wrong shape, and this advantage is negated.
Look at the geometry of the last 44 - the model 417 - to see how to negate this feature entirely. Sadly, the design wisdom of Joshua Stevens seems to have been forgotten or ignored by his successors. Back in 1953, when I was 13, I found a book in our local library called 'Merchants of Death'. The book was about those American firms who profited from the sales of weapons during the 1914-1918 war. (My aunt was the librarian and pointed out the book. That's probably why I remember the details.).
Anyhow, the writers of the book wrote that Westinghouse burned the Stevens records. I'd be inclined to believe that over many other stories, since 'Merchants of Death' was published in 1934, and close enough to the records burning for the author to have gathered first hand knowledge from individuals who knew. Good info Waterman!
As ar as I know, there are no published serial number-year made tables for Savage-Stevens made guns. Not even the Savage-Stevens Historian hs that information. It has been reported that what serial number-year made tables were destroyed in a fire years ago. The only information as to date made is the inclusive dates reported in publications like the Blue Book o Gun Values and the Standard Catalog of FireRMS. However if you wish, you might try contacting the Savage-Stevens Historian and ask him. His address is: Mr. John Callahan Arms Historian P.O.
Box 82 Southampton, MA 01073 He has a research fee of $20.00 per gun. I recently bought a Stevens 311C Series H 12 ga. From what I've learned so far, this model was discontinued around 1988, and serial numbers started around 1968. Mine has a serial number on the left side of the receiver, C387493.
I'd like to narrow the manufacture date closer than a twenty year span if possible. Is there any known correlation between serial number and manufacture date? I have been trying to find the date of MFG for my Savage 775A and the only way you are probably going to get in the ball park is by either factory workers who were on the production lines, or by owners who remember what year they purchased their firearms and log the model and serial numbers to start a data base.
I had the same problem with Sears Ted Williams firearms and it took me about a year to figure out their barrel codes and serial numbers by watching gun auction site listings. If you ever need to know the date of Sears, Sears branded J.C Higgins, and Ted Williams firearm barrel codes from 1955 to 1982 drop me a line, as far as Savage goes this will be a much much more difficult task but I might give it a crack.
Good luck on your search.
Key people W.B. Fay and James Taylor Products, Website Stevens Arms was an manufacturer founded by Joshua Stevens in 1864 in. The company introduced the round and made a number of, and target designs. By 1902 they were advertising themselves as 'the largest producers of sporting arms in the world'. They were purchased by on May 28, 1915 and again by on April 1, 1920. As a division of Savage, Stevens continued to produce firearms at their Chicopee Falls facility until 1960 when the plant was torn down and Stevens production was moved into other Savage facilities.
Savage dropped the Stevens name in 1991 but revived it in 1999 and still uses it today for a number of its low cost rifles and shotguns. Contents. History Stevens Arms was founded by Joshua Stevens with help from backers W.B. Fay and James Taylor in, in 1864 as J. Stevens & Co. Their earliest product was a single shot pistol.
Business was slow into 1870, when Stevens occupied a converted and had just sixty employees. The had a further negative impact on sales.
By 1876 the company had recovered to the extent that it was then manufacturing twice the number of as it had been prior to that year. In 1883 they purchased the which Joshua Stevens had helped found in 1850. In 1886, the company was reorganized and as J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. The business was able to grow steadily with tool manufacturing and sales now accounting for the bulk of the business output. Stevens and Taylor were bought out in 1896 by I.H.
Page, who was one of the new partners and the. Page led the company to significant growth, such that by 1902 Stevens had 900 employees and was considered one of the top sporting firearms manufacturers in the world. In 1901, Stevens entered into a partnership with to produce the automobile manufactured at a separate facility also in Chicopee Falls, MA. In 1915, Stevens led the U.S. Arms business in and guns. On May 28, 1915 Stevens was purchased by New England Westinghouse, a division of.
New England Westinghouse was created specifically to fulfill a contract to produce 1.8 million rifles for of for use in. They needed a firearms manufacturing facility in order to accomplish this and chose Stevens.
After the purchase they sold off the tool making division, halted production of Stevens-Duryea automobiles, and, on July 1, 1916, renamed the firearms division the J. Stevens Arms Company. When the Czar was deposed by the communists in 1917, New England Westinghouse was never paid and they fell into financial distress.
They managed to sell most of the rifles to the U.S. Government and keep the Stevens firearms facility operational and did return to limited production of civilian firearms between 1917-1920 while looking for a buyer for Stevens.
Stevens was purchased by the Savage Arms Company on April 1, 1920 with Stevens operating as a subsidiary of Savage but in a semi-independent status until 1942. This merger made Savage the largest producer of arms in the United States at the time.
After World War II they were renamed as Stevens Arms and sometimes identified as 'Savage-Stevens' after 1948. In 1960 Savage closed the Stevens Arms facilities in Chicopee Falls and moved Stevens production to various Savage manufacturing sites.
J Stevens Arms Serial Numbers
In 1991 the Stevens name was discontinued but was resurrected in 1999 as the brand name for Savage's budget line of rifles and shotguns. Ammunition in 1887, Stevens developed the, which served as an introductory for children for decades, as well as being very popular for, and. The.22LR cartridge was available beginning in 1888, in the #1, #2, #9, and #10 break-top rifles, and in their New Model Pocket and Bicycle rifles. The.22 LR would outperform other Stevens rounds, such as the and, designed as competitors, and offered in models such as the single-shot (produced between 1894 and 1935) and the (introduced in 1900). As several manufacturers would later do with other, Stevens adopted the, developed by in 1882. The unpopularity of the bottlenecked case led Stevens to develop the in 1897. Designed by Capt.
Carpenter, 9th U.S. Infantry, the.25-21 Stevens was essentially a shortened version of the company's own of 1895.
(This is an odd reversal of the relationship of the to the.) The.25-25 would be used in Stevens' model 44 and the model 44½ rifles manufactured from 1903. Stevens Arms advertisement Beginning in 1880, the company began making. These, though less well known than or firearms, were of comparable quality.
They were priced lower than those of Ballard or Winchester, making the Stevens' falling block models competitive in the marketplace. Under names like Favorite, Little Scout, Crack Shot, and Marksman, Stevens sold millions of reliable. The total number of single-shot firearms manufactured by the company exceeded 3.5 million by 1892.
Stevens, under the ownership of New England Westinghouse, produced over 770,000 rifles under contract with the Russian government between 1916-1917, of which 225,260 were delivered. The rest were sold to the U.S. Government who supplied them to the, forces, and the. Stevens produced a notable number of military arms, the most common being the bolt-action rifle in.22LR caliber.
The United States Military used the model 416 as a training rifle around the time of the Second World War. There is some debate and speculation regarding the extent to which the United States military made use of these rifles with their roles almost certainly being limited to basic firearm training. The military's Model 416 was stamped with 'U.S. Property' on the rear left of the receiver. Rifles with this stamping have been found with serial numbers around 100,000.
Various ordnance markings and proof marks can be found on this military rifle. The 416 had a dramatically oversized bull barrel and a large wooden stock. The heavy barrel design added a great deal of weight which compared unfavorably with larger rifles such as the military's various.30 caliber offerings. It had adjustable peep sight apertures, a hooded front sight, and a small, removable magazine.
During World War II, Savage used the Stevens facilities to produce several military firearms including the Savage No. 4 rifle, the, the (BAR), and the and machineguns. Stevens introduced the Model 87 in 1938, which sold over one million units. Further units were sold as the Savage Model 6. Shotguns Starting in 1872, Stevens began producing single barreled shotguns based on their tip-up rifles and pistols.
The first was the Model 30 offered in 14 gauge but soon followed by 10, 12, 16, and 20 gauges. In 1876, Stevens produced its first double barreled shotgun, the Three Trigger Model, which used a third trigger to unlock the action, and was offered in 10 and 12 gauges. Between 1900 and 1916 Stevens produced 26 single barreled shotgun models, 8 exposed hammer double barreled models, and 7 hammerless double barreled models including a sidelock design, the Model 250. Stevens 522 Trap Gun In 1907 Stevens was approached by and offered the design of a pump-action, hammerless, take-down, repeating shotgun that would become the. The Model 520, easily recognized by its distinctive double-hump receiver, first appeared in Stevens' 1909 Catalog #52 and remained in production until 1939.
In 1927 Stevens produced the Model 620, a streamlined version of the 520, and it remained in production until 1955. Stevens provided a prototype Model 520 trench gun to the U.S. Military in 1918 for use in but it was never produced.
Both the Model 520A and 620A were produced (as the M520-30 and M620) for the U.S. Military during, in trench, riot, and training versions. In all, over 45,000 were made during WW II and many remained in service through the. Stevens 511A shotgun. Target pistols Joshua Stevens produced three lines of single-shot tip-up target pistols named after contemporary gunmen. Stevens-Conlin No. 38 – named for James Conlin, owner of a Broadway Avenue shooting gallery in New York City.
Stevens-Lord No. 36 – named for Frank Lord, a prominent target shooter. Six hundred were produced from 1880 to 1886.
Stevens-Gould No. 37 – named for, a firearms expert and writer.
Two well known examples of the Stevens-Lord No. 36 were custom ordered by, serial no. 29 for himself and serial no.
32 as a gift for. The deluxe set of pistols had ten-inch barrels chambered for, iridescent mother-of-pearl grips, and custom engraving with gold inlay. The one given to Thompson included 'From Buffalo Bill to Ben Thompson' on the spine of the grip. An engraved, gold-plated Stevens-Gould No. 37 was given to sharpshooter in the 1890s by her husband. The pistol had finely engraved dog and horse head motifs on both sides of the frame. The Stevens-Gould No.
37 was one of three embellished guns cased for Oakley as a presentation group. References. ^ Vorisek, Joseph (1992). A Short Illustrated History of the J Stevens Arms & Tool Company.
Cornell Publications. Vorisek, Joseph (1994).
A Short Illustrated History of the Savage Arms Company 1895 to 1945. Cornell Publications. Fjestad, S.P.
Blue Book of Gun Values. Blue Book Publications. ^ Flayderman, Norm (1994). Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms. ^ Wallack, LR.
'Sixty Million Guns'. In Gun Digest Treasury, Harold A. Murtz, editor, DBI Books. 1994 pp.192-193, 195, 197. ^ Lapin, Terence. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
^ Vorisek, Joseph (1992). A Short Illustrated History of the J Stevens Arms & Tool Company. Cornell Publications. The Hardware review. Pentz Publishing Co. Missing or empty title=.
Barnes, Frank (1976). Cartridges of the World. Barnes,(1976) p.276. ^ Barnes, (1976), p.74.
Serial Number Lookup For Equipment
^ Kimmel, Jay (1990). Savage & Stevens arms: collector's history. ^ Canfield, Bruce N. Infantry Weapons of World War II. Andrew Mowbray.
Skennerton, Ian (1993). Lee-Enfield Story: A Complete Study of the Lee-Metford, Lee-Enfield, S.M.L.E.
And No.4 Series. Ian D Skennerton. Canfield, Bruce N. Infantry Weapons of the First World War. Andrew Mowbray.
^ Vorisek, Joseph (1992). A Short Illustrated History of the J Stevens Arms & Tool Company.
Cornell Publications. Archer, Eric (1988). Military Shotguns of WW2'. Stevens Firearms General Catalog and Component Parts #52 (Revised).
J Stevens Arms & Tool Co. Canfield, Bruce (2007). The Complete Guide to U.S. Military Combat Shotguns.
Mowbray Publishers. Pp. 94–95, 117, 134–139. ^ Bicknell, Natalie and Tom (July 19, 2007). Autry National Center (January 12, 2012).
Near as I can figure it was made between 1916 and 1929 but then I was told Stevens didn't start using serial numbers until 1948. Can anyone tell me if I'm in the right ball park or where I can get better information? Does anybody know when they made the model 335 with a serial number? With the action open you should be able to see a letter code stamped on the inside of the receiver. Serial numbers came after 1968. I forget exactly,but the letter s=1968,give or take a couple letters,and each proceeding letter indicates a proceeding year. I lost the link to the page that gives the exact dates,but that is a rough estimation.
Also,consider contacting Savage Co,as they have some people on staff that will help with your task. There is a circle with the letter I on the bottom of the receiver but nothing any were else on the reciever. Tried Savage they said they couldn't help me. It is possable that the barrels are from a newer shotgun. Product DescriptionEventually known as simply Stevens Arms, the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. Was founded in 1864 and produced a number of high-quality firearms before merging with Savage in 1920.
While known mainly for their rimfire rifles, Stevens produced a number of fine American shotguns as well, with two models being put into US military use. Produced from 1912 to 1930, the Model 335 is a top lever, break-open, hammerless side-by-side shotgun with a solid rib and extractors. A traditional double trigger cements the 335's status as a classic American double gun. Heck, give it a year or so and you might be able to Marry one!:facepalm: Near as I can figure it was made between 1916 and 1929 but then I was told Stevens didn't start using serial numbers until 1948. Can anyone tell me if I'm in the right ball park or where I can get better information?
Does anybody know when they made the model 335 with a serial number? Found this on Double Gun. 335 first appears in Stevens General Catalogue No. 53 around 1910 or 11. It was their entry-level hammerless gun with their new chopperlump barrels and wedge bolting. The higher grades, No. 355, 365, 375 and 385 have a rotary bolt, and the highest three Krupp barrels.
Stevens Arms & Tool Co. Doubles had the mono-bloc breech that the barrel tubes screw into. In that series the entry-level was the No. 325 with wedge bolting.
Again the higher grades had a rotary bolt and were No. 350 with high pressure steel barrel tubes; the No. 360 with twist barrel tubes; the No. 370 with Dmascus barrel tubes; and the No.
380 with Krupp barrel tubes. 335 was still in the Stevens line in the 1928 J. Stevens Arms Co. Illustrated wholesale price list, but was gone by the 1930.
Sometime between 1910 & 1930? It is possable that the barrels are from a newer shotgun. Product DescriptionEventually known as simply Stevens Arms, the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. Was founded in 1864 and produced a number of high-quality firearms before merging with Savage in 1920.
While known mainly for their rimfire rifles, Stevens produced a number of fine American shotguns as well, with two models being put into US military use. Produced from 1912 to 1930, the Model 335 is a top lever, break-open, hammerless side-by-side shotgun with a solid rib and extractors. A traditional double trigger cements the 335's status as a classic American double gun. The barrels, receiver, forearm, top snap lever and some other parts all carry the same serial number. I posted this same question on the Shotgun world forum but never got a reply.
American Rifleman (July, 1980; page 28) contains a very different set of dates for serial numbers through 193000. Enter the serial number (leave out the ',' or '.'
) of your Savage 1895/1899 in the box below: The Ninety-Nine, A History of the Savage Model 99 Rifle, by Douglas Murray. Lever Boss Codes: A = 1949 B = 1950 C = 1951 D = 1952 E = 1953 F = 1954 G = 1955 H = 1956 I = 1957 J = 1958 K = 1959 L = 1960 M = 1961 N = 1962 P = 1963 R = 1964 S = 1965 T = 1966 U = 1967 V = 1968 W = 1969 X = 1970 Y = 1971.Fine Print: Savage99 is not responsible for errors!
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