Steven's Pocket Rifle... 32 SW?

Status
Not open for further replies.

dagnnorb

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Messages
13
My father bought a Steven's Pocket rifle from a friend. I am doing some research for it and kind of running into a wall.

Details: nickel finish over brass frame. Firing pin is in frame not on hammer. Circular side plate on left side of frame. Rear V notch sight, rectangular front post. Slugged barrel, grooves are ~.311" lands ~.305". Definitely centerfire, since I fired it over the weekend. barrel length.. i am guessing 10"

Not sure if serial numbers match, i will find out.

Seems chambered for 32 SW. I tried a 32RF, but it was sloppy in chamber and also rim was undersized for the extractor. 32 SW was a nice fit and gun closed.

I actually loaded and shot 32 SW out of it and all worked fine.

From what I can piece together, I think it is a New Model Pocket Rifle... but I can not find anywhere that says it was ever chambered for 32 SW... other than a list of from ATF:

SECTION III: Weapons Removed From The NFA
As Collector's Items And Classified
As Curios Or Relics Under The GCA

Stevens, Rifle, No. 20, w/smooth bore barrel for .22 and .32 rimfire shot cartridges.
Stevens, Reliable Pocket Rifle, second issue, cal. .22 long rifle or .22 Stevens-Pope.
Stevens, New model Pocket Rifle, first issue, caliber .22.
Stevens, New model Pocket Rifle, second issue, cal. .22 short, long or long rifle rimfire, .22 WRF, .32 long centerfire.
Stevens, New model Pocket Rifle No. 40, calibers: .22 long, rifle, .22 WRF, .22 Stevens-Pope, and.32 long centerfire

Anyone have any information if Stevens ever chambered any of their tip ups in 32 SW? It can not be a long, i can't even fit a empty shell in the chamber and close it.

I will try to get photos shortly.
 
Sounds like you have it figured out. If 32sw works then that’s probably what it is. Only thing I would say is that you should make sure there isn’t a stuck case separation situation going on since they are listed as 32 long and you can only manage 32 short.
 
No case separation but I can look again at it. It would seem odd to have only a case mouth separation, and the mark on the bullet when seated at .920" was perfectly symmetrical around the bullet, as if it hit a machined surface. I did just look at the SAAMI specs and it has listed .880-.930" for AOL.
 
Man,that chamber looks ROUGH.....could be your issue right there. There might be sufficient rust scale in the chamber to prevent the longer case from seating fully.

Cool old gun, though. Looks like there is a mounting point for a shoulder stock, eh?
 
Nightlord...that was after I shot it. There was no rust scale in the chamber or bore. It didn't chamber because of the bullet hitting the throat.
 
That’s an interesting one. A little bitty rifle that can almost pack up into a Pringle’s can and chambered in .32S&W would be a lot of fun.
 
it was fun to shoot. Next step...my dad wants to find a shoulder stock for it, but the screw to attach to backstrap was sheared of at the head and it needs to be drilled out and possibly re-tapped.
 
Flayderman shows the Pocket Rifles as ".32 long, rimfire or centerfire."
I doubt they had more than one size of reamer and that designation usually means .32 S or L Colt as the centerfire. There is a recent thread on a Marlin of the type.

How yours ended up the way it is may be a mystery buried in time.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top