.22 LR Stevens Favorite, Model of 1915, Project Rifle

[Exchipy]

I picked up this .22LR Stevens Favorite, Model of 1915, from a friend at a gun show. The sights sucked, the dovetail cuts wouldn’t accommodate new sights, the bore was a bit rough and, before long, the lever wouldn’t stay closed. But, the wood was pretty nice.

Jack First Gun Parts supplied some new guts. Marbles Gun Sights was kind enough to supply an adjustable tang sight with correct hole spacing. I already had Lyman 17A globe front and folding rear sights. Once the barrel was cut off and re-crowned behind the front dovetail and new dovetails cut, the new sights were installed. The wood was cleaned up and refinished with linseed oil. First stage results:





It shot pretty fair. But, I was dissatisfied with the slight bulge appearing in the fired cases, the extremely sloppy barrel fit to the receiver and the softness of the old steel. A Green Mountain barrel blank was cut for a close tolerance fit into the receiver. I left the barrel long (24.75”) with an eleven degree crown and proper dovetail cuts. A new extractor was fitted, and the takedown screw was re-contoured till it would tighten in below the surface of the receiver. Second stage results:



This project rifle will be test fired one last time in the morning, having received final adjustment to its crown, before shipment tomorrow afternoon to H&M Metal Processing in Akron OH for their Black Nitride treatment of all the steel parts (other than sights and springs), which will substantially harden and beautify them.

Stay tuned.

[Garnett]

Really nice!  Thanks for sharing details with us.  Did you save the old barrel and have you considered relining the old barrel?  I really like the tang sight.  These sights are getting very expensive.  Please share new target pictures and after the refinish work is done.  Projects like this are really fun!  Thanks for posting!

[Exchipy]

The old barrel’s fit to the receiver was so sloppy, it would have required extensive work to correct. So, it was simply trashed.

[Mike Armstrong]

Nothing like bringing an old classic back to the range! 

Good project; good on ya for doing it!

Mike Armstrong

[Exchipy]

The adjusted crown seems to have cured the fliers.  That, or I’m learning to shoot it more consistently.



Next stop, H&M Metal Processing for Black Nitride treatment.

[Garnett]

Again, thanks for sharing with us! 

[Exchipy]

UPDATE:

The steel parts have returned from H&M Metal Processing in Akron, Ohio, have been reassembled, with the result having fired fifty rounds, now.  Here’s the (almost) completed Stevens Favorite 1915, shown with 25 yard and 50 yard targets shot with CCI Standard Velocity Round Nose .22LR:



The Marbles barrel-mounted, folding-leaf rear sight will be replaced with the next taller version.

Other views showing details and the excellent Black Nitride finish from H&M Metal Processing:

[Garnett]

Great photos!  Thanks for sharing!

[Winter Hawk]

Was that a take-down rifle?  The first photo seems to show it that way.  I have a little Model 30 I bought a number of years ago and am thinking of getting a peep sight for it and the Marble's looks like the way to go.

[Exchipy]

It still is a take-down rifle, though I don’t often do that.  I cut off the obnoxious finger knob to improve the lines, reduced the screw till it was just below flush with the receiver and cut a screwdriver slot in it.  Because the barrel is Black Nitride treated, it doesn’t seem to lead up with standard velocity ammunition or require cleaning to prevent rust, so I only rarely take the rifle down for maintenance.

[Garnett]

Is the front sight original to the rifle or did you add it?

[Exchipy]

All sights were added, as the originals were hopeless.

[Exchipy]

With the Lyman 17A front sight, the Marbles tang sight allows just enough elevation adjustment to successfully engage my 6” steel disk at two hundred yards.






Stevens Favorite, using thin post front sight insert and LAPUA Biathlon Xtreme.  Virtually no wind. 5 hits, if you count the one on the right support cable.  The tang sight was set at 9 turns plus 3 clicks.

[Garnett]

I am surprised at the 200 yard accuracy of this cartridge.  I had my grandson's Model 52 Winchester .22 target rifle on display at a show and a young man told me he consistently shot his M52 at 100 yard targets.  This will be a new challenge for him next time he shoots.  Thanks for this picture and information.

[Exchipy]

The best (most expensive) European-made .22LR ammo can be expected to regularly keep 50 consecutive shots within about 4 inches at 200 yards out of the best rifles with the best scopes under the best conditions. (https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1129343)
And, random 5 or even 10 shot groups at 200 yards can be spectacularly small. 

Unfortunately, as pleased as I am with this Stevens Favorite, with its light weight, skimpy stock and heavy trigger, it is most unlikely to produce such results. 

Sure is fun trying, though.