Bought this Stevens at a police auction in 1987 for $11.50. Someone had drilled a hole through the breech block and sunk a big machine screw through rendering it inoperable. Probably some clown making it into a toy gun for his grandson. Sights were missing. Wood was horrible. No finish left. Really, at $11.50 I probably overpaid.
Spent 10 years searching for a replacement breech block. Finally one day at a gun show I saw a used parts dealer set up on 12 tables. All filled with ammo cans full of small gun parts. I asked out of habit if he had a Model 14&1/2 breech block expecting the usual "Nope." Instead he rolled his eyes skyward for a moment, deep in thought. Then he turned and dipped into one of the ammo cans and came up with the needed part. I was flabbergasted.
"How much?" I asked
"Five bucks." he said.
I have never pulled my wallet out so fast in my life. Now that I had the missing part I started working on the little rifle. I stripped the corrosion off the metal and used cold blue. I think it turned out OK. I stripped the wood and refinished it. Again, results were OK. Bought a rear sight for $4 from Numrich and used a file to enlarge the dovetail so it fit. I made a new front blade from a nickel I hammered flat and trimmed to fit. The take down screw is from an old camera tripod that worked perfectly in the rifle. Total monetary investment is about $22.
Oh, it shoots just fine. At least it shoots...and I think that's fine.
Spent 10 years searching for a replacement breech block. Finally one day at a gun show I saw a used parts dealer set up on 12 tables. All filled with ammo cans full of small gun parts. I asked out of habit if he had a Model 14&1/2 breech block expecting the usual "Nope." Instead he rolled his eyes skyward for a moment, deep in thought. Then he turned and dipped into one of the ammo cans and came up with the needed part. I was flabbergasted.
"How much?" I asked
"Five bucks." he said.
I have never pulled my wallet out so fast in my life. Now that I had the missing part I started working on the little rifle. I stripped the corrosion off the metal and used cold blue. I think it turned out OK. I stripped the wood and refinished it. Again, results were OK. Bought a rear sight for $4 from Numrich and used a file to enlarge the dovetail so it fit. I made a new front blade from a nickel I hammered flat and trimmed to fit. The take down screw is from an old camera tripod that worked perfectly in the rifle. Total monetary investment is about $22.
Oh, it shoots just fine. At least it shoots...and I think that's fine.
