[OLD WOODS MAN]

Hi,New to this but I need some info on a pistol.It has a wooden grip and looks to be made of brass.I have a photo for someone to look at.Any info would be great. Thank you Kurt

[Ron James]

Stevens made a number of single shot handguns. Yours looks to be a 6 inch " Pocket rifle " made between 1869 and 1886. The brass , I believe would have originally been nickel plated The large bore leads me to believe it is a 44 Russian, It looks too large to be 32 or 38. Only about a thousand total of these were made. These were the first of the Stevens single shot pistol and lacked a trigger guard and had open sights and the markings are correct for that pistol. By the way it's J Stevens and Co. not Cc. I'm not sure on the brass frame, most of Steven's pistols had a nickel plated receiver, I don't know if yours was or not. Value? The SC of F gives a range 500 down to 100. Best I can do, perhaps others have more information or input.

[elrod]

J. Stevens & C.c. Chicopee pistol

J. Stevens Arms was founded in 1864 in Chicopee Falls, Ma. It was first known as J. Stevens & Co., later (1886) changed to J. Stevens Arms and Tool Co.
The medium frame pocket rifle without stock, 100%, is valued @$300. This decreases downward to $75 for a 60% gun.

To obtain a factory letter on your piece, send all info with pictures to:
Mr. John Callahan
J. Stevens Arms Co.
53 Old Quarry Rd.
Westfield, Ma. 01085



There is a $15 fee.

The above information from "Blue Book of Gun Values", 28th ed., S Fjested

Welcome to THR! Hope this helps you.

[Ron James]

Old Woodsman. Do you have any ideal of the caliber? From the pictures the bore looks much too large for a .22 rimfire or .25 Stevens. There is another Stevens, the 1st and 2nd issue Model 35 that is similar to yours, but it is listed as .22 rimfire only and was made from 1866 To 1916. I think I stand by my first posting because of the bore size, a 6" Pocket Rifle. ( but darn that looks like a rimfire hammer,). Get back to us Woods Mans inquiring minds want to know. :)

[Steven Mace]

Kurt, I'm betting you have a Stevens Old Model Pocket Pistol. These were made from about 1864-1886 with about 15,000 being made. These pistols were chambered in .22 or .30 Short rimfire. Take a look at your barrel. If it is marked J. Stevens & Co. Chicopee/Falls, Mass. Pat. Sep 6 1864 along with a serial number then I'm sure this is what you have. Hope this helps!

Steve Mace

[Ron James]

I think Steve Mace is right, is the barrel 3 1/2 inches long? Values about the same.

[Roswell 1847]

The large bore leads me to believe it is a 44 Russian, It looks too large to be 32 or 38
Look again. This is a very small pistol. Compare the size of the fingers holding it and you'll see its not a large bore size.

PS
Anyone know where I can get some 32 Rimfire shorts?
The type I'd need are the heelbase type with the casing no larger in diameter than the bullet.

[AntiqueCollector]

Anyone know where I can get some 32 Rimfire shorts?
The type I'd need are the heelbase type with the casing no larger in diameter than the bullet.

Not sure if it's anything you'd be interested in, but what I've been doing in my .32 rimfire revolver is using these reloadable cartridge cases: http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_101_287&products_id=8154

If they're of any interest to you, I'd give the following loading suggestions: put the ball in first instead of last (shave carefully a little bit off to make it fit more easily to avoid any risk of damaging the thin brass) then load the powder through the primer opening, then stick the .22 blank (crimped type) in.

[Roswell 1847]

Not sure if it's anything you'd be interested in, but what I've been doing in my .32 rimfire revolver is using these reloadable cartridge cases: http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product...oducts_id=8154


Thanks , I'd actually thought about something along those lines, but had no idea someone actually made them.

I'd thought about trying to find some .32/8mm Rimfire blanks and seeing if they'd fit the chambers. Not a very bright idea now that I think on it, blank powders sometimes are more like exploses.

I'd also thought about reaming the chambers to .32 S&W and converting to center fire, but they gun is in too good a condition to mess up its historical and collector value.

I'll tell my friend about these adapters, he'll be delighted to be able to fire the gun, even a few times with reduced loads.

[AntiqueCollector]

Yep, I bet he'll only fire it a few times, when he sees how time consuming loading the cases can get. I've been using them in an old Nero pocket revolver, the cylinder walls are very thin, so I keep the loads pretty weak but it's fun to fire it off a little even if there's no accuracy to speak of...

I don't think most of the guns chambered in .32 rimfire would take the pressures well from .32 S&W as weak a round as that is unless loaded with blackpowder.