Stevens Favorite and the .32 S&W

[Nobade]

Have a few other angles I want to play with on this one but it will have to wait until later this winter but for now it looks like it is safe and very usable and it does answer the question of converting a Favorite to .32 S&W. It can be done but does have it limitations and it would appear that any smokeless powder is out.

Good to hear you got it working well. Your results are just what I experienced with my Remington #4 converted to centerfire. It worked great with black powder, but one day I thought to try it with some loads of 2.0gr. Trailboss. Mistake! It only took two shots to get the barrel loose in the frame. Previously it locked up nice and tight, now it's sloppy. It still shoots OK, but I need to tighten it up one of these days. Stick to black powder and it'll live a happy life. Not to mention the BP loads are more powerful than the smokeless loads, even though the pressure is lower.

[Reg]

Nobade, what caliber was your #4 in ?
Really, there is nothing wrong with using black or in my case, Pyrodex in some of these earlier cartridge rifles. I myself have done it for years as have many others. It would be nice to have the convenience that smokeless offers such as not staining up the cases that require cleaning or having to clean the rifle itself after every session but considering the safety factors, it's worth it. I guess I wanted to " have my cake and eat it too ".
What surprised me was was finally getting accuracy and I think I can even improve on that.
What I wanted to wind up with was a "bunny gun" kind of along the lines that Ed Harris is playing with on another site and I think we are there. Was hoping for a inch at 25 yards and it seems to be doing even better than that. The last few 5 shot groups were easily running from .375 to .50 c/c . Will set up the chronograph in a few days and actually see what the vel. is. Did notice how well the 313445 cuts a perfect hole in the paper. We should have another really good hard freeze soon so will take it out and see what we can find for the pot.
Also have a couple more ideas in mind that might get a bit more of a safety factor involved so will post them when I have time to work them out.


This has been a good project !!

[Reg]

excess650,
Yes, the 44 is a much better platform to work with but even it has it's limitations and the use of smokeless powder, there again, seems to head the list.
Have played with the 44 for many years now in the original calibers and a couple that have been converted.
Harvey Donaldson stated that about all the original calibers could be used with up to 5 grains Unique and I have used this load from the 22-15-60 up to the 32-40 and as long as it was not exceeded, it seemed to work in a safe and sane manor but-------
in all cases from large to small I got much better accuracy and seemingly safer performance.
when using Pyrodex or ff black .
These early actions were mostly made from a simple grade of cast iron and you sure do not want to push them. When pushed they tend to shatter rather than stretch.

[uscra112]

No model 44 was ever made with a cast iron frame.

[Reg]

A low grade of cast steel perhaps but the workability and strength is no more than cast iron. Take one apart, look inside, it's a casting, not a forging. Try to bend the lower tang. Without almost excessive heat it will crack or at times, even break. These are not strong actions by todays standards and should not be considered as such.

[Nobade]

Nobade, what caliber was your #4 in ?

32 H&R mag. I chambered it for that because I had the reamer already. If I did it again I would use a 32 S&W or 32 Long. The H&R is just a little long to easily load and unload.

If the rifle had anything resembling a bore in it I would have gotten a heeled mould and shot it with the original chamber and 32 Colt brass. But it was rusted away so bad it had to be relined.

It works great now, just have to firmly pull the block open to get the case past it.

[uscra112]

Yeah, the Stevens 44 actions aren't terribly strong. Metallurgy then wasn't what it is now, and 100 years of age haven't helped. IIRC, the CF 44s had a different hammer with projection that extended under the block when the hammer was forward.

Mine ended up 38Spl as I had someone rebore/re-rifle for less than it would have cost for a liner to make it a .22 or .32. 32 H&R Mag or 32-20 might have been better choices with their smaller head diameters, but the larger than .360" liners would have removed a bit more integrity from the barrel shank.

That hammer looked like this:

[uscra112]

The weakness of the 44 was/is that the breechblock wants to rotate downward when the thrust is applied, which stresses the link pins something awful. The hammer above was meant to take the strain off the pins. It has to be fitted closely, like a rolling-block hammer, because that's what it is. I wish I had one. But my .32-20 WCF doesn't seem to mind that lug not being there.

[justashooter]

so, i guess that little belgian folding trigger mini bulldog i rechambered from 320 revolver to 32 S&W should be fun to shoot, eh?

[KCSO]

I did a Stevens 44 to 32 S and W one time but never thought about a Favorite. I would like one for black powder, would make a dandy small game gun. You went to some good work making that one.

[Reg]

KSCO, it does make a neat little package but am firmly convinced ( more than ever now ) it's a black powder only proposition, at least in the Favorite action. I think the 44 would be more than strong enough at least for the regular .32 S&W and the Long version as well. Not too sure about the .32 Mag. It might be a bit much. Would like to show how it turned out but cannot get the picture reduced in size enough to send it through.

Nobade, wanted to also play with the .32 Mag in a rifle, from what I hear, they work well. I have a small martini action and another one of these Marlin barrels and might try to put them together later this winter. For whatever reason, I also had to hold the action tightly open in order to get things low enough to load it. Decided to put a light "scallop" on the top, front edge of the breech block. That now allows proper clearance and really is not noticed.

uscra112, Yes. That hammer lockup form is much better . Have an origional 44-46 in 32-40 set up from the factory like that and another that was converted into a .22 LR as someone's match rifle with a 52 Winchester barrel also with that lockup. That particular rifle hurts every time I look at it. In it's day it had to have been a screamer. It has the improved lockup , so it must have been in 32-40 but the receiver, breechblock, etc, is completely covered with the highest form of factory engraving. Now, it's a great shooter but what it must have been !!!!!

Have been shooting the Favorite with the Pyrodex loads for a week now with no problems whatever other than staining a few nice brass cases. Accuracy has been excellent but have noticed some fouling. Am not sure but think I might have to change the lube from the 45-45-10 to a softer lube, better suited for use in black loads. Will cast more the first of next week and try another batch with a softer lube.
Have noticed a lot of tracks out at the Bugs Bunny Motel but am still waiting for another good hard freeze before trying the Favorite out as a meat gun.
If anyone has any extra .32 S&W casings laying around and wants to get rid of same, give me a PM. Looks like this one is going to get shot a lot.

[32ideal]

I converted a H&A 932 to 32 S&W in the 70's, made a new Breech block out of 1020 steel and used Kasenit to case harden it (very simple block) the original bore was very good in the rifle, but was over size at .316", found a Cramer 3 cavity 32 caliber 72gr SWC pistol mould that cast bullets right at .3155" cast from WW's, the rifle was accurate enough for Squirrels out to 75ft and just a blast to shoot. Used 1gr or a tenth more of 231 with bullet seated to factory length. Never had a problem with pressure, think it was because of the light weight bullet. Never thought to try a case full of 3f.
32ideal

[John Taylor]

These two block came out of a 44 that had been a 25-20SS rechambered to 25-35. Someone tried to weld one back together. I made a new block from heat treated 4140 and lined the barrel back to 25-20. I hope no one was hurt when the block broke. I don't know what type of metal was used in the Stevens but when welding the frame the only rod that seems to work is the old cast iron with red flux. A tig torch will make the metal around the weld as hard as glass and it can't be made soft again. Don't ask me how I know.

[Reg]

Wow, a 44 in 25-35. If that one will not send chills up your back, nothing will.
Interesting that one broke at the vertical line of the standing face and the other let go at the pivot screw hole. Sometimes pressure plays strange games.
What Rc did you hold on the 4140 and did you stress relieve ?
Made a couple of replacements ( center fire breech blocks ) in 1055 a few years ago and just left them soft. My reasoning being that the basic steel that the factory seemed to use was very low in carbon and the "skin" of case hardening seems to be about .005 deep and perhaps even less so there was nothing to be gained from the process itself and the extra carbon in the replacement blocks would make up the difference. So far and hundreds of rounds later ( 25-20 SS ) there seems to be no stretching or yield. Workability was actually quite good. One thing I did try to hit on was that small radius of breech block support that is on the 44. Most factory breech blocks don't seem to come close to fitting but I tried to actually get a almost "touching fit" to the radius. It shows up as a minor scuffing to the blued finish on the back radius on the breech block.
The few I have made up and put out to use seem to be standing up very well and some have had quite a few rounds put through them. Proper cartridge selection seems to be the key and careful loading practices. Keep the pressures within reason and as I am learning on this Favorite, how the pressure is applied. I.E. black vrs. smokeless.
That business of the rear radius support for the breech block is one of the angles I will play next on the Favorite action. Mine seems to clear by a couple of thou and that might be enough to allow some springing to be going on. Number one son gave me a piece of S-7 to make a new block from and that might be gross over kill but just the same a tighter fit might be more in order. Not to allow the use of smokeless ( learned from that one ) but to allow a broader safety margin.
Please keep your comments coming. For me, this is a learning process.

[Reg]

These two block came out of a 44 that had been a 25-20SS rechambered to 25-35. Someone tried to weld one back together. I made a new block from heat treated 4140 and lined the barrel back to 25-20. I hope no one was hurt when the block broke. I don't know what type of metal was used in the Stevens but when welding the frame the only rod that seems to work is the old cast iron with red flux. A tig torch will make the metal around the weld as hard as glass and it can't be made soft again. Don't ask me how I know.

You speak of using a TIG to repair areas on the frame and how they turn out being glass hard. You are right on. Been there, done that.
I have caught no small amount of flack saying those frames were made from cast iron and if not cast iron then some very low quality type of cast metal ( Iron ? )
Anyone who has done any welding at all will know you cannot weld cast with TIG using any normal filler rod without the base metal turning hard as the hubs of ---- ya. Am not smart enough to tell you exactly what is going on but I do know from bitter experience it sure can get un work able hard.
Stuff doesn't even like to grind after that. Even if you could get any filling work done have always wondered how it would turn out with CC or any other coloring process.
A lot of people are playing with these older actions, 44's, Ballards, etc and seem to want to put higher pressure cartridges on them than what they were ever designed for. The Ballard that let go at Quigley and a couple of others should be enough of a warning sign for all to show caution. This has been my only real reason for posting my adventures with this Favorite. Not every idea is a good idea and even then if one wants to carry it through then caution should be shown. Accept these older actions for what they were for at their time.
If you want to play with a hot rod, get a High Wall.

[John Taylor]

The 4140 I used for making the block was factory heat treated to 28-32C. I did not worry about stress as I was just machining, not bending or button rifling.. I fit the block so it was touching the frame and had a little pressure when the barrel was in. I don't like the idea of putting the whole load on the screws.
The new block with one of the old blocks.

[uscra112]

That's a nice block, John. You left more meat around the pivot hole than the factory blocks I have, have had, or have seen.

I've more than once read that fitting the block so it bears on the shoulders in the frame when locked-up was a recommended practice. I actually did one years ago by welding some material onto the back of the block and then grinding it to fit, (in a kluge of a jig on a drill press, no less). Takes the rearward vector of the thrust off the pivot hole. Makes it lock up vaguely like unto a Ballard, sorta-kinda, almost.

[Reg]

Just thought I would try to show the little rifle that has driven me to the point of having to drink more homemade wine !!!!
The wood came from Ray Reichter when he was operating out of Fort Garland. It wasn't considered to be big enough for a regular stock but with some careful fudging I managed to get both the butt stock and the forarm from the same piece.
Blueing is all rust blue. Still need to decide what will be the checkering pattern but am using it too much now to take it down and start scratching.
Action is still holding up very well, accuracy is still excellent but am getting a bit of fouling showing up. Think it is the lube and will go to a softer lube better suited for for the Pyrodex powder.
Normally the rabbits are ankle deep out at the Bugs Bunny Motel but since the last freeze have yet to get a shot at nary one. Fate must have intervened.

[Ecramer]

I bet it would perform well on Hogdon 777, too, with somewhat less smoke and fouling. Dandy rifle you've built there.

[MBTcustom]

That is a sweet little number you got there!