Looking for some info on a nice Walnut Hill sporter. Got a shot at picking one up but there seems to be a lack of info on these. Rifle retains 85-90% blue/finish and has a Wollensack 4X tube scope along with the original Lyman elevation/windage tang site. Scarcity, price ranges, desirability?
PHOTOS ADDED
Last edited by sliphammer; 02-02-2016 at 01:37 AM.
What caliber?
What model? 49? 50? 417?
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=538804384
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=537351454
Good luck
Mike
NRA Benefactor 2004USAF RET 1971-95
Mike - thanks for the links to Gunbroker. This rifle is a model 418 mfg. from 1932-40 in 22 LR. Full size rifle weighs about 6.5 lbs.
418's seem to be all over the place in what they sell for. I see them without the scope from around $650, clear up to around $950. The scope has some value, but if it didn't also have the original sights, it might not offset the loss of sights. If it has both, maybe add $100-$150 for the fact it has both. That's about as close as I can guesstimate it.
I picked up a Walnut Hill 417 a few weeks back. They also made the 417&1/2, 418 and 418&1/2. Someone told me the other day that some of the Walnut Hill rifles were made on the Favorite action but I can't verify it. Walnut Hill was a shooting range in new york. My 417 is the same size as the 44 action with a round barrel. It did not come with the sights but does have the scope mounts and the base for the sights
.
My Stevens reference states that the Walnut Hill rifles, as well as the Ideal 44, were made on the Ideal action, not the Favorite.
The different Walnut Hill rifles are as follows:
The Walnut Hill 417 was a solid frame target rifle with a 28" heavy round bbl, a CCH & blued frame, a high-comb shotgun butt, a semi-beavertail forestock, Lyman 17A globe front sight, a Lyman 48L receiver sight & it weighed 10-1/2lbs.
The Walnut Hill 417-1/2 Sporting Rifle was a lightweight version of the M-417, with a 28" tapered lightweight bbl, CCH blued frame, a sporting forestock, a Lyman 28 bead front sight, a Lyman 48L receiver sight & it weighed 8 to 8-1/2 lbs.
There are 5 different versions/models of the 417: the 417-1, 417-2, 417-3, 417-4 & 417-5.
The -2 version had a Lyman 144 rear sight ILO the 48L sight @ a lower price.
The -3 version had scope sight blocks & no metallic sights.
The -4 version was the -3 version with a Lyman 438 scope & no metallic sights.
The -5 version was fitted with a Lyman 5A scope & no metallic sights.
The Walnut Hill 418 was much cheaper than the 417 series, and was a takedown version of the 417/417-1/2, with a 26" medium weight tapered round bbl, a CCH (unblued) frame, a plain front sight blade, a Lyman 144 tang sight, and the old-style Model 417 & 417-1/2 lever, instead of the improved lever that closely hugged the pistol grip & it weighed 6-1/2lbs.
The Walnut Hill 418-1/2 was the sporting version of the 418 with a Lyman gold bead front sight, a Lyman 2A tang sight & also weighed 6-1/2lbs.
.
Last edited by pietro; 01-29-2016 at 02:01 PM.
I want to thank everyone for their helpful comments. Today - its time to go make a deal for this rifle.
Please Post Photos of the Rifle.
Best Regards,
Chev. William
Last edited by sliphammer; 02-02-2016 at 01:57 AM.
Yes, it is a larger action than the Favorite, and in my opinion very superior. Don't use a screwdriver forcefully on those side screws. One slot is a dummy on a pin with a tapered head, drawn home by a short screw on the other side. You can turn it till half the head breaks away. The right procedure is to undo the easy one, either completely or just a turn or two, and tap the pin out.
The desirability of a given rifle is about opposite for collectors and shooters. The extremely long Stevens centrefires are interesting but a perpetual reloading headache, but for the shooter .22LR is far more convenient.
That particular tang sight will add a fair amount of extra value to your Stevens!
The pictured rifle is a Stevens #418, which was their "Junior" sized target rifle. It is built around a somewhat thicker version of the 1915 Favorite action, with slightly higher side walls and a pistol grip lower tang. The barrels were selected for accuracy, drilled and tapped for scope sights and the rifle also came with the Lyman windage adjusted 1A tang sight. Your specimen looks amazingly pristine and complete, it even has the sling that was also standard equipment. Calibers were .22 LR and, in rare instances, .22 Short.
The 418-1/2 was the "Sporter" version, with the Lyman tang sight and available in .22 LR, .22 WRF and .25RF.
In my experience, this model is rare, Rare, RARE! I've probably seen a dozen of the none-too-common #417/417-1/2 rifles, built on the No. 44 action, with pistol grip and other improvements, but I can only recall one or two 418s. They were the high water mark of the Stevens boys' rifles, but I guess few kids that age were into "serious" target shooting. Or their parents couldn't afford the $18.00 price in the Depression. It was only available during the worst part of the economic downturn, 1932-1940.
The 418 actually had the same Lyman 144 windage adjustable sight that was used on the 417 with a Partridge front sight. The Lyman 144 sight was made specifically for the Stevens 417 and 418. They typically sell for $300-$400+ when you can find them. The 418 1/2 had the Lyman 2A rear sight and a Lyman gold bead front sight. The 2A's on my two are not stamped with an application code on the bottom. They are basicly a Favorite on steroids. Some what larger frame. To my knowledge they were not offered from the factory with a scope but were drilled and tapped for one. The 417's were offered with a Lyman 438 Field scope. To me that would be the appropriate on to put on a 418. Just put one on one of mine but have not tried it out yet. The 418 came in .22 Long rifle with .22 Short as a no cost option. I have both. the .22 Short was hard to find. The 418 1/2 came in .22 Long Rifle, .22 WRF, and .25 Stevens. I also have all three. The .22 WRF was extremely hard to find. I stumbled on the .25 Stevens. With no model markings on them they are difficult to identify unless you know what they are. This sometimes allows you to get one for a reasonable price when the seller doesn't know what it is. They did come with a sling. There were two styles of sling swivels. Most people must have removed the sling because none of mine still had them when I got them. Sliphammer, that is a really nice one that you have. What scope is on it?
The scope is a Wollensak 4X - thanks for your comments
nice example thats a keeper
Posting Permissions
| BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
| BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
| BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
| C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
| HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
| LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
| GC | Gas Check |
Reply With Quote
