Well, it does look externally like unto a sideplate Stevens, but I'd want a lot more documentation than the presence of a Bullard buttplate and a dealer's say-so. I'd also want to see the internals.   If the provenance does prove out, it will be an interesting addition to the Stevens legacy.   

BTW that gun has been for sale for quite a long time now.

was this model covered at all in any of Grant's books ? if so which one.

I spent much of the winter with Jamison's Bullard books, especially the second one.  Really good scholarly work.   

Throughout 1885, Bullard was in financial difficulty.  Production had exceeded sales, they had legal and cash flow problems.  Bullard management was trying to keep their skilled workers employed and not lose them to other manufacturers.   

W. Milton Farrow was a Bullard employee ("assistant manager") and the first Farrow, with a brass action, came out of the Bullard shop in late 1884.  Farrow stocks were made by Bullard's chief stock-maker.

Bullard single shots appeared shortly after that, designed by two Bullard employees, looking for a market niche and designed to use parts already on hand for the Bullard repeaters.   

If someone had an idea for a single shot like what we now call a side-plate Stevens, the Bullard company would have made a brass prototype on something like a time and materials basis. 

Did that happen?  Who knows?  I don't think the seller has offered any proof.  Price is far too high for a gamble.  Maybe divide the asking price by 3 if you were a gambler or serious Stevens guy.

I'm often puzzled how anyone could accept an unsubstantiated claim from a seller who is attempting to profit by the sale of a firearm. I would hope most buyers would be cautious enough to ask the seller for proof of his claims prior to bidding.
Without some proof to back it up, it's just a fun story, and worth nothing.

marlinguy wrote on Jun 3^rd, 2017 at 6:22pm:


Ebay THRIVES on it!  Call any kind of pre-WW II scope a "sniper scope," and the dopes & know-nothings line up to bid on it.  I'm actually surprised that the "Bullard Side-Plate" BS hasn't persuaded some fool to part with $3500.  But Bullard collectors are a pretty small club; had the buttplate been marked "Winchester," it would probably be sold by now. 

Bent_Ramrod wrote on Jun 3^rd, 2017 at 7:51pm:


I don't doubt it, and since Gun Report croaked, there's no easy way to request a copy; on top of that, I've heard John is now so hard of hearing he dislikes talking on the phone.   

Horr's name is one I've heard before, but can't remember where.  Not in Grant's books, as I just checked the indexes.  Was he an employee of Stevens?

This gun has been around for a while and discussed here before. Sure looks like a Stevens Sideplate to me with a different butplate. I have a couple and check out every one that comes up for sale. Never saw one with a brass frame and the research I have done says the frames were cast iron to the best of my recolection so i'm not sure what it is.