J Stevens Arms Co. Crackshot?

[Quadkid]

Was looking through our barn today for our dent puller and came across the rifle my father has been looking for for years. Its an old J Steven Arms Company Crackshot 26 1/2, 32 shot.

Does anyone know anything about these guns? Any good links?

The barrel is a bit rusty, but otherwise its in decent condition for its age. Everything still works. It would be a sweet little gun to fix up and put up on the mantle or something.

Thanks in advance
Sean

 

[FN5.7shooter]

The guns were rimfire. 32 ammo is hard to get. Someone makes a system to reload, it places a centerfire primer off center close to the edge so it will fire. Neat gun. There is some interest in these and prices might surprise. Could you please post a pic.

 

[Quadkid]

thanks for the info. I wanted to post a pic earlier but my camera decided not to turn on.

But i clean it up some and it turned out surprisingly clean.

 

[Bill B.]

I also have heard that some have these .32 barrels relined with a .22 LR so that the family heirloom can be shot. I am pretty sure I have a buddy that has had several of these done and says they shoot quite well. You might want to look into this if it's something you would like to make a plinker out of.

 

[krs]

Does it look like one of these? Maybe the bottom rifle in attached photo?

 

[Quadkid]

^very much like the bottom, except with different sights. In fact, it has no rear sight.

 

[NCsmitty]

I had one around 50 years ago and ammo was hard to find even back then. I believe that there have been sporadic production of the 32RF over the years.

NCsmitty

 

[Jim Watson]

Note he said .32 shot. Not much .32 rimfire around, hardly any shot.

As said it could be lined to .22, the firing pin moved, and sights installed; but that would be an expensive process.

I would clean it up and hang it on the wall.

 

[krs]

quadkid,

Your rifle cost all of $4.00 in the 1911 Stevens catalog. It was available only as the "Crack Shot" model No. 16 rifle with 20" round barrel, casehardened frame walnut stock and fore-end, rubbwer butt plate in .22 C.B. cap, short, long or long rifle .22 rim-fire cartridges, and a weight of 3 3/4 lbs.

OR as the model No 16 1/2 "Crack Shot" Shotgun same as above except smooth bored for .32 SHOT cartridges, same price and configuration.

Looks like the same breech block was used for either configuration so you might be able to make a shooter out of it with a new/used barrel from Numrich, who list several in .22 for some Stevens models. A barrel, some sights, and away you go.

BTW, some of the Stevens model barrels were easily removable by taking out the 'barrel screw' (which should have a ring attached on your gun) at the bottom of the receiver, and simply sliding the barrel's unthreaded tang out of the receiver. Other models were threaded but still listed as take down models but the threads may be rusted and harder to remove.

I'd suspect that your gun used an unthreaded barrel tang and would practically FALL out once the barrel bolt is out. You MUST give it a try!

a better photo of one of my favorite rifles, which is a marked Walnut Hill model and an awesomely accurate shooter:

 

[Quadkid]

still trying to get my camera to work, but in response to krs,

the barrel does come free of the receiver with ease. I actually found it in two pieces. The fascinating thing about it is the simplicity of it. I like how the firing pin is reset by rubbing against the back side of the ejector.

my concern is with the barrel though. I cleaned it up pretty well inside, but you can see what looks like rings in the smooth barrel. Hard to describe but they look like scratches running perpendicular to the length of the barrel. Is this just normal for the age of the gun, normal for the manufacturing process?