Well, my new (to me) Stevens No. 47 Modern Range Target rifle in .32-40 WCF just arrived today and it's a beauty!  Very good bore and very nice overall.  Can't wait to get it up to my local range and shoot it a bit.  (Do any of our resident Stevens experts happen to know what years the Stevens model 47's were manufactured?)  Enjoy!

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OK, thanks!

Is the underside of the "S" pistol grip checkered too?  ... very cool!  I don't think I've seen that before.

I think that Stevens rifles are still undervalued relative to Winchester, Remington or Ballard single-shot rifles.  your rifle looks like a great original survivor.

I like it!
Joe

In the beginning, the even-numbered models (i.e., the 46,48,50,52,54) were "deluxe" versions of the odd numbers.  That always meant fancier wood; but as Redsetter notes, it could also include (fancier) checkering, cut engraving rather than etched, and other upgrades over their lower-number "twins".  And as Redsetter further notes, eventually the 46, 48, 50, and 52 models were dropped.  The 54, however, stayed, displacing the 53 as the "top of the heap", at least until the "Pope Special" came along to temporarily displace it, at least for target shooters seeking the best, or the prestige of Pope's name.

Now I wish I could say that's all there was to it.  But, since a customer could order just about any extra on any model at fixed extra costs, it has been said with much truth that it's harder to find a Stevens rifle that exactly fits a catalog description than not.  In short, the collecting of Stevens single shots is always interesting, often challenging, and sometimes simply "confusin' and not amusin'", to quote Al Capp.

Bill Lawrence

Gosh that's a pretty rifle.   

However, the amount of overruns and the inconsistencies in the pattern of the checkering from one side compared to the other makes me wonder if that checkering wasn't applied post factory.   

Still, overall a mighty nice looking rifle.

Hayface

A very pretty Stevens Al! And very unique also!

Joe Do... wrote on Aug 15^th, 2018 at 8:21am:


Yes, as a matter of fact it is.

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I prepped about 150 brass yesterday and lubed and sized some suitable cast bullets and will finish loading them up today.  I'm going to try my old tried and true Cowboy Action Shooting load of 12 grains of 2400.  I used that nice soft target load very successfully in our CAS rifle side matches in my 1885 High Wall and Ballard in .32-40.  We're planning on a range day this Friday and I'm looking forward to trying this Stevens out on paper.