Weird .22 pistol with no numbers???

[Flyingbullet]

My neighbor found this .22 pistol in his garage and I'm trying to figure out what it is. I'm pretty sure its a .22. It has an octagon barrel and is a single shot with a lever action opening. Wood handle. As you can see in the picture there is a notch in the lower part of the barrel. There are no numbers or markings.

 

[Ron James]

The reason it looks so strange is because it used to be a Stevens take down rifle. That is before someone turned into a pistol.

 

[Flyingbullet]

Really?

 

[rondog]

Grossly illegal, yes?

 

[Flyingbullet]

Why are there no numbers? How do I age this thing?

 

[Jim Watson]

Yup, quite illegal.

I recall an old article about the pump action pistol made out of a 1906 Winchester.
Factory quality throughout, much neater than it might sound.
Pictures taken before the Feds grabbed it as "contraband." They didn't prosecute, but a lot of work down the drain.
Nothing said whether the builder knew the law or just thought that it would not be enforced on something of as little interest to a crook as a .22 manual repeater.

 

[Ron James]

What numbers are you looking for, Serial numbers? Patent numbers? Serial numbers were not required when that rifle was built, while some large manufactures used serial numbers as a method of production control, many of the other smaller makers ( At that time, later Stevens became much larger ) did not bother taking the extra step involved in stamping serial numbers, their production was not large enough that they needed serial numbers to keep track. Any patent numbers were probably removed when the gun was modified. The , whatever you want to call it, was probably made in the 1930's. And yes, it is a no no to make a pistol out of a rifle unless you have prior approval and have purchased a tax stamp. You can't get approval after the fact.

 

[Flyingbullet]

So is it illegal for my neighbor to own it? Being modified probably killed its value correct?

 

[Ron James]

Yes and Yes, and it is really too bad because it the bore is OK it looks like something that would be fun to shoot.

 

[Flyingbullet]

Even if it is possibly pre 1899 and an antique? What would you do with it?

 

[Ron James]

It is not pre 1899s and being a antique has nothing to do with it. I can't tell you what to do with it, I can only reply with what I would do with it. I would strip it for parts and deep six the res of it. your neighbors decision, but in my opinion, life is hard enough with out making it harder. Others may have other opinions, but that is mine

 

[Flyingbullet]

Well thats unfortunate... I greatly appreciate your input and help. I will leave the final decision up to my neighbor since it is his. He is giving me a rifle or shotgun that is in pretty rough shape and I might post something later about that as well. It isn't illegal hopefully!

 

[natman]

How long is the barrel?

 

[Flyingbullet]

12 1/2 Inches

 

[moonpie]

Disassemble it for now and do some more research. stevens made several different single shot pistols over the years that were based on long gun actions.

 

[Ron James]

Moonpie. Yes and no, Stevens made a number of single shot, break open pistols. that gun was never one of them. Do your research.

 

[JohnBT]

Here's a pic of another cut down Stevens rifle.

www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=58858

 

[Old Fuff]

Numrich Gunparts Corp (www.e-gunparts.com) has some parts including rifle-length barrels. If it was serial numbered the number was most likely on the frame's bottom tang, that was altered when it was made into a pistol. Anyway, depending on what was done it might be possible to convert it back into a legal rifle, but add up the cost before doing so.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Recent auction of confiscated guns featured a couple of lots of shotgun receivers with stock and forearm and no barrel. (It is illegal to have the receiver with an illegally short barrel: the illegal item is the barrel, though, and without a barrel at all, the receiver is legal. Don't believe me, check with ATF Firearms and Technology Branch.)

The only thing to do with a illegally sawn off shotgun (overall <26" or barrel <18") or rifle (overall < 26" or barrel <16") is get rid of the short part all together (deep TVA lakes are convenient, I am told) and keep the action for a legal rebuild with proper barrel or stock as needed.

(Well. Not quite the only thing. Permanent barrel extension (welded) was suggested by ATF to a person who bought a shotgun at police auction, then found the correctional institute that surplused the gun had shortened the barrel below 18". Bricklee sold some Israeli air force survival rifles (14" barrel) by welding 2.5" muzzle brakes.)

That knob under the barrel that looks like a sling swivel is the takedown screw for removing the barrel. Which I would do. And not have both under the same roof til legal alternative has been determined. The dovetail on the bottom of the barrel was for attaching a forearm.

 

[moonpie]

Moonpie. . Do your research.

rj i was working a double shift taking a break looking at an itty bitty picture on a teeny tiny phone
but as it happens a stevens single shot break open pistol was a family heirloom that my granny passed down to my brother

 

[Old Fuff]

... it happens a stevens single shot break open pistol was a family heirloom that my granny passed down to my brother

Yup, you're right. Stevens made thousands of top-break .22 single-shot pistols and buggy rifles (long barreled pistols with a detachable rifle stock).

But none of them were based on this particular action...

 

[303tom]

Said firearm is not necessarily illegal, if builder of said firearm bought it salvage, ie: no stock & forearm & on the Bill of Sale the pistol box was checked it would be legal to create said firearm, the burden of proof I am not sure of. When I buy barreled actions I always check the pistol box...............

 

[rcmodel]

It was once a rifle.

Once a rifle, always a rifle in the eyes of the law.

It is now a SBR, and requires a $200 tax stamp to be legal.

See ATF definitions (.22cal., Crude Manufacture) about halfway down this page.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/guides/identification-of-nfa-firearms.html#short-barreled-rifle

Your receivers from rifles fall under the same law.
You cannot legally make a pistol out on one, regardless of what condition you bought it in.

It is what it is, and it doesn't matter what box was checked on the form if it was ever a rifle.

rc

 

[444]

It is not illegal if you do a Form 1 and get it registered as an SBR

Do the paperwork and get the tax stamp before you cut the barrel down.


By the way, if he decides to destroy that, or throw it in the lake or something, I could REALLY use a few parts off of that to restore one of those rifles that belonged to my grandfather. I would pay good money for parts: starting with that screw with the sling swivel just in front of the lever.

 

[Edarnold]

If the tangs on the action were not bent, remove the grip and take out the barrel (Unscrew the 'swivel' under the front of the action), scrap those parts, and you have a perfectly legal action to build up a rifle. Parts for Stevens single shots are around on the auction boards, if you don't want to bother then sell it to someone willing to take on the project. There are single-shot collectors that love to cobble up guns for fun.