antique rifles

Question
My father has 2 rifles and 1 sword that we would like to trace to their origins. The 1st has J Stevens and Co, Chicopee Falls Mass USA on it as well as Pat 4/17/1794, 32 Long, A16548.  The Second is a Model 1895 Marlin. patd Oct 11, 1887, April 2, 1889 Aug 1, 1893. Also stamped Special Smokeless Steel.  The Sword is stamped Conn 1862 #71, Chicopee Mass AMES Mfg Co. It appears to never have been sharpened, so we believe it may have been a dress or display sword. Can you give me an idea of the value and how we might be able to trace them back?

Answer
THE STEVENS FAVORITE
RIFLE






Model 1915 No.17
MODEL 1889 AND 1894 Nos'.
No. 17: Basic style with half round/ half octagon barrel. Fitted with
           standard sights.
No. 18: Half round/ half octogon barrel Fitted with Beach combo
           frontsight, leaf rear sight and a vernier tang sight.
No. 19: Half round/ half octagon barrel. Fitted with Lyman front sight,
           leaf rear sight and Lyman tang sight.
No. 20: Round barrel smoothbore. Bead front sight. Receiver top is
           rounded with a sight groove.
No. 21: BICYCLE RIFLE. Short version o fthe No. 17 with a standard
          20" barrel. with carrying case. Other barrel lenghts were special
          ordered with case. Various sights offered. Produced between
          1898 to around 1903.
No. 21: LADIES RIFLE. Half round /half octagon barrel. Checkerd
          pistol grip stock and forearm. Swiss buttplate. Fitted with
          beach type front sight, open rear sight and vernier tang sight.
          Produced  between 1910 to 1916.
MODEL 1915
This model is the same as previous models with the following differences:
1..Has a wider receiver at about .930"
2. Breech block is of square flat design.
3. Top tang is marked " MODEL 1915 "
4. Takedown screw is a knurled knob headed screw.
5. Tappered forearm
6. Barrel is marked: " J. STEVENS ARMS COMPANY  CHICOPEE FALLS, MASS, U.S.A." in
   two lines.
7. Receiver is marked on top: " TRADE MARK FAVORITE REG. US PAT OFF & FGN"
MODEL 1894:
This model was the same as the 1889 but with these changes:
1. Tangs were lengthened to allow modification for the mainspring to be held in place with a
   threaded screw on the lower tang.
2. Barrel is marked  " J. STEVENS A & T CO. CHICOPEE FALLS, MASS, U.S.A. PAT. APR..
   17, 94 " in two lines. There are variations in these markings, some do not have the  patent
   date.
3. Later versions were marked on the top of reciever : "TRADE MARK FAVORITE REG. US
   PAT OFF & FGN".

There are also Variations in this model that attemped to eliminate the problem of wear that caused
the lever to "sag" when worn, due to the design and steel used at the time.

1. Early production that used the side extractor incorporated a set screw in the upper rear part
   of the breechblock arm. This was visible when the action was open. To adjust, the screw
   was backed out to make contact with the reciever thus creating tension when the lever was
   closed. This was discontiued when the central extractor became the mainstay of production
   in 1901.
2. The next attempt was a spring loaded plunger in the lever that created tension on a special
   link. Not encountered much so probably was not used for very long in production.
3. The last to be used was the barrel shank nut. This was used sometime around 1907 and
   used a knurled nut threaded on the barrel shank. When the action became loose the barrel
   was removed, the forearm taken off and the adjustment made. This allowed the shank of
   the barrel to be pushed further back into the reciever against the breechblock. How long
   this was made is unknown.
 


NOTE:
1. The offset extractor was
   used somewhat until  
   1901.
2. In 1901 the central
   extractor became the
   norm.
3. In 1904 the automatic
   extractor was the norm
   for the .22 cal. while the
   plain central extractor
   stayed for the  .25 and
   .32 cal rifles.
MODEL 1889:
The model 1889 followed the Removable Sideplate rifle.
1. Receiver is thinner at about .870" thick. Finish is case colored but blued finish was optional.
2. Tangs are short with the mainspring the "bow" type, held in place by an integral stud on lower
   tang.
3. No markings on the receiver other than the serial number.
4. Breech block was of the "hump" design.
5. The octagon part of the half round /half octagon barrels were round on the underneath, under the
   forearm.
6. Forearms were tappered with a curved tip.
7. Barrel markings were: " J. STEVENS A & T CO. CHICOPEE FALLS, MASS PAT. OCT 29, 89
This Page is dedicated to the Stevens Favorite swinging block rifle. There are others who have researched this rifle and its development and there are several books on the subject, but many are out of print and information is hard to find on the internet about these rifles. Thats why I decided to share this information with other collectors and owners of these rifles. There are so many rifles out there that at some time or another a part from another model has been used to replace a part. I have seen rifles with a mixture of parts of all three basic models. Hopefully I will be able to help you, the collector, to distinguish the different  model components   
I do not claim to be an expert by no means. I am just giving information that may help someone as far as to what model they have and maybe target a range on the age of an individual's rifle as there are no records to pinpoint year of manufacture by serial number due to the loss of records.
I will be putting more info and pictures on as I go and  as time allows.
I am sure I will get more info from others as I go along as well as criticism, both are welcome as this is a learning process. Please feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]
The Stevens Favorite rifle was chambered for the .22RF, .25RF, .32RF, .22RF SHOT and the .32RF SHOT. It is not to say that other calibres were available on special order.
The models of the Favorite were: Removable Sideplate, Model 1889, Model 1894 and Model 1915. Model designations are based on patent and or design change.


MODEL 1915 NOS'.
No. 17: Round barrel with standard sights.
No. 20: Smoothbore.
No. 27: Full octagon barrel with standard sights.
No. 28: Full octagon barrel fitted with Beach combo front sight, leaf
           rear sight and vernier tang sight.
No. 29: Full octagon barrel fitted with Lyman front sight, leaf rear sight
           and a Lyman tang sight.
NOTE: After the purchase of STEVENS by SAVAGE ARMS in 1920,
most FAVORITE receivers are marked " SVG " in a circle on the left
side .  




This page Est. Jan. 15, 2001


ALSO NO. 28 and 29 EXCEPT FOR SIGHTS
STANDARD SIGHT
STANDARD SIGHT
Standard for .22 Cal
STANDARD FOR
.22 Cal.
ALL EARLY MODELS.
.25 AND .32 CAL. ON
LATER MODELS
Updated December 12, 2002

     



The 1895 rifle, depending on caliber, condition is valued between $2000 - $4500 dollars, I would take it to an appraiser and have it appraised.

Below is what I have located on the sword.


EW-30  U.S. M.1840 NCO扴 SWORD made by 揂mes Mfg. Co., Chicopee, Mass.?Stamped on the left ricasso. The right ricasso is stamped 揢S?over 揂HK?(inspector Albert H. Kirkham 1862-1863) over ?864? Very clean blade. Brass hilt is excellent also stamped 揂HK?on the knuckle bow. Brass mounted black leather scabbard is also very nice it has however shrunk 3/8 of an inch. This was commonly carried by all NCO抯 during the Civil War. Reference 揟he American Sword 1775-1945?#10. V.G.+ $795.00