Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Stevens 425 High Power

Gene's rear sight is the same as on the Cody rifle.

Interesting front sight. I don't remember seeing one like that before.

West's book, 1912 catalog ad, page 7-62, states "Tapped for tang and telescope sights." Are there scope block holes and where?

"serialed with the #15..." Are you refering to the #15 Maynard Jr.? It ended production about when the 425 started. Also lists 30,000 produced ?(#15's). I can't see the 425 being numbered with anything eles since Stevens didn't produce anything else like it.

OK, how do you post photos on this forum?

My 425 High Power (#4837) has the same front & rear sights as posted by GeneB and they appear to be original to this gun.

My barrel is original and has not been shortened. While it is not crowned, the outer circumference at the end of the barrel has an about 45% chamfer, and the inside circumference at the beginning of the bore, at the muzzle, has a slight chamfer also. I would think that a cut barrel might not have these finishing touches.

Peter

If you have trouble posting the pictures, just email them to me and I will post them for you!!!

rgr223calgmail.com


Thanks, Mike...

Email sent

Rick, the receiver is tapped with 2 holes about 1" spacing in the top middle , but there are no extra holes tapped in the barrel also the tang is tapped for a tang sight. The west book on page 7-11 talks about the favorite with" model 1915" on the upper tang , page 2129 of the 29th edition of the blue book says 15+425, 1912-1917 11,500 produced, on page 5-20 of Wests book it shows a drawing of a sporting rear sight and it looks like the sides are beveled,they probably took it out of a winchester catalog. on page 5-21 the front sight looks like Gene B's. Don

This was my point about serial numbers for the Stevens 425 originally when I started this topic!

In a 1972 article in Guns Illustrated, author Larry S. Sterett quoted a letter from Savage Arms: "This gun (425) was manufactured from approximately 1911-1917. Our production records show an AGGREGATE total of 11,000 model 15 and model 425 series rifles produced from 1912 through 1917. Records before 1912 are non existent. We are unable to separate the model 15 from the model 425 series in the total of 11,000."

Sterett continues: "By the process of elimination this must be the Crack Shot No. 15 introduced in 1900...The Maynard Junior No. 15 was a cheap rimfire single shot...The center fire Crack Shot No. 15 and the center fire 425 series might have been lumped together [in the production records].

I think all the info we have so far totally debunks the 26,000 number quoted by the Blue Book and other sources. I also think that the accuracy of the 10,000-11,000 number quoted by Bill West in his book is in serious doubt. If the Crack Shot serial numbers are included among the 425 series numbers (and the 425 numbers are not consecutive by themselves), then perhaps Brophy may not be wrong when he stated "only about 1,000 were manufactured".

Peter

I do not think Stevens would have used Winchester sights. They had a number of their own available, the one on my gun is the No. 112 according to pictures in the 'Old Gunsights' book and the catalog pages referred to are from 1910 which would have been at the start of 425 production. This sight was also used on other rifles such as the Ideal. The front sight I cannot find pictured but appears to be the same as on the Cody Museum example and I am quite sure is the same as on my friends 425.

I got my 425 from a long time dealer and Stevens collector who was selling four he had acquired over the years - the other three he had were not in very good condition. When I got mine he said, "It has the best condition metal of the seven or eight I have ever seen" which indicates the rarity of them. He's been a dealer for many years and also runs a series of small gunshows. Mine has good metal but has some issues with the wood, which is still the original.

Of the ones I have seen I think at least three-fourths have repairs to the stock at the wrist (including mine). My dealer friend even had some replacement stocks made up for them years ago - the last I knew he still had them if any one needs one.

Headspace seems to be another problem they can develop (two of the four being sold when I got mine had problems). They lock-up similar to a 99 on the rear of the breechblock but unlike the 99 that has the front of the lever slide between the frame and the breechblock to securely hold it locked the 425 just pushes it up and has nothing solid holding it there. There also is a small spring on top of the breech-block that puts downward pressure on it that would cause the rear of the block to drop slightly with wear on any of the parts. I have never taken mine apart but looking at the patent drawings it appears the top rear of the block is angled and I assume there has to be a slight angle to the locking surfaces (like on a 99) to allow the rear of the block to swing down. This would mean that any lowering of the rear would increase headspace. Also there may not be as large of locking surface on the rear of the block as it would first appear because of the angled area.

It is one of my favorites and also is among those I looked the longest for. I have not shot mine yet but have ammo and plan to.

Ok I was bored today and thought i'd have a look at this thread. Well you got me in Peter. Ive posted your question on boards in Australia & N.Z. so hopefully this will fill in more gaps for you.

I am not confident mate as ive never come across one, Graham (kiwi) may have and he has a good friend who is big collector of marlins so maybe she has tripped over one.

Its been an interesting read

Johno

Hi Johno
There is one I know of here. Details are
S/n 1805
Cal 30-30 Rem
Model 425
Still hoping they will sell it one day (to me!)
Barrel Length I will have to check on, end is flat not crowned

Hi Johno & Kiwi,

Thanks for your interest and input. I've added #1805 to the list and also another known number (#4073), so now we are at 19 known Stevens High Power rifles:

Five numbers between 1000 & 2000.
1050
1737
1805
1842
1977

Three between 2000 & 3000.
2514
2628
2838

Three between 3000 & 4000.
3056
34xx
3856

Six between 4000 & 5000.
4011
40xx
4073
4290
4343
4837

Two above 5000.
5201
5302

I still believe the Stevens High Power rifle was produced in MUCH lower numbers than claimed by various sources.

Peter

Dang! That's a fine looking rifle! What kinda $$ they going for?

Elkhunter3006,How much you want to spend????? they dont appear every day as you can tell from this thread, and by the time this thread is done they will be worth a lot more!!!! Don

here's one for sale

http://www.gunsamerica.com/95984142...tevens-Rifles/Stevens_425_High_Power.htm

http://www.merzantique.com/index.html Leroy Mertz has a ratty one for $575.

That one is way over priced...!!! (Guns America)


JMO


Mike...

Elkhunter3006 ,I would say thats a real reasonable price!! i don't have a gunsamerica account so i couldn't enlarge the pictures to check it out closeup. Don

Don, the wood has been re-finished...!!!




Mike...

its also has a stock repair...

I could live with the repair, but a "GRAND" for a re-finish, I would pass...!!!

Again, JMO...


Mike...

Mike,Well if ther ends up as only 1000 manufactured ,you might think about it!! compared to 1,000,000 savages in the "collectable arena. Don