This is an interesting old rile for me. Probably my favorite. It has a lot of family history. Acquired by my G Grandfather in Cibolo Texas in the very early 1900's. Schutzen matches were popular in the area, Cibolo is only a few miles from New Braunfels. I have record of him shooting a State Rifle Match in New Braunfels reported in the Houston Post on May 14, 1904. 

There is a partial bullet box with a piece of paper wadded up in it as a spacer. The paper is dated April 3, 1904. Maybe this was the box he was pulling bullets from the match. Fun to ponder. 

I also have his old shooting box that had a few boxes of 330 gr paper patched bullets, simple reloading tool, primers an some old sporting ammo (have a regular model 44 in 38-55 also). 

Here are a few pics. Not sure what the limit is here on photos. Hope I don't go over it. Ahh. Limit is 5! (-:} More on a reply then.

And the match scores. G Grandfather is highlighted. 

Yes a wonderful rifle and very neat accessories too! The re-decapping tool with the case in it looks very much like a Ballard tool. 
The condition and case colors on your rifle's receiver look like it was well cared for! Looks like someone wanted to make it easier to use for benchrest and cut the prongs off the Swiss buttplate. That's fairly common to find that done, or even another flat buttplate installed.

Bill Lawrence wrote on Apr 12^th, 2017 at 4:59pm:


It looks like one of the bullet boxes is marked Ballard, hard to tell. I have not noticed any marking on the capper/decapper tool. 
Also a tall brass funnel was in the box. 

The front sight on the rifle now looks like a replacement. I have the original but I guess G Grandfather liked the super fine post/dot more than the reticles for the one with the bubble level. 

Here are the front sights that he had. One is on a .22 model 44, one loose (one I thought was original to the Model 52). 

Very nice!

calledflyer wrote on Apr 12^th, 2017 at 6:03pm:


LOL, yea sometimes I wish the prongs were there but then when I stuff it in the safe, I'm glad they're gone.

Wow. Not only to have the gun stay in your family for that long, but to have all of that with it. Amazing.

That is downright beautiful !!! The history that rifle has is awesome. Treasure it. Dale.

That is really, really cool!

Just added a few detail pics. 
I assume the "1" stamped on the barrel flat is the barrel size/contour? 

Bill Lawrence wrote on May 11^th, 2017 at 7:54am:


One thing I noticed was that the "1" stamp has dinged left base of number. The one in the SN was struck with the exact same broken stamp as the one on the barrel. 

uscra112 wrote on May 11^th, 2017 at 10:19pm:


Close up/macro photography is one of my favorite hobbies. I shoot a LOT of bugs (with a Nikon, not a single shot).. I mostly use a Nikon D800E camera with a Tokina 100m F2.8 macro lens. Flash is used with a home made on flash soft box. 

Check out the bug gallery at pbase.com/arlon (-:}

Did they ever sell them in sets of multiple calibers? Like British gun sets with the barrels marked 1 and 2.

Since both ones were stamped with the same stamp and in the same orientation I almost wonder if the guy started to stamp the SN on the flat and then realized he was stamping in the wrong place..

Anyone else have one of these in 38-55 that's being used? I've been shooting it with a 250gr bullet and 20 gr of IMR 4198. Just wondering what the limit on this older weaker action might be? 

I admire your Grandfather's taste and he must have taken allot of personal pride in owning that rifle. It shows by the way he cared for it and rightfully so it is simply a stunning example of what Stevens produced. Do you happen to have the paperwork from when he purchased the rifle.

Nice to see this particular gun topic brought back up again. I think this is a neat old gun and shooting kit, and hope you're careful shooting smokeless loads in it, so it's still around in another century in your family!

I have another Stevens 38-55, this one is a normal model 44. It has the same "1" stamped on the barrel. It was also stamped with the same broken stamp as the model 52. It also has a lugged hammer but the receiver is about .025" narrower. I wonder if they just left a little extra material because of the engraving that was going to be done on the model 52.

An amazing looking rifle with a great, preserved history.  A true family heirloom ...

Magnificent rifle, and astonishing that all of the peripherals have survived along with it! 

I'm so glad you have it and the family history it represents. Let us hope that many, many years from now YOUR progeny will still own and be equally proud of this fine testament to American workmanship! 

Thanks for sharing! Jim...