I know a Visible Loader is not a single shot, but I am having a difficulty that a knowlegeable Stevens person could direct me to the right people to help me fix.   There seems to be a very high number of Stevens collectors here, surely I am not the only poor soul to own one.  Any place out there to research age by serial number?

I have my great grandfathers Visible Loader, my father reblued and repaired 30 or more years ago.  Dad had made a firing pin, it was a little short OAL, so I built it up and made it .025" longer in attempt to make ignition more reliable.  I still have to have 2 or more hammer drops to touch off about half of the rounds fired.  Looking at the case and comparing to other 22LR that are reliable, it appears that the case is deforming in the firing pin area.  Not being able to see the end of the pin at lock up, I can't tell if the lifter notch in the firing pin is not far enough forward to allow full retraction with the lifter down.  That is the direction I am leaning, but my question could be answered by someone who has one.  

If you lock up the action on a fresh spot on a case and grab the firing pin with your finger nails, does it wiggle or is it tight?  Mine is tight, it leads me to the distortion maybe at lockup.  It locks up tight, but it may be that headspace is excessive and I need to set the barrel back a little.  The answer to this question will point me in a direction to look next.

I have been very careful with this rifle, read of and even known someone who had one blow up a case when it was not locked up well at firing.  A firing pin would be very cheap compared to the accident waiting to happen that I have now.  If that is all the problem I have.

Thanks, 
Kevin

Thanks Dave,
There is a small firing pin ding, not excessive for 100 years, I looked it over and seems like the shoulder is supported.  I think I answered in thinking while writing, the issue of the tight firing pin, I pulled it out and found a shiney spot where it had been contacting the lifter on the front side.  It did protrude a little, so I removed the shiney plus about .010" on that side and it is now flush to slightly recessed on the breechblock.  I think I will order one from Gun Parts.  That little bit did change the lockup on the spent case, now it seems to be all better.  I will try a few rounds this evening.  I need a new forstock as this one was cracked and acraglassed together and shortened about 1/4" rather crudely.  It overlocks on the lock cam that could have caused the headspace issue I saw (slightly cupped base on one case recovered)  I doubt that dad did the shortening, but am sure he glued it back together (can't believe it would not have been sanded better, he was a wood shop instructor and has built several new stocks, I never saw hacksaw marks on any of his work!).
The issues I see with this rifle could lead to the gunsmiths are correct!
If you fill it up too full, it seems to bind the mechanism, but 7 or 8 rounds seems fine.  I can't imagine people overloading it, just one more round you know.
I think it is much more difficult than bolt guns to work on, but should not be beyond the capability of a good smith.  There just is not much to work with though, so it could be a problem child.
Kevin

I figured there were others out there!  I just ordered the firing pin and a new fore stock this evening.  I fired a magazine full and recoved all of them, specifically watching for lockup.  The ones fired with the pump full forward, (over center cammed) showed excess head space and one needed two strikes to fire.  When the slide was 3/16" back, (where it should be before it was crudely cut off (while installed I think)), it was near perfect with just the right amount of pin strike and no cupping of the base.  I hope that fixes her up!

SL44, 7 rounds works fine, 8 fits, but locks the action.  My slide lock was broken, but I welded it back, I always figured I would make one, but it works well now.  It shoots very well at open sight ranges, need to put it on paper, but nearly had a muskrat at 75 yards the other night so it is pretty close.

Anyone know anything about Stevens Serial Numbering? Mine is an H 2XX, is that low or average, does it matter?  Been around too long to ever let it go anyway.
Thanks, 
Kevin

Well the new to me, old fore stock solved the overlock problem and it locks up solid now.  The firing pin did not show up, but it seems to work pretty well now, I could work on the pin a little more and maybe help it some.  I have misfires out of those Federal bulk packs with my Ruger Mark II pistol, so I doubt that it is all the Stevens or the firing pin.  I don't think I should try the CCI mini mags in the Stevens, but I know they work everywhere else.  

Overall, I am pretty satisfied with the results, it just took time to look it over and understand the process.  On to the next projects.
Thanks for the input.  I knew there were other Stevens owners willing to help here.
Kevin