Stevens Ladies Rifle Model No. 14

SOLD - $1995

.22 Long Rifle

Serial number 26092

J. Stevens & Co. was founded by Joshua Stevens with help from James E. Taylor and William B. Fay in Chicopee Falls, MA in 1864.  On January 29, 1886 the company reorganized and incorporated as J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co.  In 1896 Joshua Stevens stepped down and turned the day to day business over to Irving W. Page.  On July 1, 1916 Stevens was bought by New England Westinghouse Company.  In 1920 N.E.W. was sold to Savage Arms Corporation.

The company produced an extensive variety of pistols, shotguns and rifles.  Many Stevens guns do not have serial numbers, so it is difficult to date them by serial number. Some sources state that the production records were lost or destroyed for various reasons after World War I.

The “Tip-up” rifles were produced from 1871 until about 1902.  Some people refer to these rifles as Tip-down.  The breech tips up or the muzzle tips down. 

The Ladies rifles, Models 11 and 12, were made between 1886 and 1900.  The Models 13 and 14 were made between 1886 and 1896.  The lady’s rifles have a shorter butt stock with more drop, lighter frames and light weight barrels offered in lengths of 24” or 26”.  The chamberings offered were .22 and .25 rimfire.  These ladies’ rifles are the only Stevens Tip-up rifles with an iron band or piece at the rear of the forend next to the receiver. 

Model 11         Plain wood, open sight

Model 12         M11 with fancy wood

Model 13         Beach front sight, open rear sight, vernier tang sight and plain wood

Model 14         M13 with fancy wood

The frames or receivers of the long guns were made in three sizes or weights referred to as the rifle, shotgun and ladies.  The ladies being the lightest.  The iron frames, trigger guards, butt plates and the forend iron of the lady’s rifles were nickel plated.  The plating on this rifles frame is worn around the edges, has lost its luster and darkening around the screws.  The plating of the other parts has started to flake off and dull.  The most severe is the trigger guard.  Hidden surfaces are still bright and shiny.  The barrel is blued as well as the sights, trigger, hammer and all screws. 

The stocks are in excellent condition with no chips or cracks.  There are a few minor dents and scratches from use.  The butt plate is a crescent style.

This rifles barrel is marked on the upper left flat with:               

J. STEVENS A & T CO.

CHICOPEE FALLS MASS. U.S.A. PAT. SEPT. 6 1864

This barrel marking was used from 1886 to 1916.  The light weight 25 29/32” barrel is half octagon and half round.  The bore has 6 lands and grooves with an 18” right hand twist.  It is chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.  The muzzle has been re-faced or re-crowned due to erosion of the sharp edge of the rifling at the muzzle.  There is a slight firing pin dent to the upper edge of the chamber due to dry firing.  A slight amount of metal was offset inward and it has been stoned away.  There is wear across the extractor from the firing pin dragging across it when the action was opened with the hammer full down.  The bore shows no signs of pitting but there is some consistent light frost the full length.  There is no rear barrel sight or dovetail for one.

The sights are new and from Montana Vintage Arms.  The tang sight is a #130 that is windage adjustable.  The sight is graduated in thousands of an inch.  The left side of the staff is graduated with 0, 1/2, 1 and 1/2.  Usable elevation is from .3” to 1.3”.  The windage adjustment is 1/2” wide and also in thousands of an inch.  The front sight is a #111 plane globe sight with 12 inserts.  The sight radius is 29 5/8”.

Total weight                                                    5 lb. 10 oz.

Overall length                                                 39 15/16”

Length of pull                                                 12 1/8”

Trigger pull                                                     1 1/2 lb.

Barrel width at the breech                               .740”

Barrel width at the transition                          .755”

Barrel diameter at the transition                     .735”

Barrel diameter at the muzzle                         .695”

Various markings

Left rear of barrel                                           punch mark over 26092 over three punch marks

Left rear of barrel 2” from receiver                2

Left rear of barrel 2 3/8” from breech            14 over x

Forend barrel band adjusting slide base         6092

Forend barrel band adjusting slide                 6092

Forend wood inside front                               92