Stevens Arms

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Stevens Arms
Type	Firearms manufacturer
Founded	1864
Headquarters	Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts
Industry	Firearms
Products	Rifles, pistols
Website	Savage Arms

Stevens Arms is an American firearms manufacturer.

The company was founded as J. Stevens & Co. in Chicopee Falls, MA,^[1] in 1864 by Joshua Stevens and backers W.B. Fay and James Taylor. Their earliest product was a tip-up pistol of Stevens' invention.^[2] Business was slow into 1870, when it still occupied a converted grist mill and had just sixty employees. The 1873 Panic only reduced this further, though it was making double shotguns as early as 1876.^[3] In 1886, the company was reorganized and incorporated, as J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co., with slow, steady growth; as before, tools accounted for most of the company's output.^[4]

Beginning in 1880, the company began making falling block rifles.^[5] While less known than Ballard or Winchester, these were of comparable quality, but at the lower end of the price spectrum. Under names like Favorite, Little Scout, Crackshot, and Marksman, Stevens sold millions of reliable single-shot weapons, in the days before bolt actions existed; by 1982, the total exceeded 3.5 million.^[6]

In addition, in 1887, Stevens developed the .22LR round,^[7] which has served as an introductory caliber for children for decades, as well as being very popular for plinking, varmint and target shooting. The .22LR was available beginning in 1888, in the #1, #2, #9, and #10 break-top rifles, and in their New Model Pocket and Bicycle rifles.^[8]

As several manufacturers would later do with other wildcats, Stevens adopted the .25-20 Single Shot, developed by J. Francis Rabbeth in 1882. The unpopularity of the bottlenecked case led Stevens around 1897 to develop the .25-21, by shortening its own .25-25 of 1895, both designed by Capt. W. L. Carpenter, 9h U.S. Infantry^[9] (This is an odd reversal of the relationship of the .38 S&W Special to the .357 Magnum.) The .25-25 would be used in Stevens' model 44 and (from 1903) model 44½ rifles.^[10]

One of the new partners, and bookkeeper, I.H. Page, bought out Stevens and Taylor in 1896 and led the company to significant growth, such that by 1902, it had 900 employees and was boasting of being the top sporting firearms manufacturer in the world. In 1915, it led the U.S. arms business in target and small game guns. Stevens military productions and offerings were generally limited to prototypes in attempt to garner military contracts.

In 1938, Stevens introduced the Model 87, which sold over a million copies, plus more as the Savage Model 6 and under the Sears label.^[11]

Stevens did produce a notable number of military arms. The most commonly seen amongst military arms collectors is the Stevens Model 416 bolt action rifle, in .22 caliber rimfire LR (long rifle). The United States military used the model 416 as a training rifle around the time of World War II (WW2). There is debate and speculation as to the exact date of manufacture and extent of use by the U.S. military. Use may have been slim and limited to specialized marksmanship training areas. The military's Model 416 was stamped with "U.S. Property" on the rear left portion of the receiver. Rifles with this stamping have been found with serial numbers around 100,000. Various ordinance marks and proofs can often be found on the military rifle, such as the flaming ordinance bomb. Rifles can be found without these stampings, which may reflect commercial offerings. The model 416 rifle had a dramatically over sized bull barrel and large wooden stock, with sling swivels and metal buttplate. This heavy barrel added a great deal of weight comparable to that of a larger, heavier caliber rifles such as the military's various .30 caliber offerings. It had adjustable peep sight apertures, including a hooded front sight. The rifle had a small, removable magazine.^[12][13]

Other U.S. military offerings by Stevens included two shoguns, in 12 gauge. These were modified versions of the model 520 and 620 shotguns.^[14] During World War I (WWI) Stevens (through New England Westinghouse), as well as Remington, produced a version of the Russian Mosin Nagant rifle for the Russian (Czarist) government. The later overseeing Savage Company participated in production of a number of military arms including rifles and shotguns. Most notable are the production of the Savage Lee Enfield No. 4 rifle^[15] and the Thompson Submachine Gun (Tommy Gun). Around WWII the Savage company also produced the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) or Machine Guns in both .30 and .50 caliber versions.^[16][17][18]

[edit] References

1. ^ S.P. Fjestad, Blue Book of Gun Values (Blue Book Publications, 2006), p.1565.
2. ^ Norm Flayderman, Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms (DBI Books, 1994), p.209.
3. ^ Harold Murtz, Gun Digest Treasury (DBI Books, 1994), p.192-3.
4. ^ Flayderman, ibid.
5. ^ Murtz, op. cit., p.195.
6. ^ ibid.
7. ^ Frank Barnes, Cartridges of the World (DBI Books, 1976), p.274.
8. ^ ibid.
9. ^ Barnes, op. cit., p.74.
10. ^ ibid., p.75.
11. ^ Murtz, op. cit., p.197.
12. ^ Jay Kimmel, Savage and Stevens Arms: Collectors History, Portland, OR, 1993.
13. ^ Bruce N. Canfield, U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War II, Lincoln, RI,1994.
14. ^ Eric Archer, "U.S. Military Shotguns of WW2", Gun Digest, 1988.
15. ^ Ian Skennerton, The Lee Enfield Story, Pique, OH, 1993
16. ^ Jay Kimmel, Savage and Stevens Arms: Collectors History, Portland, OR, 1993.
17. ^ Bruce N. Canfield, U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War II, Lincoln, RI,1994.
18. ^ Bruce N. Canfield, U.S. Infantry Weapons of the First World War, LIncoln, RI,2000.