Sideplate Favorite

[Danth]

Hi: just started work on a sideplate Favorite. Wondering if anyone has worked on these, and if any parts interchange with the later Favorites. I've got to make just about everything, so I'd be very interested corresponding with someone that knows these actions. Thanks, Danth

[Bent Ramrod]

I've only needed to replace the takedown screw and the tang screws on mine. The takedown screw from an 1894 model fits, and the wood screws for the tangs, but i doubt that anything else would. The frame is a little longer than the later Favorites, and a little slimmer IIRC. The lug on the breechblock that allows it to swing on the block screw is longer than later Favorites, which would change the relationship of hammer to block and trigger to hammer. Don't know about barrels, they came in a number of shank styles and sizes. My Sideplate Favorite has a round barrel, not the part-octagon of the 1894's, and the longer frame front would indicate a longer shank on the barrel.

How much of your rifle is left?

[Danth]

Howdy: I've got the barrel, frame (missing the sideplate)and sights. Looks like the hammer and trigger from a later Favorite might work, but I'm not sure. Haven't gotten that far. I've got the stock and forearm about done. I'm using a swiss buttplate from a tipup as I have a pic of an original sideplate with this buttplate so I guess Stevens must have had this on some of their sideplates. Fun project! Danth

[Frank46]

There is a stevens favorite 22rf action for sale on the assra.com forum Maybe save yourself some work and check it out. Look in the for sale section. Frank

[Danth]

Thanks Frank. Checked out the action and it's the 1915 version. Don't think any parts will fit. Think I might have a chance with the earlier version. Danth

[Bent Ramrod]

Danth,

Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. The style of the 1894 hammers and triggers is closer to the Side Plate version, for sure. You may need to do some welding and/or remachining on them to get them to fit. Mine is at the back of the safe at the moment; I'll dig it out sometime this weekend and take a look at it.

[Bent Ramrod]

Danth,

Here are some pictures of the Stevens Side-Plate Favorite with hammers, breechblock and lever from the 1894 Favorite for comparison. I took a reverse of the Side Plate to (hopefully) help you in machining a copy. It appears that both the hammer and the breechblock of the Side Plate model are somewhat larger than their analogues in the 94 model. You can see on the last picture that I put the smaller 94 hammer on top of the 85 hammer and it doesn't quite cover it. The lever projection, if not the whole lever, also looks larger in the earlier model. I didn't have an extra 1894 trigger for comparison. Hope this helps.

[Danth]

Many thanks Bent Ramrod. Your pictures are awesome. Just what I needed. I'll send you some pics as the project goes along. Again, thanks much. Best, Dan