Questions on a Stevens 44 Value

[terryt]

Hi:

I was a one of the LGS today and he had a Stevens 44 in 25-20 Rimfire. The finish on the metal and wood is about 20-30 %. The bore is dark with very good rifling. It is a complete gun and the lock up is good and everything works. The LGS has been asking $400.00 and today he offered it to me for $ 200.00. I know very little about these guns. Is $ 200.00 a good price or about right?

Is ammo or brass or dies available and if so how much do they cost.

Thanks,

Terryt

[kootne]

It will either be a .25 rimfire (likely marked 25 Stevens) or a .25-20 (most likely .25-20 single shot) but I do not think there is such an animal as a .25-20 Rimfire. I would say $200 is good deal if it is a 25 rimfire and even a better deal if it is a .25-20 single shot. Buffalo Arms may have ammo for 25/20 SS but it won't be cheap. Brass is made by a company that used to be called Jamison, I haven't dealt with the new company and don't remember the new name. Dies are available from C-H and maybe others but none of the this stuff is cheap. It also takes a special shellholder. I'm sure you will blow another $200 getting it to shoot. But they are cheap to shoot once you are set up. The 44 is not a strong action so keep loads mild, as in black powder velocities.

[Mk42gunner]

I've never dealt with them, but I believe the company that replaced Jamison is Cap-Tech. If its not that, it is close.

Robert

[gewehrfreund]

$200 for any Stevens 44 these days is a GREAT price, if it's in decent shape.

[wch]

I suggest you take your question(s) to the ASSRA (American Single Shot Rifle Association) forum.

[MT Chambers]

The rifle is worth at least $200 or more, esp. if it is c.f. and 25/20(or .25/21, 25/25), the action is not strong and should not be used with bigger cals., loads should be B.P. or equiv.

[Don McDowell]

If it is the 2520 single shot centerfire,grab it at that price. Brass and loaded ammo are available from Captec International. Fun little rifle that is easy on powder and lead.

[John Taylor]

I get quite a few of these in for reline. The 25-20 SS can be relined to 25-20 Winchester or 32-20 without changing the extractor. The 25 rimfire will need the firing pin moved for center fire if it is converted to a center fire cartridge. It can also be lined for 17 ll and HMR as well as the 22 rim fires.
I picked up an action a while back and made it a 44-40. Some of the original were chambered in 28-30, 32-40 and 28-55 and had an extra lug on the hammer which was supposed to help hold the block up. These were designed for target loads and hunting loads shot them loose after a while so Stevens stopped making them.
Had one come in a while back that was 25-20 and someone re-chambered it to 25-35, as expected it had a broken breach block. Going from 16,000 psi to 42,000 is not a good idea.

[terryt]

Thanks for the info.

Terryt