Redsetter wrote on Oct 29^th, 2018 at 2:48pm:


It was gun rich NE United States, and several companies had gone into recent bankruptcy around that time. Whitney went under and was purchased by Winchester around 1889. Winchester dissolved of all equipment and manpower. Bullard went out later in the 1890's also. Harrington & Richardson/Wesson went under in 1898. 
The skilled gun craftsmen of the NE were plentiful, and I think Stevens had no problem find them with the number of smaller companies going belly up.

Three different #50's?
A 1902 date on the spine of one, and two more #50's with the 1903 date on the front cover (one near the top, and the other near the bottom) ?

OK. Just received Cornell #1578 listed as #50 1903 146 pages. The highest numbered page is 128 and even if you count both sides of the front and back covers and the unnumbered pages (other than what would be 1 and 2 which precede the numbered 3) there are only 8 more so 136 would be the count in that case. Other than the 1903 on the cover there is no date inside later than several 1902s. The only mention of the 44 1/2 is found on page 25 under Rifles - Model - Ideal - No. 44 in the ammunition section which lists only RFs and the 25-20 and 32-20 CFs with the sentence "For special calibres and extras see description of our No. 44 1/2 rifle, which has an entirely new action." Said description is not to be found in this catalog. Models 45 and up (except 55 the "Lady Model") are still available in anything up through 38-55 and 44-40. Interesting tidbits abound in the catalog such as Models 49 and 51 are tested in a rest at 200 and 10 shots must fall in 4 inches - Model 52 3 3/4 inches and Model 54 3 1/2 inches. With Pope barrels this is reduced to 3 1/2 for 25s, 3 for 28s, and 2 1/2 for larger. Plated actions, levers, and butt plates ran $2.50 for nickel, $4.00 for silver, and $15.00 for gold. Barrel weights varied from 3 1/4 pounds for a 24 inch #1 to 11 1/2 pounds for a 34 inch #5. They would rebarrel your Ballard, Borchardt, Remington or Winchester single for $12 to $17 depending on barrel weight. Having your Stevens hammer fitted with a set screw to control sear engagement was $1. The cartridge section is quite interesting for example for the 25-20 Stevens CF the 86 grain bullet is recommended for target shooting up to 200 yards, the 57 and 77 grainers or the 73 sharp pointed or 75 hollow point for hunting. There is also a list of the twists used in all their barrels.

I've just written Cornell about the page numbers discrepancy and noted that in looking at their website page on this catalog noticed that in the Contents - Index list they showed not only the 44 1/2 but also the English Model 044 1/2 which is not mentioned anywhere in the 128 pages. I'll bet there must have been an insert which they had and counted in the pages but which did not get included in the catalog. We'll see what Abby says.

I've never had anything but the most cordial relationship with Abby and Rob, over something north of ten years now.