I hate auctions!  I don't do well at them.  I went to an auction and bought a Stevens mod .44 in .38x55.  I got the gun and 3 boxes of new ammo for $400.  Sounds okay, but the gun has been re-blued, and that's a big turn off for me.  The wood is nice the bore is pretty good, but I shouldn't have bought it.  I don't like re-blued guns.  The gun was going for cheap and at the last minute I got in at about $225 and thought I was going to get a shooter for cheap.  However, someone else had the same thoughts.  Before you know it, they're telling me I bought it.  Oh well.  I think I can carry it around a gun show and get my money back.   

On the other hand, I would have felt worse if I were the guys buying Crack Shots and Favorites in fair condition with poor bores and no blue left for $200.  I just don't think they are worth that kinda money.

Yes guilty on all counts!  Impulse buy - buyers remorse - whatever you call it.  I live with it for awhile, and maybe  it'll grow on me.  I told you I don't do well at auctions, and I meant it.

CM, Was that on purpose????,,, we all make mistake,,you'ld feel....      MIKE

I'm thinkin, I'm thinkin....  Let me look at it for awhile.  I'm pretty busy for the next few days.  Perhaps by this weekend I can get some pictures of it posted for ya'll to look at.

Quote:


  Powder-Head
 
   I'm grateful to know that you are looking at your newly acquired J. Steven Model 44 rifle chambered in 38-55 caliber, rather than shooting it !

   While you are thinking (thinking) about your Stevens rifle, please give your utmost attention to these cautionary remarks that I offer to you out of my concern for your safety.  The J. Stevens rifle which you recently purchased, and now own, is an antique of more than 100 years old.  You will find that exact Stevens "Ideal" rifle/action written up in the J. Stevens catalog No. 50, dated 1902.  The action was designed and engineered by competent people around the black powder propellant of that day.  The basic design of the action is inherently a weak or low pressure design made from materials that were available 100 years ago.  The rifle was offered for sale chambered in the 38-55 cartridge, but bear in mind,  the then available cartridges were factory loaded with black powder of a charge of 48 grains of Fg.

  You have mentioned that the rifle was delivered to you with a certain quantity (3 boxes) of MODERN loaded 38-55 ammunition.  Therein lies my real concern for you.  Please, under no condition must you shoot that rifle with the ammunition that was furnished to you upon your purchase.  No one knows, not you or anyone else, what loading charge is contained in those cartridges.  Under the best of circumstance, you have a potentially very dangerous situation; and let's face it, you are under the worst of circumstance by not knowing the loading characteristics of the cartridges that came with the rifle.

   Prudence would dictate that the ammunition be dis-assembled by a competent gunsmith, while at the same time the rifle be examined by the gunsmith for a complete safety evaluation in advance of it's use, if ever.

   I will sleep better tonight for having said this.    

    Creedmoormatch

Agree with and support all cautionary warnings previously stated. 

Now for a question I haven't seen asked, and hopefully some thoughtful responses. 

Provided that one is organized enough to keep various dedicated loadings separated for their respective rifles, how does everyone feel about using the Stevens 44 with the qualifier that it be restricted to original level Gallery Loads only ?

Quote:


      Admittedly,  there are certain dangers in this life to the unknowing that have the greatest propensity for doing the most harm to them.  The sorrowful part is that they don't know, that they don't know.

      Mr. John Taylor, if you should arrive at this posting sir, would you be so kind to describe for the doubters among us your witness to the fractured central fire breech block from the failed Stevens M-44 action that your client recently brought to your attention for evaluation and repair.  The evidence is clear and convincing and points to the fact that the Stevens M-44 was designed and manufactured with materials appropriate for accommodating low pressure black powder ammunition, and consequently, will not tolerate high pressure ammunition.
 
      If you need pictures, and I clearly understand that some doubters will, I feel certain that Mr. Taylor will accommodate you and provide them from his file should he have them available.

     Creedmoormatch

  And a young boy exclaimed ;  " Yah never _ _ _ it it ! "


   P.S. Please see the following thread for Mr. Taylor's remarks;

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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

PS,
This is a repost