Stevens -Pope 32-40 model 47

[HARRYMPOPE]

Early pre 44-1/2 (model 44 lugged hammer) with barrel number in the 500 range. Very light offhand gun that's been a challenge off of the bench so far.
Scope is a Fecker.The barrel made with no dovetails for sights.
297261
297262

[Green Frog]

Have you tried benching it using a barrel sled and flat top front rest? This is probably how your namesake would have done it. Also what loading style are you using? Does it have the holes at the muzzle to indicate it was intended to be a Breech-muzzleloader? Or are you breech seating? What bullet (incl. diameter, weight, and shape) and lube? All important, as of course is powder type and charge weight.

It’s a beautiful rifle and I would hope it would shoot well enough to match its looks. The one thing that worries me about it is whether its gorgeous condition is indicative that previous owners couldn’t get it to shoot for them? I wish you the best of luck, my friend.

Froggie

[Green Frog]

PS to last; the importance of bullet weight, alloy, design, and (tapered) diameters for the Pope barrels cannot be overstated. Ideally you want to use bullets from the mould he cut for that specific barrel. If I were starting from scratch, I’d use my old go-to bullet, the Ideal 31952 in 200 gr length. It’s cylindrical, but a lot of barrels seem to like it.

BTW, what markings did he put on the bottom of the barrel? Usually he marked twist and bore diameter, IIRC.

Also, as previously mentioned, the method of loading was/is very important. Breech seating with a plugged case works well with the 44 action, and all sorts of things can be tried with fixed ammo. Wish I were there to experiment with you, amigo! It could be fun if a little frustrating!

Your Phriendly ‘Phibian

[Jedman]

For shooting off a bench I would remove the palm rest and rest the gun on the front bag near where the palm rest would attach. Never let the barrel touch anything.

Jedman

[gnoahhh]

Good advice, grenouille! I bet he'll figure it out, he's pretty savvy (if not pretty)!!

I've taken to using a sled (made by the late Skip Epps) on a flat base of thick Delrin (fussed and fumed over getting everything flat/plumbed/level), with the sled attached to barrels at their nodal point, achieved by holding the barrel vertically with no wood attached and lightly striking it with a rawhide mallet to locate the "dead spot" where it doesn't ring, at said spot is where the sled is attached. I usually leave the fore end off the guns too when shooting them like that.

[freakonaleash]

Nifty.

[stubshaft]

Real purdy gun ya got there!

[6pt-sika]

Ah a 44 with a Pope barrel in 32-40 !

You're really trying to cause and older guy to have a stiffy LOL's !

I've wanted a Stevens-Pope in full schuetzen regalia for years .

[6pt-sika]

Once upon a time I had an Ideal Perfection adjustable mold in .319 that woulda been intresting to try in that rifle or one like it .

[marlinman93]

Great looking Stevens! And of course any Stevens-Pope barreled rifle is a nice piece of history to own!

[HARRYMPOPE]

the gun started coming around once I used a non tapered bullet to fill the throat. The 319162 breech seats wonderful.this is a fluke 5 shot group at 100 yards but I'll take it.
303124

[koger]

If it did it once, it is repeatable! A smoking good group.

[Gtek]

Breech seating that thing (might) tighten that up, but hard to tighten that one up too much. I breech seated a 204 taper with 14.1 of 4227 and a pea of Kapoc. I used to shoot with a fellow that left perfected flare on case saying it centered and help seal, his groups were hard to argue the point and if you are shooting fixed might be a try. Also alloy can change things a little also, where are you landing, 25-1, 30-1? Lube? I am sitting on a shoe box full stash of Javelina (He-he). Have not touched my pile in a decade or so, hopefully soon to retire and need to steer back to them.

[tward]

Beautiful gun and group Harry, hope the 311403 does as well for you, Tim

[HARRYMPOPE]

Breech seating that thing (might) tighten that up, but hard to tighten that one up too much. I breech seated a 204 taper with 14.1 of 4227 and a pea of Kapoc. I used to shoot with a fellow that left perfected flare on case saying it centered and help seal, his groups were hard to argue the point and if you are shooting fixed might be a try. Also alloy can change things a little also, where are you landing, 25-1, 30-1? Lube? I am sitting on a shoe box full stash of Javelina (He-he). Have not touched my pile in a decade or so, hopefully soon to retire and need to steer back to them.

it is breech seated. using 30-1 but 20-1 also did well.longer bullets not so well as the short ones.
I have A bunch of old NEI 50-50 NRA formula but use 50-50 beeswax-vaseline for my plainbase stuff typically.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Beautiful gun and group Harry, hope the 311403 does as well for you, Tim

I have a 308403 and bought yours to see if there were and dimensions difference.i had a 311403 5 years ago that didn't have the rear reverse tapered band like it should have

[HARRYMPOPE]

PS to last; the importance of bullet weight, alloy, design, and (tapered) diameters for the Pope barrels cannot be overstated. Ideally you want to use bullets from the mould he cut for that specific barrel. If I were starting from scratch, I’d use my old go-to bullet, the Ideal 31952 in 200 gr length. It’s cylindrical, but a lot of barrels seem to like it.

BTW, what markings did he put on the bottom of the barrel? Usually he marked twist and bore diameter, IIRC.

Also, as previously mentioned, the method of loading was/is very important. Breech seating with a plugged case works well with the 44 action, and all sorts of things can be tried with fixed ammo. Wish I were there to experiment with you, amigo! It could be fun if a little frustrating!

Your Phriendly ‘Phibian

I have a replica Story barrel sled but I haven't used it.The markings I can't remember but they are typical for his 32-40 barrels a buddy told me.
it does seem to like larger cylindrical bullets as I just posted.i have 20 or so .32 molds to choose from and only last time out tried non tapered style.
I have a 319232 ill give another go as well.
it's not a muzzleloader barrel and came from Stevens with no barrel dovetails.