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Stevens 44 1/2 Question (Read 903 times)

scharfe Oldtimer Offline A good plan today beats a perfect plan tomorrow. Posts: 587 Location: ny / pa line Joined: Dec 18^th, 2006	Stevens 44 1/2 Question May 28^th, 2025 at 9:50pm	Print Post
	Are stocks and the butt plate usually #'d with the serial # ?


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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3168 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #1 - May 28^th, 2025 at 10:36pm	Print Post
	I only have one and it appears to be all original but no numbers on them. jack

	ASSRA # 11318 I haven’t lost all my marbles yet but there is definitely a hole in the bag somewhere.
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Sure shot Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1008 Location: East central Iowa Joined: Jun 22^nd, 2020	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #2 - May 29^th, 2025 at 2:50pm	Print Post
	I'd say usually. With Stevens there's never ever anything definite. The buttplate is often stamped with the last 3 digits on the inside of the plate,sometimes it's the full serial number. I've seen the serial number or last three digits written in pencil on the wood under the buttplate. With time the pencil marks fade and go away I'd guess.


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Andover Arms Junior Member Offline Posts: 68 Joined: Dec 24^th, 2017	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #3 - May 30^th, 2025 at 1:57pm	Print Post
	ON Stevens 44's and 44 1/2s. the butt plates were hand fitted to the buttstock and the buttstock to the receiver the same way the barrel was fitted to the receiver and the extractor to the barrel and receiver (not telling you anything you don't know) which is why all 5 of those parts were always marked with at least the last 3 of the serial number. On 44's that was in white chalk which was easily wiped off. On 44 1/2 they were most frequently stamped in the wood. Now before someone blows a gasket, (I know I used the word always) and says, "Stevens would make anything the customer wanted" and "anything is possible with Stevens" Yep, I get it and, in some cases, correct. Could a butt plate have left the factory without being stamped, yes but very unlikely. In my opinion the "Anything is possible" with Stevens is something we collectors tell ourselves when we don't want to admit parts have been replaced. Hope I didn't offend anyone, just my experience/observations/opinion.


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scharfe Oldtimer Offline A good plan today beats a perfect plan tomorrow. Posts: 587 Location: ny / pa line Joined: Dec 18^th, 2006	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #4 - May 30^th, 2025 at 3:47pm	Print Post
	My 47 fits that situation. Wood unmarked, mismatched barrel and butt plate underside too corroded to tell. Front of the action marked 47, 0 and EX. It's a 44 1/2 and has checkered Model 51 wood. Special Order or Mutt ? Serial #9918. Barrel# 11776 25", did they even make that many 44 1/2's or is it a set back 44 barrel ?


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AHR Participating Member Offline Posts: 12 Location: The Bitterroot Joined: Oct 10^th, 2024	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #5 - May 30^th, 2025 at 4:45pm	Print Post
	My 44 fore end is stamped with the full serial number. Not sure about the butt as I didn't pay attention to that when I removed it.

	Wayne
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Sure shot Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1008 Location: East central Iowa Joined: Jun 22^nd, 2020	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #6 - May 30^th, 2025 at 4:55pm	Print Post
	44 1/2 serial numbers can be found up into the high 12,000's. Those 44 1/2's with the higher serial numbers likely would have the trade mark Stevens stamping on the left side of the receiver along with the model number stamped on the lower tang. And have inspector or proof marks on the receiver and barrel. You're likely to find the extra screw thru the frame for the kicking ejector for the .22 rimfires also.


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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3168 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #7 - May 30^th, 2025 at 7:17pm	Print Post
	My rifle has a serial number of 1299. The only numbers are on the lower tang and the barrel just ahead of the forearm. Jack

	ASSRA # 11318 I haven’t lost all my marbles yet but there is definitely a hole in the bag somewhere.
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Andover Arms Junior Member Offline Posts: 68 Joined: Dec 24^th, 2017	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #8 - May 30^th, 2025 at 7:21pm	Print Post
	scharfe wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 3:47pm: My 47 fits that situation. Wood unmarked, mismatched barrel and butt plate underside too corroded to tell. Front of the action marked 47, 0 and EX. It's a 44 1/2 and has checkered Model 51 wood. Special Order or Mutt ? Serial #9918. Barrel# 11776 25", did they even make that many 44 1/2's or is it a set back 44 barrel ? Yep, that's the whole "Stevens would do anything" issue. You could order a 47 with a checkered stock and engraving or a 51 with a plain stock and no engraving. To me what's stamped on the face of the receiver is the model of the rifle. In your particular case obviously the barrel has been changed. Very common when the RF and obscure cartridges were no longer made. The 44 and 44 1/2 had different BBL threads/stub diameter so if it was a 44 BBL they would have had to face the existing threads and cut new ones. Generally that will be apparent in the fit of the forearm (but they can be swapped/changed) but the easiest way to tell is the roll marks and caliber marking would sit too far back towards the receiver. Chris


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Andover Arms Junior Member Offline Posts: 68 Joined: Dec 24^th, 2017	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #9 - May 30^th, 2025 at 7:29pm	Print Post
	Sure shot wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 4:55pm: 44 1/2 serial numbers can be found up into the high 12,000's. Those 44 1/2's with the higher serial numbers likely would have the trade mark Stevens stamping on the left side of the receiver along with the model number stamped on the lower tang. And have inspector or proof marks on the receiver and barrel. You're likely to find the extra screw thru the frame for the kicking ejector for the .22 rimfires also. As sure Shot says, there are certainly some in the 12,000 range. Estimates say around 13,000 but I have never (or don't recall) ever seeing one 13,000 plus. As for the Savage stamp on a 44 1/2 I have never seen one of those either. It is "generally" accepted that the 44 1/2 production was ended in 1915 or 1916 and Savage didn't buy Stevens until 1920 I wouldn't think you would see a savage marked 44 1/2. Certainly 44's after 1920 were marked by Savage. If someone has one (44 1/2 savage marked) please send me a message, I'd love to get the details on it for my files.


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Sure shot Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1008 Location: East central Iowa Joined: Jun 22^nd, 2020	Re: Stevens 44 1/2 Question Reply #10 - May 31^st, 2025 at 8:54am	Print Post
	I have a 45-44 1/2 that has a full round .25 Stevens rimfire barrel with the Stevens Arms Company marking rather then the Stevens A&T marking. It was obviously sent to the Savage owned Stevens for re-barreling though. Often the ends of the forend wood where it meets the frame is stamped with the serial number, usually the last three digits.


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