Stephens Favorite.

[Hooker53]

Fast question gents. Are the 32 Longs in the Favorites heeled Boolits? Im thinking that most of the Rim fires were heeled. What say yee?

Roy
Hookr53

[Nueces]

The rimfire rounds were heeled. 32 Long Colts, the centerfire version, are hollow based and seated inside the case.

[Hooker53]

Thanks Nueces. Thought I was correct on that. I been wanting a Favorite but with all the heeled stuff I'm doing already, don't know if I want to dive in on another new caliber. Lol. So most are long Colt instead of S&W long?

[Nueces]

The 32 Long Colt is the centerfire version of the rimfire 32 Long. The case is smaller in diameter that the 32 S&W Long.

I have an old Marlin 92 with the dual firing pins, for the rimfire 32 Long and the 32 Long Colt. 32 S&W Long will not chamber - but it will feed. The bore is rough and I have long thought of relining to the larger centerfire case and using black powder loads.

[Hooker53]

Now that's the Marlin I been looking for. Wink. Lol. I love these small calibers even to the point of putting small caliber barrels on larger guns like the Martini. Thanks for the cart info. Was just trying to fig out how to make a Favorite into a shootable gun. I know you have to keep the pressures way down on those. Almost no more than .22 but I fig the actions to the 32's and the .22's were a smite Diff.

[Hooker53]

Has anyone rebarreled A Stephens Fav for a .22 Hornet??

[Hooker53]

I knew they were weak because IV heard folks around here not even wanting to shoot a 22lf in some of them. So there was two diff action sizes of the Stephens Fav??

[oldred]

When searching for info you will find you need to search "STEVENS", there is no such thing as a "STEPHENS" favorite. Or at least I have never seen one, what is stamped on your rifle?

[Hooker53]

Wow. Gotta a man at work named Stephens and type his name every day so got off there. Ha. Ha. Thanks oldred.

[MT Chambers]

I think that there is too much talk on here about rechambering the Fav. to c.f. cals. using smokeless powder, someone is gonna try it and get blowed up.

[Chev. William]

Too Late, Look at Threads on "reloadable .32 rimfire brass" and "Stevens Favorite" around here. I think they are up to 24 pages of Info on the 'reloadable...' one.

Best Regards,
Chev. William

[Tatume]

I have a couple of these cute little rifles, and I have one in my hands right now. It perplexes me that anybody could examine one of them and still think about modifying it to shoot cartridges more powerful than the 22 LR.

A very good friend has a Stevens 44 Walnut Hill rifle in 22 LR, and we talked about modifying it to 22 Hornet. I strongly advised against it, and he listened. I don't think the Stevens 44 would blow up, but I do believe it would shoot loose and be ruined.

It's better to enjoy these nice old rifles configured as they were intended.

[slumlord44]

The late 44 action Walnut Hill's were chambered in .22 Hornet for a year or two around 1932. I have one. They dropped it quickly because the actions loosened up quickly. I don't think they would blow up either. I don't shoot mine much and stick with low end hand loads with .223 bullets because the early barrels were .223 rather than .224. The early Favorites and other small boys rifles are best if used only with standard velocity ammo. Centerfire conversions are not advised under any circumstances.

[358wcf]

Let's agree to let this topic die a natural death, for our mutual safety-
Good evening, Gents!

[Tatume]

"Let's agree to let this topic die a natural death, for our mutual safety."

?

[Chev. William]

What you wish is not what Human Nature will allow. There will be new people comming along repeatedly asking the same questions and giving "Blanket Answers" or Ignoring them will not stop the questions.

Not ALL Stevens Favorite type Actions are the Same, even the 'Favorite' varied in strength over its production run from late 1880s to the last 1915 Versions produced in the 20th Century.

Then there are user made replacement items that add strength to these designs, such as a "Lugged" Hammer, or Stronger Alloy Steel pivot pins and screws, or machined from Alloy Steels Breech Blocks, Links, and even Receivers.

Yes, The early Stevens 'Favorite' is weak As Manufactured, since the propellant of the era was Black Powder. However, The later 1894 production of around 1900s were improved in Strength and the 1915 series were designed to handle Target loadings of Smokeless Powders and the Smokeless loadings of .22, .25, and .32 Cartridges they were Chambered for by the Manufacturer.

So, like I said a "Blanket Answer" is NOT Applicable to ALL Stevens "Favorites" or "Model 44s".

Best Regards,
Chev. William