Need Help Identifying Stevens Shotgun

[GBertolet]

Hi, I am a new member of this forum. Back in the 1960's I was give a 12 ga Stevens single shot shotgun., stamped J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass USA. It has no model number on it, but it does have a 3 digit number of 879 on the receiver behind the trigger guard. There is a patent date stamped on the barrel of Dec 11, 1900, along with Chokebored*Electro Steel. It is missing a few parts, so I am trying to identify the model to obtain the missing parts. I have checked the Numrich arms catalog and online, and cannot get a match. I need a screw on forend with associated metal hardware, ejector and the hinge pin to complete the reconstruction. It has an odd hinge pin, it is a screw in pin with a large slot cut in the receiver where the screw head would be. The replacement parts probably will cost more than the gun is worth, but the gun has sentimental value to me.

I have photos, but I do not at this point have permissions to post them. But if someone thinks they can help me, they could possibly PM me, and I could email the photos to them. Thank you all in advance.

[J.Baker]

Can't help on the shotgun, but here's a quick tutorial on how to post photo's using a 3rd party hosting site.

http://www.savageshooters.com/showth...eman-can-do-it!

[GBertolet]

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[GBertolet]

Thank you MrFurious, Some pictures are posted above.

[GBertolet]

Numrich identified the shotgun for me as a Stevens 100 series takedown shotgun. 110 and 120 models are in this series also. After identification, Numrich had a screw key hinge pin for me, and I found a forend for $4 on ebay. I still need an extractor assembly. Does anyone have any knowledge of this model, or can they direct me to a possible source of parts?

[Mad Dog]

Never crossed paths with one of them before.

You could try Outback Gun parts, sometimes they have parts that Numrichs don't.

[The Old Coach]

The marking J Stevens Arms & Tool dates it prior to 1916, when the factory was taken over by Westinghouse for war production. When the factory came out of that it was bought by Savage, and the rollstamps read only J Stevens Arms Co. Looking a little further, I see the Model 100 listed in the 1900 catalog I have, and also in the 1903, but not the 1898, and not the 1905, which narrows it down a little more. It seems to have been a short-lived model. There were deluxe versions numbered 110 and 120 in 1900 and 1903. These had an ejector, whereas the 100 did not. If you are sure that yours had an ejector, then it's a 110 or a 120.

I wouldn't shoot that gun until I ascertained for certain the length of the chamber. Stevens made reloading tools for a 2 5/8" 12 gauge shell, so it's probable that the gun is thus chambered. Longer modern shells will cause significantly higher than normal pressures. The barrels were rated (in 1900) for smokeless loads, but certainly not the powerful loads we take for granted today.

Set up a search on Gunbroker. Luck and a lot of patience may get you that missing part.

Abby at Cornell Publications can sell you a reprint of the 1903 catalog, which has a parts breakdown in it. www.cornellpubs.com

[GBertolet]

Thank you, The Old Coach, You have given me the best and most helpful answer so far. Until about 20 years ago the gun was complete, and I used to shoot it, and it did have an automatic ejector, which would then make it a 110 or 120 model of the series. The barrel was originally a 30", with no apparent choke. This is a takedown model shotgun.

I gave it to a distant gunsmithing relative to shorten the barrel, and put a screw in choke tube. This he did, as a favor to me. The relative passed away before I got the gun back, and when I eventually got it back, parts were missing, and nobody knows what happened to them. Between ebay and Numrich, I was able to replace all the missing parts except the extractor assembly, ( extractor, retention screw and spring ). These I am still searching for. I don't know if I can modify one of the more common model extractors to work. Might have to try as a last ditch effort.

[GBertolet]

I purchased a copy of the Stevens # 50 from Cornell Pub. It was very helpful. I got tired of dead end searches for the ejector and retention set screw, so I deceided to try to make the parts myself. I used drill rod for the screw and ejector. Screw was 12-40 thread which I made on a lathe. The ejector was made in two pieces, press fitted and TIG welded, and trimmed to fit the ejector cut in barrel. A 7/8" end mill gave the proper radius for the extractor groove. The ejector lever and stop screw cuts were then made on the ejector shaft. It was trial and error to get the positioning right. All parts were rehardened afterwards. Everything works as designed now.

It took a lot of time, and it would have been a lot easier if I could have purchased the parts, but you do get a certain level of satisfaction in making the parts yourself.

[The Old Coach]

Congratulations ! Did you take any pics? That deserves a thread on the Home Shop Machinist forum.

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/forums/8-Gunsmithing