Stevens lever rifles?

[AbitNutz]

I'm going to a Rock Island Auction at the end of the month. There's a auction lot that I'm interested in that contains a Stevens 425 lever action rifle. I am completely unfamiliar with Stevens lever guns. They seem quite reasonably priced (meaning cheap) compared Winchesters or even Marlins. Is there a good reference book that describes actions?

How do the actions lock in comparison to Marlin's or Winchester? They must be fairly stout as the cartridges chambered for them are not weenies.

Any insight you knowledgeable folks could provide would be greatly appreciated.

[Bent Ramrod]

I looked for years for one in .25 Remington caliber, at an affordable price. They are pretty rare, especially compared to Winchesters and Marlins, and I never saw one go for cheap. A friend had one in .35 Remington (with an Indian Head Penny inletted into the stock) that shot pretty good. West's book on Savage/Stevens has a section on the Stevens High Power lever action.

Stevens got into the lever repeater business late, and hitched their wagon onto the "modern" Remington rimless line of cartridges, thinking that was the wave of the future. The cartridges were not as popular as the rimmed Winchester series they mimicked, except for the .35 Remington. The company did not have many years left to operate, and that also ensured the scarcity of this model. I remember reading that they were made to a price, so the hardening of the internals was not as thorough as the competition, making the gun less suitable for heavy service. For the once a year deer hunter, it was probably fine.

IIRC, the bolt locks up something like the Savage, sliding forward and then tipping up. They do look neat. There seems to be an underground of Stevens High Power collectors that glom onto them. I'd be interested in the results of that auction, if you could post them.

[AbitNutz]

Will do, the one in the lot is in 35 Remington. I suspect that was the popular caliber. I wish I could find some pictures of the action open.

This could be dangerous for me...how many lever manufactures and models were there? Hmm, Winchester 94, 92, 86, 88. Marlin, 95, Stevens 425, Burgess...oh god, this could be expensive.

[Mk42gunner]

Even worse for your savings account, there were quite a few small companies that Winchester bought just to do away with the competition. Some of them look like they were, or could have evolved into, better rifles than what Winchester was making at the time.

Go to youtube and watch some of Ian's video's on Forgotten Weapons.

Robert

[Bent Ramrod]

Here's a woodcut of the cutaway action from the catalog.

169431

[catskinner]

If you google Stevens highpower 425 you should find a little more info. These are fairly scarce rifles. From the serial number info posted I'd guess no more than 6000 were made 1912 to about 1917.

[Southern Son]

One for sale Down Under here.......



Tried to attach a link, but it won't work, it is on Used Guns, looks pretty.

[gnoahhh]

The couple that I handled impressed me with their fit and finish. Much more impressive than Winchester of that era IMO.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Here is a picture from their catalogue number 53. They didn't date them, and I don't know who my reprint was made by, but I would be surprised if Cornell Publications didn't offer various editions.

I would think Bent Ramrod's assessment is about right. I would be very surprised if Stevens made a rifle unsuitable for the cartridge as commercially loaded, but I wouldn't use it heavily, or try to improve on its performance. I like the coilspring.

169461

[AbitNutz]

I wasn't thinking of hotrodding it...With the number rifles and calibers available today, if you can't find what will do what you want, you ain't lookin'. I am curious to see if they were substantially different from the Winchesters or Marlins of the day.

[TXGunNut]

I think I see a lot of Marlin influence in that design, suppose it could be vice versa. I think they have one at Cody, looking forward to studying on it some more next month.

[pietro]

.

The Model 425 is the base model, a plain rifle; there supposedly were 3 upgraded versions (430, 435, & 440), but I've never actually seen one.

The Stevens 425's action is smooth; IDK about repair parts availability; some small parts are frail, but fairly easy to make.

AFAIK, although reportedly 26,000 were made 1910-1917, in reality none are known with a SN over 5,500.



http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg196/hfcable/74f2e3b1-2f34-4b28-b13b-8b1c636741c8_zpsfacopmna.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg196/hfcable/225b1c79-3eda-437d-bcb2-b1aa03c24a6d_zpsj9sylpgr.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg196/hfcable/2c33eb4c-d701-4e17-9b3a-795691a8e966_zpsifycfnyq.jpg


.

[TXGunNut]

Mmmmmmm....wow! Nice rifle Pietro!

[pietro]

.

Thanks, but it's not my rifle (although, I sure wish it was ! )


.

[John Taylor]

Cabela's in Lacey WA has a 25 cal for sale at $399.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I wasn't thinking of hotrodding it...With the number rifles and calibers available today, if you can't find what will do what you want, you ain't lookin'. I am curious to see if they were substantially different from the Winchesters or Marlins of the day.

They were obviously modeled on the Marlin and Winchester as far as external appearance goes, but internally they are more like an inverted version of the 6mm. Lee Navy, which most people consider a bolt-action, although it can be argued that it isn't.

I still marvel at the genius of John M. Browning, who when wondering how a lever-action could load a round as long as the military bullet .45-70, must have thought "Who made the rule that says the lever must have a fixed pivot in the receiver?" If you don't do it his way, your rifle has to end up looking a bit like the Marlins.