I ran into a little Favorite in 22 long or should I say it ran into me. Anyway I bought it sight unseen thinking it was a candidate for my young nephew. Well let’s cut to the chase. It’s  seen better days, it ser# 450 so old but it’s loose and the barrel absorbs most of the light. 

I’d like to get the rifle accurate enough to interest this kid. Extractor is chewed up, the lever sort of dangles, quite bit of play side to side on the block and the barrel is awful. So I need a doctor who can help. I never seem to remember the shops who re-line and work on these. So asking for recommendations 

Rick

Stevens favorites have a simple action and are pretty easy to work on. I can’t recommend a smith, but it sounds like it is in need of a new link and link pins to tighten up the action, along with a new extractor and a liner. Jack First gun parts and Wisners have most of the parts you’ll need, made from better steel. You might possibly get by with new oversized link pins and I would then recommend hardening the original link. Only the earliest favorites have an actual serial number, most favorites have a three digit code with a letter prefix, supposedly repeated. (Assembly code) You didn’t say which model favorite that you have. There are many different variations in favorites with two basic models of the original favorites made from 1894 to 1939, the 1894 or 1915 model. Once rebuilt I would only use standard velocity ammo in it, since it’s somewhat of a weak action.

Post a picture as soon as you can, so we'll know what model you have.

I don't know that anybody is selling links.  It's a tricky part in that the hole spacing is critical.  Having measured a few in the course of planning to make some, the variance left me half convinced that they were a "selective fit" item at the factory. 

Any gate, John Taylor can deal with that, too.

Catalog says the 1894 style is "original, used", but the 1915 link is "tool steel, heat treated" which is a definite improvement.

(what are we both doing, awake at this hour?)

Hmm, ditto.  Ain't getting old wonderful?

Hopefully the O.P. will let us know soon which model he's got.

Or add a shim between the barrel shoulder and the receiver face.  Then if it loosens up later on, you can just take out the shim.

I think it was Allyn Tedmon who told the story of having Axel Petersen fit up a Favorite for his young daughter, with which she gave the adults a run for their money at 200 yards.

It’s age, experience and wisdom that yields tempered but accurate truth. Any of you old birds know what I’m talking about ? 

The model of this ‘ Favorite ‘ is a bit difficult for me to determine. ser# is 446, barrel stamped J. Stevens A & T Co. Chicopee Falls, MA. Barrel and lower tang. No serial stamping on the bottom of the barrel. Barrel is 1/2 Octagon 22” long no ‘ Favorite ‘ stamping on top of barrel. Has the black old style hard rubber butt stock plate marked “ Stevens Favorite “. My guess is this rifle is a Model 17 ?  In reviewing de Hass he notes with these rifles “ it is my understanding that the next attempt to prevent a droppy finger lever was a small flat spring - - - “ some dropped lever is a known issue apparently. 

I’m going to spend some hours chasing the barrel clean but I’ve done quite a few old pipes and after 30-50 cycles thru the barrel I’ll know if further labor is worth it. But first I need to get some weather and see how it shoots. 

It needs an extractor which I have no problems fitting up but my concern is the cost to reline this barrel. Not looking for a Walther liner but want enough accuracy to promote marksmanship in a kid who’s interested. I know growing up most all the 22’s I shot had two things in common. Really heavy triggers and poor accuracy. We blamed ourselves then left the range for baseball where you had some control. I don’t want that 
So ballpark lining costs will give me the tilt number of go or no got 

Rick