Stevens Favorite

[D.Ellis]

Hi all,
I do not post much here as the dialup is dreadfully slow, and I rarely have any worthwhile contributions anyway. Been lurking in the shadows and admiring the fine artwork here though.
My goal in engraving is to do guns and knives with fairly simple but durable scroll and sculpting. While I appreciate the talent it takes to do the very fine shading, I really like deep cut durable engraving more. I also like the traditional aspects of hammer and chisel work. So with that intro here for your viewing and critique is my second work done on a firarm. The gun is a small "boy's" rifle made in the early part of the 20th century. The Stevens favorite. All work done with my wee 8oz ball peen hammer and various gravers(square round and flat) background is a dot punch. Relief depth is about .010 of an inch.
All comments are welcome good or bad.
Darcy
Sorry for the fuzzy pic.......my camera died and I had to get a friend to take these.

 

[Sam]

Darcy: From what I can see in the photos the work has considerable depth, and clean, sharp edges where the scroll meets the background. I see a lot of beginner and intermediate engravers who fall short here, and you've really done it well.

My preference is for finer shading, and I hope that you'll give it a try one some of your work. You're right in that it doesn't stand up to wear, though.

Keep up the good work. You're doing great! / ~Sam

 

[Ranchman]

Good work. That's a lot time with HC. Did you have to anneal the receiver?

 

[richard hall]

that .22 will stand out of the crowd now ! in the mid 70"s i use to drill out the old,shot out rifling and replace it with a new liner , which would bring these little favorites back to life after years of corrosion ammo. i think it was in 1984,savage brought a favorite back into production. i bought one for my grandson but was later stolen.

 

[NevadaBlue]

thanks for posting those pictures.

 

[richard hall]

Darcy, if you had a brand new rifle that you were worried about the engraving wearing off because of hard use, i could understand your concerns about the shading, but face it, its an older peice with probably alot of sentimental value under its belt, and it wont get the hard service that a new one might incure. if you can do the shading, it would enhance a already beautiful peice. think about it. passing down that fine old rifle will tickle someone later on.

 

[carl bleile]

great work and it's only your second gun. i think when a gun is going to be case colored or blued a lot of fine detail is lost, if a gun is to be in the white to dark gray i feel better about doing fine detail it won't be lost in a muddle of colors.

 

[D.Ellis]

Good work. That's a lot time with HC. Did you have to anneal the receiver?

Ranchman, I did not have to anneal the receiver, it was very easy to cut. It was slightly crumbly, which I suspect is due to the casting quality. It took me probably 20 hours to cut.

Richard, I have a new half round half octagon barrel for this and need to either rebuild or replace the extractor/ejector. Also I need to restock it. Then it will see a lot of use as a small game hunting and target rifle for both of my boys.

Sam, I will probably try finer shading in the future when my skill level increases. I do like the detail possible with fine shading, I just prefer the more sculpted engraving like you see on some of the German guns. I am also trying to develop my own style without ending up with stuff that looks like a poor replication of someone else's work I am realistic though.......I am sure that it will take many years to get a style of my own.......I plan to enjoy the trip
As a side not I'd like to personally thank you Sam for this forum, as well as Tira, Monk, and Andrew(hope I did not miss anyone ) for the work you all do to make this forum function. As well as all the great contributors who share information so freely. Makes for a great, friendly atmosphere to learn and share in.
Thanks everyone for the comments, I hope I can add more to the discussion as I grow in the craft(and replace my camera )
Darcy

 

[Ray Cover]

Is this an original action or one of the modern ones?

I have thought about getting one of the newer ones chambered in 17hmr and pimping it out for myself but at the price they sell them for I am suspect of the quality in the new ones.

BTW, Where are you getting the new half and half barrel from?

Ray

 

[D.Ellis]

Is this an original action or one of the modern ones?

I have thought about getting one of the newer ones chambered in 17hmr and pimping it out for myself but at the price they sell them for I am suspect of the quality in the new ones.

BTW, Where are you getting the new half and half barrel from?

Ray

Ray,
This is an original mod1915. I have handled the new ones and they are probably stonger than the old ones. With some reshaping to contour the receiver they could be very nice, but as is they are kinda blocky.
The new barrel came with this rifle along with the original which was .25 cal.........not sure where it came from. They would be simple to make from an octagon blank if you have a lathe.......Brownells sells the blanks for a reasonable price IIRC.
Darcy

 

[richard hall]

Darcy, i went back to check somr of my old files. Numrich Arms Corp. as far back as 1971,use to sell replacement barrels and new extractors, Dixie gun works also handled many small parts for the favorite. back when i use to trap furs, i carried a favorite to dispatch critters, and they were light enough to carry coon-hunting until one of us, was able to purchase a handgun to cut down on the weight. sad to say, i parted with the favorite in some shrewed deal that i thought i was getting the better of the other guy.

 

[D.Ellis]

Thanks Richard, that is probably where this barrel came from then. It is virtually new. Just need to fix up the action a bit and it'll be good to go Being from Canada it is sometimes difficult to find a good supplier for gun parts. The extractor shouldn't be too hard to fix though.
Thanks,
Darcy

 

[Ray Cover]

This has really got me intrigued. You've got me inspired Darcy

I'm thinking a favorite or crackshot action with a 24" tapered octagon barrel chambered for 17 mach II, fiddle back claro walnut wood in the style of the fancier old Ballard rifles with a tang sight and of course engraved.

Hmm, I may have to see if I can find one of these actions at the Tulsa gun show in a couple weeks.

Ray

 

[richard hall]

Ray, sounds like the Quigley Down Under bug has hit you ?

 

[Dave London]

Ray
Most of the new ones made in the 80's have a painted reciever, and I know why. I appears that they are made with a lowgrade sintered metal or some kind of rough casting, lots of voids they cut ok just look like @#$^%@$

 

[Ray Cover]

Dave,

I think I will try to get an older action. My cost on a new one in only about $210 - $220 at that price I figured they were pretty cheaply made.

I am going to the big Tulsa Gun Show next weekend to do some buying and swapping. I may see what I can find up there. The ideal thing would be to find one where the action was in decent shape with a broken stock and pitted out barrel.

When I saw what Darcy did with this one, the image of a baby schutzen rifle popped in my head so fast it bout knocked me out my chair.

Ray

 

[richard hall]

Darcy, thought this photo might help

 

[Ray Cover]

I think that action would look mighty slick built up like the Ballard bellow.

Of Course, everything would have to be thinned and properly proportioned for the Stevens action and I would leave off the palm rest. It would be cute as a bug.

 

[Sandy]

Ray,
I had the same idea a couple of years ago. I have a Favorite with two barrels. The number i believe to be the serial number is 534 on the lower tang. I'll be in Tulsa also. Let me know what you think and I'll bring it with me. It needs to be cleaned up a little but it is tight. Each barrel has its own forarm. I have both a 22 and 17 cal. sleeve for the barrels. My problem with this project is engraving has got in the way. I would rather spend the time engraving then building the gun.

Sandy

 

[Ray Cover]

Sandy,

Lets trade cell phone numbers via private message so we can get hold of each other when we are there. That place is so huge you will never find someone without making a deliberate effort. I don't ahve a table this time. My dad, a friend and I are all going this time to SHOP

Ray