I pawed through a plastic bucket of old gun stocks today at the Augusta, Maine gun show.   

The whole bucket was for sale for $50, and contained about 12 butt stocks and forends.  I decided to buy it when I noticed that one of the nicer butt stocks in the pail was still attached to a complete Stevens 44 action.  The action appears to be fully functional, and the metal has a brown patina that is not unpleasant.  It's a centerfire action.

Two forends for a 1/2 octagon barrel that look like they will fit the 44 action were also present, along with a mostly stripped 1915 Favorite action (just has the hammer and trigger) and what look to be additonal Favorite and M44 stocks and forends.

So essentially I appear to have an M44 that is complete except for a butt plate and barrel.  I would prefer a .22LR rifle, but wonder if converting the breech block and extractor would be too much trouble and expense?  How expensive would to be to change the rifle to rimfire configuration?

Should I just try to keep it in a suitable centerfire caliber?  If so, what would be best for an informal target chambering?

Opinions and advice welcome.

BTW, when I got home and went through the pail in detail, in the very bottom was what appears to be a complete, 10-gauge, Parker Bros GH grade receiver and triggers made in 1888.

Possibly .25-20SS? Problem is components are expensive. .32-20 might be more practical. You could also see if you could trade the centerfire block for a .22 block. Advertise here and somone may work a trade with you.

What is involved in changing the rifle to rimfire?  Sounds like a new block would be needed, and changing the extractor so that it operates at 6 0'clock.  Any other parts?

I've looked at Numrich for a barrel, but no luck so far.  Gunbroker ditto.  I will try to advertise here, but are there any other sources to consider?

I had considered .38 Special as a good plinking caliber, but wondered if it would be too warm for this old rifle.  Also, we do turkey shoots here with .22LR, and I would love to win a few with this as a rimfire, so if I an go with .22LR without unreasonable expense, I'd like to.

The breach block can be converted to rimfire fire ( $75). Just got done doing a 44-1/2. I would try advertising here first for a trade, someone will want a centerfire. If you want a good shooter then why not start with a new barrel. Green Mountain barrels are not out of line on their prices and any gunsmith with a lathe can set it up to your action. Half round/octagon is doable also with the right gunsmith.

I can only deduce from the broken 25 rf breach block that the 44 Stevens isn't even safe to shoot in 22 rf or that the safety is on the ragged edge in 22 rf? Was the 25 rf failure investigated and what was the conclusion to that investigation? The 25 rf failure should indicate that there would be many, many failures in calibers between 25/20 and 32/40 and 38/55 (38/55 has less back pressure than 32/40 because of the lack of taper in the case, sectional density's being equal).

By that, it would seem that the Favorites should be considered unsafe with any thing, even shorts.

The radial and axial strength can be calculated for for any gun and anything up to 1/2 the yield strength should be considered safe. I'm guessing that there more to the 25 rf failure than meets the eye. I've not even loosen the breach block screw on my 7 o'clock extractor 32/40 with duplex BP and 12.2 gr 4759 loads with the Hudson bullet.

Tell me more, please,

Frank

Guilty as charged

Frank