What is this????

[hairtumor]

I came across a "pistol" in an old box. It is marked "J. Stevens & Co. Chicopee/Falls, Mass. Pat. Sep 6 1864". It has a 12.5" barrel(looks blued) Possibly a nickle frame, no trigger guard and smooth wood grips. There is a slot at the base or the grip and a screw hole half way up the back of the grip, I'm assuming something was mounted there. Can't tell the cal but bigger than 22

[dirtgimp]

my guess is a single shot pistol that had a detachable rifle type stock.


just my guess . . . . . lol

[223556]

my guess is a single shot pistol that had a detachable rifle type stock.


just my guess . . . . . lol

I agree. Maybe a first ever survival type rifle/pistol of its kind!

[kermit]

Several similar firearms at this link:

http://www.burchardgalleries.com/auctions/2007/aug1907/full_catalog_page5.htm

[Mike A]

that's a Stevens Bicycle Rifle, a very neat collector's item. It came with a removable "skeleton" stock which attached to the fittings you see on the pistol grip, and was intended for campers, bicyclists, etc. Used for informal target shooting, gathering wild food/small game, killing snakes, you name it. But a well-made and fairly expensive gun in its day (started production in 1880s and went into the 20th C). Most of these are .22 shorts or longs, but you could get just about any caliber that would fit the frame if you special ordered it. Most were rimfires (.22, .25 Stevens, .32 Long or Short RF), but some were made in small CF pistol calibers like .32 S&W, too. These were also made in rimfire smoothbore calibers for shooting birds and snakes, so if this doesn't have rifling, it may have been made that way.

You need to talk to a Stevens collector to find out exactly what model and caliber this is. It seems to be in pretty good shape for such an old gun, and that means it is worth a pretty penny to the right collector. Nickel plating looks OK for the age.

I'll look at my single shot rifles book to see if I can find more info. I SUSPECT that this is old enough to have the "short rifle" C&R exemption but until you KNOW that, don't put the shoulder stock on it, if you have it. BATF website has a list of specifically exempted arms. This may also be a legal antique (pre-1898) and exempt for that reason. Find out.

That "Beech's Patent" two-picture front sight is a plus too.

Neat gun; thanks for sharing.

Mike Armstrong

[Mike A]

Looked this type up in Frank de Haas' book "Single Shot Rifles and Actions." Production of this type of action (first for pocket pistols, then rifles like this, then larger framed rifles and shotguns--up to 10 guage!) began in 1868 and ended around 1900. So it is VERY likely you have a pre-1898 antique, which can be treated as a non-firearm, should you choose to sell it. A serial number would be a clue, but only an advanced Stevens collector or reference book could really tell you for sure (BATF sure, I mean....). Another name for this was a "Pocket Rifle."

[Jeff L]

[hairtumor]

thanks for all the great info on this gun, it's an old family pistol and it's really nice to find out so much about it

[Jeff L]

Do you have the stock for it? It adds to the value.

[SideWinder11]

Cool Gun!!

[Mike A]

The neat bicyclist's ad (Thanks, Jeff!) has a typo--.22 and .32, not .22 and .23.... My guess is that even the "Lycra wearing" crowd would notice this in those days! (I bet they DIDN'T wear bike helmets, tho.). These bicycle rifles came with a neat leather case that allowed you to strap them to the bike frame.

Now all you need is an S&W "Bicycle Model" 2" Centennial Safety Hammerless (known as a "Lemon Squeezer" in those days) .32 breaktop and you are all ready for the road! Or a Belgian "Velo-Dog." I have an 1897 Sears catalog and you could buy all this stuff in the mail, including the bike!

[bruceflinch]

Very Neat!

[olhunter]

Well, at least you know it's worth $13.25.