sportslube wrote on Jan 18^th, 2025 at 12:18pm:

Is this serial number correct? I've never heard of a Stevens 44 1/2 with a serial number over 12,XXX.

Late for supper, again.

44 1/2  #1365
Original chambering unknown, currently .32 Miller Short in a 29" Douglas barrel.

5474 would be what year then. In 32 ideal
Sportslube

I think educated guesses for dates are all you could do.  You could ask AI to estimate yearly production, based on lower production during wars, depressions, economy, etc.   

I may be wrong, but the problem may be Stevens serial numbers were not only used in the 44 1/4.  They also used the same range in the 44 right?   

I've found with other Stevens the best way to guesstimate a date is to look at the catalogs for features changing.  But that's hard with a 44 1/2, and all the high end versions, which may be cataloged, but seldom were bought.

I’ve got an either 1894 favorite 22 or a model 44. Can’t tell which. Serial 10842. Has a rear peep sight, can tell if it’s factory or not but it’s consistent with the era at least and was put on well. It’s the one on top in the picture. Has the half octagon barrel, flip front sight as well. 

Any more information on this would be very helpful, would love to narrow down if it’s a model 1894 favorite, 1st or 2nd gen. 

Maybe it’s due to carbon and age, but it doesn’t like ejecting shells much. I cleaned it heavily after purchasing and it’s substantially better but is still tight. 

The gun shop sold it as a 1915 favorite, I knew it wasn’t that because I have one of those (bottom of the picture) and it was very different than that.

Sorry your pictures didn't post. The 1894 favorites with  part octagon barrels,  are round on the bottom portion of the octagon part of the barrel.  This is so the forend would interchange with the Crack shot #16 which has a stepped full round barrel, this would cut down manufacturing cost I'd assume. The 1894 favorite buttstock will also interchange with the Crack shot #16. The buttstock for the 1915 favorite with interchange with the Visible loader FYI.