found old gun not sure what it is

[bdb]

me and my son found this it is a foot long looks to be 22 size cal it looks to say J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co Chicopee Falls, MA 14 1/2 ok thank all of you .i have took it apart.i would have liked to keep as it did not work but it is what it is.thanks to all.

 

[flip]

I would turn it in. ATF takes sawed-off weapons very seriously.

 

[l.cutler]

OK found it. It is a Stevens 14 1/2 Little Scout rifle. It is a rolling block action but the block is missing. Do an image search, you will find photos. This model was made from 1911 to 1941 making modern firearm laws applicable, I'd be careful with it.

 

[Tony in SC]

HOLA amigos,

I looks like a Steven's "crack shot" except the chamber looks like larger bore. At he turn of the century (1900) the 9mm shot gun was popular for pest control and back yard shooting sesions. I used to have a half box of the shells, but don't know what happened to them.

Should be a calber stamped on it somewhere.

Here is a photo of a Stevens Crack Shot rifle, which is a Falling Block type action:

Orblanco is right! It is a Stevens falling but the block is hand operated. In the top picture you will see a notch in the top of the receiver and a hole in the block where a thumb lever would be. There is also there is a groove in the top of the barrel for an adjustable sight. Shotguns did not have this. Bore dia. would help.(32 rimfire)? Tony

Note that the action does not "break open" like the gun shown for this thread, which has a different type of mechanism altogether. I would bet this sawed-off example is 410 gauge too. Here is a good drawing of what your cut-down shotgun most likely is;

Oroblanco

 

[l.cutler]

http://67.220.119.80/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=155712786

 

[mts]

What if you simply found a new barrel for it? Then you could keep it and not have to worry about the potential for breaking the law? You could also just remove the existing barrel and fasion a piece of conduit for it (spray painted of course).

I'd never turn in such a find. Instead, I'd find a way to make sure it wouldn't function and could be kept legally. You could probably still keep the barrel you removed in your posession as long as it wasn't attached to a gun.

No matter what I wouldn't want anyone to be able to fire that gun. Too risky.

Just my two cents.

 

[dozer dan]

me and my son found this it is a foot long looks to be 22 size cal it looks to say J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co Chicopee Falls, MA 14 1/2

im thinking its..........mass arms and prison time if you get cought with it
in you posession.

 

[kenley]

Sharp eyes! I didn't notice the rear sight dovetail in front of the bottle. When this thing was cut down and used, it wasn't even illeagle to do so. Remember you could buy "handy guns" and Thompsons until the late 30's. Someone was just trying to make it handy to use. They could have damaged the muzzel end and took a hacksaw to it to make it useable.
Still don't count out the 9mm shot gun (about .36 calibre)

 

[kuger]

Yea,when they have possibly been used in a crime,they should be,would you want one in your possesion??

exactly, when you're treasure hunting and you run across a gun it's best not to even deal with it unless it's an early on collectible with high value, not worth the risk if you ask me.

I have to agree with ya on that Lotsa.How are you doing today

 

[Monty]

I may be wrong, but I think in most states it is illegal to cut down the barrel of a rifle less than 16". And I beieve it is illegal by federal law to posses the thing with the same barrel length. That's two laws, cutting it down and possessing it. Shotguns have to be 18" in length to be legal. So, how does the various manufacturers get by with making single shot rifle calibers in handgun lengths? Being built as a handgun it is legal, but if you put a shoulder stock on it, it makes it illegal. I saw a BATF agent confiscate a TC single shot handgun that the owner had bought a rifle stock and put on it. All it takes is to remove one bolt to make the conversion, but don't do it and get caught! That old gun was probably a throw away from when they were made illegal by the Gun Control Act of 1964. I'd play it safe and turn it in. I don't think it's worth anything, so why risk trouble? It's been quite a while since I enforced the gun laws, so I'd check and not just go by my word alone. Monty

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I posted the laws in each state. Its possible that being an antique does not apply.

http://www.statemaster.com/graph/gov_gun_law_pro_fir-government-gun-laws-prohibited-firearms

 

[RevJoel]

A "shot barreled rifle" is any rifle with a barrel length less than 16.5 inches. This is measured from the muzzle to the breach face. What you found is definitely illegal according to the National Firearms Act of 1934. Your freedom is worth much more than the rusted piece of iron. My advice; lose it and forget where you lost it. The BATFE is known for its notorious lack of a sense of humor or for their capacity to reason.

Pax Christi
Rev. Joel+

 

[mts]

Again, remove the barrel and throw it away. Problem solved.

I don't know why so many people are getting so worked up over a rifle that clearly can't be fired. Unless he takes it out and shows it to everyone he knows he isn't going to get into trouble anyway. Yes, the BATFE could potentially make a stink if he is caught for something else and they want to pin something on him. But at that point he's got bigger problems anyway.

It's a neat find and I personally wouldn't throw it away. I'd just find a simple way to make it legal so that it would be something I could keep. Simply removing the barrel and throwing it away seems to be an easy enough solution to the problem. If you want to go the extra mile you can see if there is a cheap used barrel you could put on it or fashion one of your own. But given its condition that would probably be overkill.

I see that the OP hasn't posted back in a while so he has probably gotten tired of listening to the warnings.

 

[TiredIron]

Yeah.......i got tired too and pulled all my posts. If people here wish to spout bad information like
barrel minimums being "16.5in".....and others believeing it.....I'm not going to cloud their drama with the facts.

Adios

 

[DigginThePast]

BCP – They are legal in some states only if the proper registration has been done, per Federal law (State law can further limit possession but can not ease Federal law). You must also obtain permission to build an SBR before actually building it, not after. I have seen cases where a highly collectable short barreled rifle has been confiscated and the owner interrogated to the point they are happy to be rid of their possession and not be in prison.

This gun is not an antique by Federal standards. When it comes to firearms, an antique, is any firearm made in 1898 and before which this clearly is not.

A “Short Barreled Rifle” displays one or both of two characteristics. A barrel of less than 16” or an overall length of less than 26”. Be mindful of these two lengths if you decide to modify any of your own rifles.

The reason this gun looks to be larger than a .22 is that it is a youth sized rifle, so the bore is .22 caliber while the rest of the gun is scaled down. The end result is that without a tape for scale the gun appears to have a larger bore.

These rifles were manufactured without serial numbers. Serial numbers were not a Federal requirement on .22 caliber rifles until 1968.

mts - Being in possession of a NFA firearm (which the O.P.'s gun is) without proper documentation can result in a fine of up to $250,000, imprisoned up to 10 years or both. I think this is why several posters got a little “worked up”. I'm sure that bdb has already taken care of this issue.

Ridiculous laws? Absolutely!

 

[DigginThePast]

Yeah.......i got tired too and pulled all my posts. If people here wish to spout bad information like
barrel minimums being "16.5in".....and others believeing it.....I'm not going to cloud their drama with the facts.

Adios

bdb did get some bad info but people were trying to help them out. The fact is that rusted relic could get them in a whole heap of trouble even with a squeaky clean background, not likely but surely possible.

If it were me the butt stock would already be burned and the barrel would be chips on the bed of a milling machine. The remaining parts could be kept or sold (obeying all other Federal, State and Local laws of course).

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Yeah.......i got tired too and pulled all my posts. If people here wish to spout bad information like
barrel minimums being "16.5in".....and others believeing it.....I'm not going to cloud their drama with the facts.

Adios

I was wondering why you pulled your posts. You should have left them. Your opinion is as good as anyone elses if not better.

I actually had an unloaded sawed off shotgun in my backseat, a police officer pulled me over for something else, saw the gun, asked about it, and threw it back in the back seat, gave me back my liscense and said have a good night.

Yes it was a mistake to transport the gun in my backseat, but I wouldnt worry about an old gun that wont fire.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

BCP – They are legal in some states only if the proper registration has been done, per Federal law (State law can further limit possession but can not ease Federal law).

Are you sure? Did you read my link? Did you ever live in Wyoming or Idaho?

 

[mts]

mts - Being in possession of a NFA firearm (which the O.P.'s gun is) without proper documentation can result in a fine of up to $250,000, imprisoned up to 10 years or both. I think this is why several posters got a little “worked up”. I'm sure that bdb has already taken care of this issue.

Diggin, do you agree that removing the barrel and throwing it away would make this gun legal? I really don't know the answer so I'm looking for guidance. I would think that a gun without a barrel really isn't even a gun anymore and could be kept legally. But hey, what do I know.

 

[DigginThePast]

BCP – They are legal in some states only if the proper registration has been done, per Federal law (State law can further limit possession but can not ease Federal law).

Are you sure? Did you read my link? Did you ever live in Wyoming?

Yes. No, but I will. No, but I'm sure that in many ways it is better than Ct.

I'll go check it out. It'll be very interesting if Wyoming law supercedes Federal law.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Yes. No, but I will. No, but I'm sure that in many ways it is better than Ct.

I'll go check it out. It'll be very interesting if Wyoming law supercedes Federal law.

Thanks for the information on antique guns. That I didnt know.
I agree with you and everyone else that its most likely ILLEGAL in his state but there are ways to make it inoperable. Isnt it already missing the hammer? Im not familiar with this weapon.

I was told there are no gun laws in Wyoming. Maybe we have a member that can help.