Stevens .32 rimfire single shot

[fecmech]

A good friend of mine who is an avid garage saler just picked one of these at a garage sale. He just plans to move it on down the road and would like a some idea of it's worth. The gun appears in reasonably good condition. Bore and rifling look reasonably good to the naked eye and the wood is in decent condition. I know there is no ammo for them, at least not reasonable. Looking at the breech block converting to CF looks tricky to me. Could some of you more knowledgeable members give me some ball park value ideas for my friend? Thank you
PS. Closer bore inspection indicates good strong rifling but rough from rust.

[marlinman93]

Not even in the same ballpark without a lot more info and pictures. There are numerous variations and two frame sizes for the Stevens single shot rifles in .32 rimfire. So not knowing which model it's tough to give a estimate that was even slightly close.
Converting to a CF breech block may be tough, or easy if it's the right model.

[fecmech]

I'll see if I can get some pics.

[Chev. William]

Without more detailed information: a low of less than $50 for a 'beater' to a high of over $4000 for a Pristine collector quality in a rare model type.
As most say: "it all depend on the details".
Chev. William

[fecmech]

Added pictures

[MT Chambers]

It's a 44 or a Fav. and not the more valuable falling block 44 1/2, CPA may be able to help with converting, personally I wouldn't pay more then $600 for it because I paid $900 for a nice 44 1/2 in .25 rf. and had CPA convert to 25/20 SS with new block and barrel. Look on bottom front of action for model #(take fore end off). Then again I am not a Stevens expert as 99% of those on here are.

[kootne]

It is definitely a "Favorite". If you want to sell it, ask $175.00, if you want to keep it forever, ask $300.00
Model 44's are similar but about twice as big physically and have several differences in stock design and all but the very earliest will also show screw slots on both right and left sides of hammer and lever screws.
Gunbroker will back me up on pricing.

[Chev. William]

I concur the added photos depict a 1894 "Favorite Model Stevens single shot rifle.
I disagree with the opinion that the Model 44, or "Ideal", is double the physical size of the "Favorite".
In my opinion the "ideal" is about 125% the linear size of the "Favorite". more of an 'Adults' size vs a 'Boys' size rifle.

Chev. William

[John Taylor]

You could install a liner and make it a 22LR or 17 Mach 2. It also can be chambered for the 32 S&W and the firing pin moved. Probably be best to stay with the short because the pressure is about the same as the 32 rimfire.

[uscra112]

It is definitely a "Favorite". If you want to sell it, ask $175.00, if you want to keep it forever, ask $300.00
Model 44's are similar but about twice as big physically and have several differences in stock design and all but the very earliest will also show screw slots on both right and left sides of hammer and lever screws.
Gunbroker will back me up on pricing.

Agree 100% on pricing - tired .32 Favorites are pretty common.

I have converted a Favorite to shoot CF ammo, but it is a 1915 model which has a heftier breechblock, and it happened to have an almost mint bore. (I also bought a spare breechblock so I didn't spoil the original.)

For funzies you CAN shoot the old .32 rimfires using adaptors and bullets from Jack Harrison, https://www.gunbroker.com/item/783674234 but the later Favorite is not one of the best because the firing pin hits on top of the extractor. Better rifles are #4 Rollers and the Hopkins & Allen 932 model, or the early Favorites with the 7 o'clock extractor. Jack recommends Ramset loads, but I'm now very much partial to RWS "acorn" blanks with a small charge of Bullseye powder.

[fecmech]

Thanks to all who responded, I appreciate you all taking the time to help out.

[marlinman93]

I recently had a pretty nice Favorite in .22RF I was selling at our local gun show. Only real issue was faded case color, but wood finish and barrel bluing were nice; as was the bore. I put $300 on it and it didn't sell until I dropped the price to $250. Not sure I'd ever get $150 for a brown one in .32RF?

[John Boy]

I know there is no ammo for them, at least not reasonable.

http://www.hlebooks.com/32rfkit/prices.htm

[oldred]

http://www.hlebooks.com/32rfkit/prices.htm

That's some rather poor quality casting for those bullets isn't it? At least they show the wrinkles in some of them but at around $.60 each (for lead bullet only) I would expect better quality than that and it would make me wonder about the rest of that "kit".

[modified5]

I have built my own .32RF cases on my mini lathe out of aluminum. They have held up well.
Since I let a rolling block slip out of my hands,(he didn’t want to sell after all), I have been itching for another one.
If I had $150+ship jingling in my pocket I would offer it.

[uscra112]

That's some rather poor quality casting for those bullets isn't it? At least they show the wrinkles in some of them but at around $.60 each (for lead bullet only) I would expect better quality than that and it would make me wonder about the rest of that "kit".

Yeah, Harrison's bullets are well cast in a genuine 299153 Lyman mould, and he only asks $18.00 per hundred.

[uscra112]

Since I let a rolling block slip out of my hands,(he didn’t want to sell after all), I have been itching for another one.
If I had $150+ship jingling in my pocket I would offer it.

If you want a rolling block, by all means hold out for a solid frame model. How Remington could sell that takedown arrangement with a clear conscience baffles me. I have a solid frame .32, and a takedown .22. If I ever do anything with the .22, it's gonna have the barrel silver soldered into the frame. Or maybe the strongest grade of Loctite.

[modified5]

If you want a rolling block, by all means hold out for a solid frame model. How Remington could sell that takedown arrangement with a clear conscience baffles me. I have a solid frame .32, and a takedown .22. If I ever do anything with the .22, it's gonna have the barrel silver soldered into the frame. Or maybe the strongest grade of Loctite.

It was a solid frame 1 1/2 that he had found in his mother’s attic 50 years ago and never bothered with it. I made cases out of aluminum to shoot it and it was awesome! I forgot what the patent date was on it. I remember it wasn’t too long after the civil war. I have a thread on here about it. It was one that got away.

[marlinman93]

It was a solid frame 1 1/2 that he had found in his mother’s attic 50 years ago and never bothered with it. I made cases out of aluminum to shoot it and it was awesome! I forgot what the patent date was on it. I remember it wasn’t too long after the civil war. I have a thread on here about it. It was one that got away.

The #1 1/2 is a wonderful gun, and a very strong action. Remington offered it in a huge number of pistol length cartridges from .22RF to .44-40 caliber. The #1 1/2 was first offered in the mid 1880's, just prior to Remington's bankruptcy. It was revived a few years later after Marcellus Hartley of Schuyler, Hartley, and Graham revived Remington. So most will be post 1889, with a very small number built in 1885-86 era.
The patent dates on these Rolling Blocks don't reflect the build dates, as the old Geiger patent is 1860's vintage.

[David LaPell]

.32 rimfire is not as hard to shoot as you think it is. Here's an article I wrote earlier this year for a .32 Rolling Block.
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/12/32-...#axzz5PXGmgjZj

These are made with the cases that Dixie Gun Works sells that use a .22 blank or as I did, a .22 Short that I pulled the bullet and powder from, then loaded it with black powder or in my case, Triple 7 which worked very well.












Since I wrote that, I also found correct 85 grain .32 bullets that are heeled on Gunbroker, they worked a lot better.