Saw this beauty today

[mm1ut1]

Pretty sure it has been restored , but very nice job. 25 Ideal caliber. Poor cellphone photos, sorry. The case coloring much better in person .

[rking22]

OH Wow, beautiful! If I had that in my hands and it was for sale, I would be in SO much trouble with SWMBO !!!!

[JeffinNZ]

Wonderful.

[dtknowles]

Yeah, they don't even have stuff like that on Gun Broker. Where do you find such a fine item.

Tim

[Mk42gunner]

I don't know where to find one, but I would rather have one rifle like that than a truckload of plastic and aluminum bolt together bullet launchers.

Robert

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

try looking at www.cparifles.com sometime...

[stubbicatt]

That's a beautiful rifle to be sure. There is something just right about the old single shot rifles. Mk42gunner, I concur with your sentiment. Walnut and steel is a combination that sort of speaks to the heart, doesn't it?

I feel the same way about my 1958 BSA motorcycle. It is perhaps a different concept of "quality."

[Rick Hodges]

Ok, I admit it, that is a beautiful rifle. What is it? Make? Or is it a full custom piece.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Rick, the rifle was made by Stevens on what they called the 44 action which is comparable to the Ballard in strength. They redesigned the action in 1904 to handle smokeless powder and called it the 44-1/2. They were made in several grades and I have no idea which model that rifle is. I think they were all dropped about the time of WWI.

[country gent]

CPA makes a very nice reproduction of the 44 1/2 in several diffrent models. I have a shillouette model in 40-65 that is a lovely rifle and also a great shooter. Look at their website to see the rifles. Give them a call and talk to them they are very informative and helpfull. Its a small shop and custom built to order rifles so expect 8 weeks or so lead time. I opted for fancy walnut stock forend and loop filler. Look at what they offer and see some very nice rifles if nothing else.

[johnson1942]

i have a cpa 44 and 1/2, 45/70. they are a good action.

[marlin39a]

Pretty rifle indeed. I'm looking at a modern Ballard #7 right now in 45-110. Love the classics.

[John Taylor]

Rick, the rifle was made by Stevens on what they called the 44 action which is comparable to the Ballard in strength. They redesigned the action in 1904 to handle smokeless powder and called it the 44-1/2. They were made in several grades and I have no idea which model that rifle is. I think they were all dropped about the time of WWI.

The 44 is not a very strong action. There were some made in 32-40 and 38-55 with a lug on the hammer to help hold the breach closed ( some on the 28-30). These were designed for target loads and did not hold up with hunting loads so they were discontinued. The 44-1/2 is a true falling block and is much stronger. The Stevens 44 is probably as strong as the cast Ballard which was for black powder pistol cartridges. The forged steel Ballard is much stronger and designed for rifle cartridges.
Had a 44 come into the shop a while back that had two broken breach blocks with it. It was originally chambered in 25-20 but someone chambered it to 25-35. That's going from a 16,000 psi to a 42,000 psi cartridge. One of my customers bought it that way, probably from some guys estate sale.

[Rick Hodges]

That is a beautiful rifle...it is probably heresy here, but the rolling block just looks awkward to me...the lines of the rifle ungainly? That Stevens is a thing of beauty. Well.....except for the shuetzen style butplate with hooks. LOL...

[mm1ut1]

Going to take a second look today. Believe it or not my WIFE wants to buy it !

[Grendl]

Smart Woman, you are a Blessed man!

[John J]

Hell My wife would have.

[mm1ut1]

Picked it up today. A few more photos. Rounds are a 45/100 next to the 25.21 .

[slim1836]

One beautiful weapon for sure, congrats.

Slim

[Ballistics in Scotland]

The 44 is not a very strong action. There were some made in 32-40 and 38-55 with a lug on the hammer to help hold the breach closed ( some on the 28-30). These were designed for target loads and did not hold up with hunting loads so they were discontinued. The 44-1/2 is a true falling block and is much stronger. The Stevens 44 is probably as strong as the cast Ballard which was for black powder pistol cartridges. The forged steel Ballard is much stronger and designed for rifle cartridges.
Had a 44 come into the shop a while back that had two broken breach blocks with it. It was originally chambered in 25-20 but someone chambered it to 25-35. That's going from a 16,000 psi to a 42,000 psi cartridge. One of my customers bought it that way, probably from some guys estate sale.

This is exactly right. There are big differences between early and late Ballards, and between the Stevens 44 and 44½, so big that it is a pity Stevens didn't give the last a model number that didn't foster delusions.

I suppose they wanted to cash in on the reputation of the 44, which was an excellent rifle for low powered cartridges. It was popular in the early days of smallbore target shooting in the UK, for it had the ability squeeze the rimfire round into the beginning of the rifle, which improved barrel accuracy, and it permitted cleaning from the rear. The reason the Francotte-design small Martini won out was trigger pull, since the rules didn't permit a set trigger. The 44½ not only was made of steel rather than malleable cast iron, but traded off that forward tilt of the block for upward slide and therefore strength of lockup.

[Rick Hodges]

Congratulations.. that is indeed a rifle to be proud of. Very nice.

[stubbicatt]

Congratulations on acquiring a neat old rifle. I pretty much like all firearms, some more than others, but true American made single shots, built before the first World War, are really quality items. Those worked over by the Pope's, Schoyens, et. al. from the "classic period" are true masterpieces. Hope you have a wonderful time with that rifle.

[oscarflytyer]

WAY COOL rifle! Dare I ask, what is something like that worth/set you back? And if not here, would appreciate a pm, just to get a feel. I am currently dreaming about a Remington/variation Rolling Block or a Springfield Trapdoor. But this one is at least as cool as the RB, and maybe better! Def no one on the range will have ever seen one!!!

[dougader]

Man, those are beautiful rifles.

[slumlord44]

Really nice 44. You first said it was a .25 Ideal and later .25-21. I am assuming it is a .25-21. I collect Stevens and am not familiar with the .25 Ideal but I have a .25-21. Neat caliber. The 44 works well with it unless you try to hot rod it with smokeless. It is a fun caliber to shoot, especially with black powder. I love the odd calibers.

[mm1ut1]

It's a 25-21. Not a whole lot of info out there on these Stevens models. One source referred to the 25-21 as the 25 Stevens .
As as far as cost, well about the same ad a good trapdoor carbine :)
Bullets on the way, off to the range soon !

[.22-10-45]

Beautiful Stevens! I have a No.2 Ballard in .25-25 Stevens. Since this is a cast action, I only use Swiss 3FG and bullets cast from original Ideal moulds 20-1 lead/tin alloy. I seat bullets with an old nickle plated Ideal tong tool. I had first thought fouling was going to be a nightmare in this small bore..but using blow tube, I am getting 1" groups at 50yds..good enough for hunting. But for match accuracy, I run 1 barely damp patch thru after each shot..laving bore damp..groups then shrink to 3/8". Not too shabby considering the vernier tang rear & windage adj. globe front and 60+ year peepers! This is a really fun gun to shoot..big greyish white smoke screen blotting out target for an instant..and a boom all out of proportion to caliber..and recoil like a .22!

[gpidaho]

What a joy to own such a fine old rifle. Happy for you and your wife. You both obviously know a good deal when you see one. Gp