Picked up a nice solid M44 in 25/20 - have many questions and appreciate any input

I will have chamber measured to see if 25/20 SS or 25/20 WCF? Looks like I have some loaded ammo in two separate boxes- all cases are stamped WIN-RP. Both are reloads - one is labled SS and the other doesn't indicate. Interestingly neither of the loaded will chamber. They go into the chamber to just up to where neck down starts. The SS case OAL is 1.72 the other case is shorter. Some work to be done here to see what's what.

Any idea of twist?

Date made - see conflicting info - I assess 1910 to 1915 - see other info suggests 1923?

Rifle solid and tight with a good bore. Screws clean - not bunged up. SN 28343

Has a Marble Full buckhorn rear sight plus a Marble V2 tang (VG to Ex) Front sight silver blade. Tang sight has front button to lock it down. Marked Gladstone, Mich Pat 10/20/03

Never been drilled for scope. Bbl stamped #2 under the forearm - 26" (18" round and 8" oct.)

Plain Jane wood in good condition - BBl retains maybe 50% blue - case hardening gone. 

Barrel Stamp - J Stevens A&T Co - Chicopee Falls, Mass - 4/17/94

Appreciate input. Lots to ponder - do I restore - scope it? What about sleeving it to a 22H?

Thanks

It sounds like your rifle is in decent shape, I also suggest leaving it in original condition in .25-20 ss.  This is a fine caliber.
With the Stevens A&T marking it was made pre 1916.
The factory twist for .25-20 ss is 1 in 13.

Thanks good info so far. Much appreciated. The loads I have are marked SS but given the fact that they won't chamber I suspect someone messed with this and opened it up to a WCF. Will get a chamber mold to verify then work to locate the appropriate brass.   

At my age I will have to put on a scope -  can't see the open sights. Other than that maybe recrowning and enjoy it as is. Hate to disrupt a nice antique.

Here's a picture of a 25-20 single shot cartridge next to a 25-20 wcf. 
The longer skinnier cartridge on the left is the single shot. 
The rim of the 25-20 wcf is much larger, I would try the cartridges that you have to see if the rim will fit in the rim recess in the chamber, by placing them in backwards, rim first.

Dellet wrote on Mar 11^th, 2026 at 8:34pm:


His rifle being chambered in 25 rimfire does sound likely. 
Model 44's are usually marked  25 RF, Favorites are usually marked  25 Stevens if they are chambered in 25 rimfire. 

Quality control was not great at Stevens.  Slug the barrel and measure the twist.  I have a Model 47 on a 44 action, SN in the 2800 range, chambered for 25/20 SS, but it has a .251 groove diameter.  Barrel is marked "25/20".

If those spitzers are jacketed I wouldn't do it. Not only would jacketed be tough on the old barrel but they are uncalled for in the velocity range to which you will be loading and with the slow twist of the barrel the extra length of the spitzer may not be stable.

If your 44 has been properly rechambered from .25-20SS to .25-20 WCF, the barrel will have been shortened a couple turns at the breech, the old chamber partially cut off, the extractor groove recut,  a new hole in the barrel for the forend screw drilled and tapped, a locating hole for the barrel set screw drilled slightly ahead of the old one, and the rechambering done, recutting the extractor at the same time.  Outside, the schnabel tip of the forend will protrude slightly ahead of the octagon part of the barrel, instead of being exactly even with it as before.

A couple pictures of your rifle, one (at least) with the breech open, would help a lot here.  Bring up Shrinkpictures, set your photos to 600 pixels (or whatever they call it), hit "Best" for the reproduction and download it to your screen.  Bring it here and follow the directions under "Attachments."

I have a Stevens 44 so rechambered, with all the above characteristics and someone even made a dovetail bushing in the breechblock for a reduced firing pin tip size.  A not uncommon modification back in the past when .25-20SS ammo or cases were impossible to find.