Guys,

I discussed this rifle a bit and posted a photo of it here back in late 2013 shortly after purchasing it.  By all indications it’s a model 44 and came from the factory with some upgraded features such as the heavy round 26" target barrel, wider stock and Schuetzen buttplate.  With the forearm removed & the receiver facing forward, "44" is stamped into the right front face and "O" or "0" is stamped into the left front face. With the exception of the Fecker 10X scope and possibly the large barrel locking screw (probably off a Favorite model), everything is original with matching serial numbers on the receiver (lower tang), barrel (in front of the forearm), stock and butt plate.

Since the barrel never had a rear sight (no dovetail exists) I understand the rifle was originally shipped from the factory with a tang sight.  The front sight was removed when the scope was added.  The barrel roll stamping reads: J. STEVENS ARMS COMPANY.over CHICOPEE FALL. MASS.U.S.A. on the right side of the barrel 1.25” in front of the receiver and just above the forearm, and 22-L.R. on the opposite (left) side of the barrel.  A shooter familiar with Stevens rifles indicated it was most likely drilled and tapped for a scope by the factory since the roll stamping is not on top of the barrel.

The main reason for posting this thread is to tie down the manufacturing date if possible, or at least narrow it down a bit.  

I did send $20 to Savage Arms Historian John T. Callahan to check the history of the rifle, which was a waste of money.  What I received was a nice generalized letter on the Stevens Model 44 but no specific info on this rifle.

The roll stamping on the barrel puts it in the 1912 to 1935 range.  The 5-digit serial number is 310XX, suggesting to some that it’s a late model Stevens made by Savage, whatever that implies.

Due to the lack of company records, I know it’s likely impossible to determine the exact year of manufacturing but would appreciate any help you Stevens’ experts can provide to narrow it down.  Thanks.

BTW, it's a tack driver.  I've done very well with it out to 200 meters in .22BPCR competition, but I had to loose the scope spring and Schuetzen buttplate in order to comply with the rules.

Wayne

Thanks Dave,

That narrows it down a bit to between 1921 & 1932.

Wayne

I'm not so sanguine about the barrel rollstamp on this one having much meaning viz. date.  I've logged quote a lot of 44s up into the 50,000 range that have the older rollstamp, and the lowest s/n I have found with the new style text is #47043, (in my collection).  Another factoid is that Model 404s and Model 414s don't start to appear in the s/n sequence until around 60,000, and both of those start appearing in catalogs circa 1912/13. 

My thought is that this is a pre-WW1 frame that was rebarreled at a later date, and fitted with that lovely wood.



My nickel's worth.   

Schuetzendave wrote on Mar 18^th, 2018 at 11:01pm:


Not quite correct, as I have a 1919 catalog. 

The barrel locking screw, is a standard feature on all 44's. They had a slotted head.

To me, the butt stock, looks like the optional one, at could be had on the model 45/44, with the #3 butt plate.

Frank

My two 44's are no's 50xx and 322xx in 25-20 SS and 22 LR with both having the same stamp J. Stevens A & T Co. with the boxed X. 

Can you extrapolate the same stamps for the Favorites?  I have observed several locations for the stamps on them, earliest on the top flat to the rear of the sight, then a few with the stamp forward of the sight more or less corresponding to the use of the stamped rear sight with the flat elevator piece, then the address on the right upper flat, then later a font change to a less bold font.  The 7 o'clock extractors all seem to have the boxed X and the earlier 6 o'clock ones as well.  The X disappeared during the wide t-shaped extractors and the barrel tightening nut "experiments".  The later 1915's with round and octagonal barrels seem to be all kinds of locations, difficult to determine the chronological sequence of them.

James

Since the owner doesn't mention it, I assume the rifle doesn't have the SVG-in-a-circle "proofmark", which together with the case hardening pattern makes me support at least the "old frame" part of the above comments.  However, if memory serves, one could early-on special-order round barrels; if so, I won't stick my neck out further and call the barrel "replaced". (Though I will stick it out far enough to agree with Redsetter about the takedown screw.)

Bill Lawrence

Bill Lawrence wrote on Mar 19^th, 2018 at 12:00pm:


No doubt, and other non-standard "irregularities" as well.  But whereas in pre-Savage catalogs, there was a full-octagon option listed ($2 extra), there was no round option specifically listed...probably because there was no demand for them.

However, Savage obviously looked at things differently, offering only round brls on 44s made under their name, so far as the 1927 catalog description is concerned, that is.  Strangely enough, a full octagon option was available for Favorites!  Wonder if this was because a stockpile of such barrels had already been turned out before the change of ownership.