J Stevens Arms 12 Ga

[drakey]

A short while ago my father gave me a shotgun, i know nothing about it, and i was hopeing someone could fill me in. On the side it says J Stevens Arms & Tool Co. Chicopee Falls Mass. U. S. A. On the top of the barrel it says *Electro Steel*ChokeBored* On the bottom of the barrel, on the inside of the part where you put your left hand and behind the trigger it says RP 482.

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Sorry for the quality of the second image, basically im looking for the year it was made and its value, ive been searching the internet for weeks but i cant find anything, any response is greatly appriciated.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Can't help with the year. Value is minimal. These were and are utility grade shotguns sold for a few dollars new and used hard. Current value, less than $100.

Stevens was a known maker, eventually absorbed by Savage.

Don't sell it, it's a piece of your family's history. You WILL regret selling it.

HTH....

 

[drakey]

I wasent planning on selling it, but i guess ill never know any details about it then eh?

THX for the reply

 

[JohnBT]

According to the Blue Book, the barrel marking shows it was made prior to 1920 when Savage bought Stevens and started using J. Stevens Arms Co.

After doing a little surfing I found a post on the Numrich site. Note that the quote below is ONE post, there are others in the thread.

https://198.65.239.172/forum/readreply.asp?rep=59524&qt=43516&cat=22

"Trever, I have an old 7th edition of "Modern Guns" but I was in Borders book store the other day and the latest edition has the same information and pictures just different values. If you take out the screw in the fore-arm and the fore-arm comes off. And if you take off the butt stock and see a flat spring operating the hammer, that's the model 100 (note: Stevens never mark model numbers on there shotguns, just in there catalogs). Your gun says "J Stevens Arm & Tool Co.) that marking was used up to 1916. In 1917 they changed to "J Stevens A&T". That *ELECTROSTEEL*CHOKE BORED* or simply *CHOKE BORED* was use on single barrels 1902 to 1913. Then the barrels were marked -Patented August 12th, 1913 -. All the books are good but none have complete information on every gun. Very few have information on single barrel shotguns. Flayderman pays little attention to single barrel shotguns saying only "they are of little collecter value", the Blue Book has good values on a lot of guns but no pictures, Gun Traders Guide has pictures on the Stevens from the 1939 models on with little mention of the 1920 & 30 models and nothing earlier. "Modern Guns" is the only one I have found that has pictures and brief discriptions of the early model stevens (1902 models and forward , the first smoke-less powder model gun offer by Stevens). Even there information isn't the most complete but it's the best out there on early Stevens. incidently, I have 3 of those early Stevens myself and a bunch of the post 1913 models. A basement full of junk but it's fun."

 

[CNYCacher]

I agree, it's not about the price

My father in law has the same gun, the furniture was all banged up and split, there was rust on everything. I spent probably 20 hours on it getting it to look about the same as your does now. Wood was stripped, repaired, re-finished, steel parts were disassembled, cleaned, de-rusted, polished, and blued or oiled. I am not a gunsmith, but I do have a lot of experience in metal and wood fabricating, which came in handy. That much of my time is worth a lot more than the monetary value of the gun, but the look on my father-in-law's face when he realized it was his was priceless. Take good care of that baby until you give it to your son.

 

[dogngun]

drakey : there is a site that has an excellent forum on old shotguns.

www.armscollectors.com/faq.htm

click "Forums" , then find "Old Shotguns".

You may have a problem with your post, but if you post, get off the forum for a day or so, then go back, it will be there. Be patient. They have some tech problems right now, but excellent knowledge and friendly people.

My Grandfather's brother had a 16 ga single like yours, so used that all the blue was worn off. He lived on a small farm, and used it every day. I don't know what ever happened to it, but I'd love to have it for the memories of my "Uncle Paul."
That gun is worth a lot - to you. Enjoy it.

Mark

PS Savage still owns the Stevens name - there are Stevens rifles now being made in Canada.Savage made shotguns with "Stevens" in the name till about 1970 or so, including the Savage -Stevens "Fox" doubles, very good field guns.