Stevens 14 1/2 Little Scout

[cwtebay]

I bought this a very long time ago and it never has been right. If you shoot anything above 22 Long or Colibri ammunition, the block falls and blasts gasses back toward the shooter. I believe it is due to wear on the sliding keeper that retains the block in the "up" position. Is this part repairable? Or replaceable?
The photo is of the ventral aspect of the barrel portion of the two pieces.
It's got a bit of sentimental value for me so it's worth repairing for me
Thank you for your help!

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[rancher1913]

some older guns were never ment to fire 22lr, I got several that state, use only short or long

[elmacgyver0]

The block should be locked closed by the hammer.
Perhaps the hammer spring has weakened to the point it is rebounding and unlocking the action.
That sliding part is the shell extractor that pushes the case out when the block is lowered.
I had one of those when I was a kid. Never shot LR in it only shorts.
Got to the point the breech when open when fired and casing would fly by my ear.
Like an idiot I traded it away, wish I still had it.

[Deadeye Bly]

The Stevens 14 1/2 is a very weak action. The breech block is held in place by the hammer when fired. They should never be fired with modern Long Rifle ammo. I've got one I started my son shooting when he was about 8 years old. I only shoot CB caps in it and it works fine.

[cwtebay]

I should have qualified my post -
I have no desire to shoot 22 Long Rifle in it. But the fact that it has the propensity drop as noted by elmacgyver is what gives me pause in shooting it at all without repair. My assumption about the slider is apparently incorrect, I may have to replace the hammer spring then?

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[Bent Ramrod]

Many of those old-time kid’s rifles are testaments to what you could get away with back when the only propellant was black powder. The flimsy rolling blocks like the Side Lever Crack Shot and the Little Scout, and the Maynard Jr. breakopen are CB Long propositions only in the smokeless powder era.

The arrangement that keeps the block up when the hammer is cocked doesn’t handle the pressure on firing. The hammer locks the breech for that. Can you pull the block back with the hammer down far enough to insert a feeler gauge into the breech? If it’s more than a few thousandths gap, the block and hammer pins are probably worn and need replacement.

Even some of the 94 Favorites I shoot are starting to loosen up after enough Standard Velocity Long Rifles are fired through them.

[pietro]

.

Most likely

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-man...2-little-scout

[2152hq]

The main spring (coil) may be weak or a replacement of insufficient power to hold the block closed.
The mainspring double dutys as the hammer spring as well.

When the hammer is cocked, the spring is compressed to it's near limit and the block is held closed by a simple 'over center' principle by that spring.
When the hammer falls, the spring of course looses a lot of it's compression power, but the shelf on the front face of the hammer is now underneath the block and that is what is now locking the block closed.

If the spring is very weak in that closed and locked position and there is much wear to the locking surfaces of the hammer and block,,it's not hard for a .22LR round to cam the action open.

Another possibility is that the firing pin on these is often a home-made replacement and way too long and/or sharp pointed.
That can cause the case rim to be pierced upon firing and the firing pin driven back against the hammer face.
That kicks the hammer back enough to unlock it from the block and the block drops open especially if the parts are loose from wear.

Most of these rifles can use a going over and re-build with new slightly over size actionpins and screws of decent steel. Often the bbl set back a bit to lock up tightly to the breechface.
Even with that all done, they are best fired with CB short and CB Long ammo and maybe .22Short StVel ammo.
These were discontinued in the mid 1930s as the .22LR HV ammuniton was introduced.

[jdsingleshot]

I rebuilt one of these including making a breech block, screws, and springs. Also fitted a replacement barrel (from a Savage saddle gun? singleshot. Mine will shoot LR ammo all day long. I think your mainspring is probably the biggest problem, but it should not be possible to cam the block back with the hammer arc under it.

[cwtebay]

I rebuilt one of these including making a breech block, screws, and springs. Also fitted a replacement barrel (from a Savage saddle gun? singleshot. Mine will shoot LR ammo all day long. I think your mainspring is probably the biggest problem, but it should not be possible to cam the block back with the hammer arc under it.

That's a beautiful rifle and presentation.
I believe that you are correct, I have not located one since starting this post.

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[jdsingleshot]

Wish we could edit our posts..."Savage saddle gun" should have been Ithaca. I had misremembered.