Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors J.Stevens ID

I picked up this old single shot 22 WRF 24" barrel made in Chicopee MA and there is no model number to be found. I'd like to find out how to disassemble the bolt and give it a good cleaning. What you see in the pics is all I can find. I googled some that are similar but not the same,such as stevens model 15, savage 3 and springfield 53.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/dSjgYsd.jpg[/[img]https://i.imgur.com/QySBdOy.jpg[/img]img]

I would say it's definitely a Model 3. It matches perfectly the description and picture in West's book, page 15-21. The only anomaly not mentioned therein is the caliber of yours - .22WRF. If a factory chambering would it be rare? I don't know. I don't see evidence of a .22 Long Rifle roll stamp having been eradicated to make way for the .22WRF stamp so it's probably a factory job. Neat!

Thanks I will check into that. I do think it's a factory rifle. One thing I don't like is that when you chamber a round it cocks it to fire, ya either have to release the bolt firing pin or what I do is squeeze the trigger while chambering,makes the bolt close easy and not ready to fire,then pull the firing pin back which locks it and then fire.

Everything points to the model 3 except caliber. I did see where as the rear bolt knob turns to a safe position which is different from mine, mine doesn't rotate to a safe..

The picture of your bolt knob has an "S" on it, and there is an arrow on the bolt. If it doesn't rotate, do you think something may be amiss?

In the last pic I think I see an "S" on the rear edge of the bolt.

Keith, if you go to the pic, 4th or 5th down, with the bolt still in the rifle, you can see it clear. it's actually on the knob, not the bolt, and there is an arrow that looks like it points to the "S", if it's rotated.

I don't know if that is actually called a knob, it's the piece at the end of the bolt that turns. I always called them a cocking knob.

It is an S but with bolt in there is part of the bottom of the bolt that slides in a track, not allowing the bolt knob to turn. There is also an arrow on the bolt body that when NOT in the rifle the arrow and the S can be lined up (pic 4)

Calling all cars, calling all cars. Be on the lookout for GeneB. Bring him in to the station if found. Urgently needed for technical clarification. Acknowledge, over.

Please tell me where the rifle came from?

Pictures of the barrell chanel and under the but plate may help.

Stevens/Springfield Model 53B

53B shows the bolt knob being threaded where mine I don't believe is.

Many models of the single shot .22s of the 30s got chambered in .22 WRF. Either they didn't make many of them or they got worn out over the years. I have a Win Model 68 (the "target model" of the 67!!!!) in .22 WRF. And I've seen a Remington Model 510S in ".22 Rem Special" as the Remingtons called the WRF. Both of these are pretty rare (as if anyone cared).

Don't know about Savage/Stevens--this is the first I've seen,although a friend of mine has a Model 44 "Ideal" single shot in that cal. But the .22 WRF/.22 Special was believed to have extraordinary powers by its advocates back in the day. I believe that this was due to its flat bullet shape rather than any huge boost in power over ordinary .22 LRs.

My Dad fed his grandma, baby brother, and himself their protein with a Rem 12S for several years in the Depression in ND. He was so very glad when Roosevelt's "Tree Army" accepted him: three hots and a cot and a few $ to send home to Grandma Grimes. Baby brother Bob got the .22 Special pump and later a career in the USMC. My favorite uncle until he stopped a Chinese bullet in 1952....

Made in Chicopee Falls MA

Pictures, please include the bottom of the butplate.

Butt plate on this is just flat steel,nothing on it or underneath

Any markings on the stock?

From what I see it's a No. 53 "SPRINGFIELD JUNIOR" OF THE "1931 improved design" as show in Stevens catalog No 58 chambered for 22 S, L & LR Regular or Hi-Speed Cartridges. Hi-Speed 22 loads were introduced about 1931 and not all 22's could handle them, today we call 'Regular' cartridges 'Standard Velocity'. The 22 W.R.F. chambering was added in the next catalog. A price list dated May1, 1935 for catalog No 60 lists the No 53 as "discontinued". Later No 53 was used again for an improved design as part of the 'Buckhorn' series without the grooved stock and the nose of the forearm painted black, this was a stronger design and they added 25 Stevens as an option.

To put the gun on safe pull the cocking knob back about 1/8" from full cock & turn clockwise (you will be pulling against an almost fully compressed main spring), the bar on the bottom of the cocking knob will then be blocked by the rear of the receiver, there is a notch it fits in.

The earlier guns had a rebounding firing pin for safety, yours does not, so do not un-cock it with a round in the chamber, the firing pin will rest on the rim & it could fire if the cocking knob is bumped.

PS, it is based on the same action as the Savage Model 3.