Recently acquired Stevens 417 Walnut Hill

[gnoahhh]

I lusted for one of these for a long time until this one fell into my lap last month. 417 = the last iteration of the Stevens 44, but with a somewhat beefier receiver, coil mainspring and very short hammer throw. Built 1932-1947, this one is a late 30's vintage one- color case hardened receiver (turning brown) and optional closed loop lever. My only gripe (and it's a very minor gripe) is about the trigger pull. It breaks at 3 1/2 pounds. I would wish for a lot less, but Gail at CPA warned me to learn to live with it as getting it lighter is dicey and the triggers and hammers for this model are hard to come by if wrecked in the process. So be it, but it shoots pretty well regardless. (Black hand drawn targets executed at 50 yards, orange pasters at 100, wind was tricky and I can't dope the wind for beans. Eley Tenex. I show "average" targets, there were a few much much better but I believe in "truth in lending", haha!)

[samari46]

I'm happy you posted your pic of the Stevens Walnut Hill. Looks to be a nice single shot in 22rf. But the best part is that your pics allowed me to identify a forearm I've had for a bunch of years. Long suspected that it was from a Stevens single shot but your pic confirmed it. Thanks for that and congratulations on getting your dream rifle. Frank

[GARD72977]

Glad to see the old gun is still a tack driver. I would like to have a one of the 400's model stevens. Dont really care which one.

Post some pictures of the gun please

[tnlonghunter]

Great looking rifle. I found a 418 Walnut Hill a few years ago that is my favorite .22 I've ever shot.

Would love to see a few more pics of yours.

[gewehrfreund]

That puts my recently acquired "personalized" Model 418 to shame, but even my "junior" Walnut Hill is a shooter and mine actually has a very nice trigger.

[uscra112]

Congratulations. I'm pretty much past acquiring rifles, but a 417 was a Holy Grail for me for a couple of decades. By some accounts, the 417 was competitive with the Winchester 52, but wasn't popular because the sport at the time was belly-shooting, and the underlever was hard to operate in that position. Looks like it might have been true.