Since posting the pictures of my Stevens Crack Shot 22 Rifle I have found the following pieces of information:

To those who have visited my web pages seeking information on the
Stevens Crackshot 22 rifle I have posted the letters and my responses
to several of the writers. By answering here I believe I can get maximum
distribution of the information. I have suppressed the names and
e-mail address of those who have written and shared, just in case they
preferred to remain anonymous.   My comments are in italics.
Jim - K5LAD
=============================================================

On 13 Nov 2002 at 22:03,(a reader) wrote:
I don't know how long this page has been here I am an Officer from Illinois
and when my Great Grandfather died I was given this Steven's Crackshot
Rifle I would like to know about it also mine still shoots and is in good
condition. I wanted to know if it is worth anything? Not to sell but for
my own knowledge. Thank you: L. C.

Hi Loren --
Actually, you are the first one who has made an effort to contact me
concerning the Stevens rifle on my web pages so I don't have much more
info than what you saw. As far as value, my nephew has worked in law
enforcement and has been around lots of guns. He told me he though it
would be worth "thousands" but I wasn't convinced enough to make up a list
of all the things I would buy if I sold the gun. Like I said, since you
are the first one (in something like 3 months) who has even said anything,
I didn't see a great rush of interest after posting it.

I keep mine in my travel trailer, when camping out, to use for
"protection." Since it's only a single shot, if I came under some real
trouble I'd sure have to be careful and make that one shot count.

I've fired it several times and it works quite well. I was also just
learning to use my new digital camera when I took those pictures so the
actual pictures are pretty big. It does make it easier to see every
little scratch and mark on it, however.

I'll let you know if I find any additional information if you will do the
same for me. Thanks for writing. Jim - K5LAD

======================================================
On 14 Nov 2002 at 19:35,(L.C.) wrote:
I am back! I have found out some more about this rifle. here is how to
get more info. Get on the search engine (GOOGLE) Yes, that is the name of
it. Punch this in quotation marks "stevens""crack shot" This will give you
all kinds of hots (hits?). I was amazed at how popular the gun was. From what I
gather it was made by a tool company in the USA. There were other rifles
like it and they were sold as children's guns. Cost is about 108.00 (This
was off of the on line auctions and if you know auctions, this does not
mean anything). That is funny that you would mention Digital Cameras. I
have been looking at them for Christmas. Thank you: L.C.

>
Hi Loren --
Hmmmmmm.... that's good information. I'm sure I did a GOOGLE
search several months ago and didn't get any hits. Perhaps GOOGLE
has caught all of these entries on a new and more recent indexing
run..... but I doubt it. I'm sure I probably just wasn't careful enough
on my search. Anyway, there is lots of good stuff out there now.

I saw quite a few references to a Model 26 but I don't recall seeing that
on my gun and I don't see it in the pictures. The gun is about 40 miles
from me now so I can't look at it "in person."

(Other information not about gun -- deleted here)

Thanks again for the update on the gun. Good luck with yours.
Jim - K5LAD

======================================================

On 15 Jan 2003 at 8:18, (another reader) wrote:
> Hello Sir,
> I also have the same Rifle. It belonged to my Great Grandpa and was
> passed to my dad who passed it to me and I will pass it to my son! Have
> you got any info about the gun yet? If so would you share it with me? I
> just bought one for parts because me and my brother was playing with the
> one I have when we were children and lost the breech block, hammer and
> thumb lever! The one I bought for parts has every thing but the breech
> block. Are you interested in selling your gun? See the Attachments, one is
> the gun I bought for parts and the other is a schematic and parts list!

> Thanks! B.M.

Hi Bruce --
I had your message answered in great detail and my computer
choked and I had to reboot. I lost your answer. I will do it again but I
can promise quite as much detail.

I've received answers from a number of people who saw my website.
The best info I received was from a fellow who used the GOOGLE.com
search engine and entered "Stevens Crack Shot" (NOTE: the quotes
are required). GOOGLE give quite a selection of information and I can
recommend it highly. As far as selling my gun, I hadn't thought much about
it until you asked. I don't know what they are worth on the open market.
One fellow wrote me that he recently bought one at a flea market. I asked
him what he paid and he said, "$180." I also have no idea what the law
says about shipping guns but I suspect there are some strict laws,
especially in this day and age.

I appreciated your attachments and that added new information to my
"collection." BTW, one guy who wrote said he discovered that these
rifles were build between 1900 and 1913.

I hope this has helped you in your quest of info.
Jim - K5LAD

======================================================
On 19 Jan 2003 at 12:54, (a third reader) wrote:

> I was looking for information on the "Crack Shot" myself. I bought one
> yesterday at a flea market. I just liked the gun. What have you found
> out?
> I did find that they were made between 1900 and 1913. I just think it
> is neat little rifle. Thanks for any information that you can give me.
>
> Brock
>
Hi Brock --
Thanks for the note. The only info I have seen on the Crack Shot rifle
is: do a search in GOOGLE.com on the search topic "Stevens Crack Shot"
(NOTE: use the quote marks in the search box). GOOGLE finds quite a few
pieces of information listed on the 'net.

I'm curious as to how much you paid for your gun? I had another
fellow email me and he asked if I wanted to sell mine. I don't even have
an idea what it is worth...... probably much less at a flea market but I'm
just curious, if you don't mind sharing that information.

Thanks,
Jim - K5LAD
======================================================
I paid $180.00 for the gun, I don't know if that is high or low or what.
If I can get anymore info I will let you know. Thanks for the reply.

Brock

======================================================
On 20 Jan 2003 at 21:58,(a fourth reader) wrote:

> Sir,
> I also have a rifle like yours only yours appears to be older.
> Yours has knurling on the barrel screw as mine has a ring. Yours
> has pins in the hammer axis as mine has a screw, and your lever has
> a screw that appears older.
>
> Mine came from my wife's grandfather who passed at 90+ in 1982.
>
> Like you I would like to know anything about mine. If you have any
> new info on yours please E-mail me.
>
> L. C. B.
>

Hi Leon --
I've received answers from a number of people who saw my
website. The best info I received was from a fellow who
used the GOOGLE.com search engine and entered "Stevens
Crack Shot" (NOTE: the quotes are required). GOOGLE
gives quite a selection of information and I can recommend
it highly.

It's interesting to try to put a value on this gun. I don't know
what they are worth on the open market. One fellow wrote
me that he recently bought one at a flea market. I asked
him what he paid and he said, "$180."

One guy who wrote said he discovered that these rifles
were build between 1900 and 1913.

I hope this helps.
Jim - K5LAD

======================================================
Yet another reader wrote:

We too have a Steven "Crackshot" single shot 22. My son just got it from
his Grandpa. We are interested in finding out more about it. We know it
was built in Massachusetts and on the Savage Arms website we did find some
info on the Savage-Stevens Arms Co. Stevens at one time also built cars!
Most of this you may know, but did you get any information on the gun?
Just behind the trigger we have the numbers 3 4 0. This may help us in
finding out when it was made. This gun is in mint condition. No rust,
only a few minor scratches on the stock. Any info you do have would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

M. and F.
======================================================
Another reader wrote:

in looking for parts myself , i ran across your pictures... i to have a 22
crackshot that i need a fireing pin mechanisim for.. if you have any idea
where one can be located i sure would like to know.. thank you,,,, B.B.
======================================================
Here's another one:

Dear ,jpk5lad@cox.net
I have a similar gun however I was unable to find any info. I am
wondering if you have found out anything since Aug02. My main question is
how does it load and what type of round does it use. Without removing the
barrel no one seems to know how it loads. But that does not make sense.
Maybe you have to load a blank/cap round between hammer and breech and
drop a projectile down the barrel?????? Any assistance would be
aprreciated. Thanks!!!!!

From ma...............@aol.com
======================================================
Note: I took several shots of my Crack Shot up close showing the chamber
opened and showed inserting a 22 cartridge and sent to the person above.
======================================================

This note was received Feb. 9, 2003 and has some very good information:

Hello,

I am a Stevens collector and I am interested in part guns for Stevens Favorite Model 15 & 17, Ideal 44, Little Scout, Crack Shot, Junior and Tip ups. If you have anything available I would appreciate it if you could contact me. Also if you need info on your guns there are several books that are very helpful and have all the info you need. they are all out of print and you will pay alot for them but here is a list of the following book that will help you:

Savage & Stevens Arms and History by Bill West

Single Shot Rifles, More Single Shot rifles and Still More Single Shot

Rifles all by James J Grant.

Jay Kemmel also has a book out.

Old gun ads are also very helpful because Stevens either kept very poor records or the records were destroyed. If you are interested send me a list if you still need info on what guns you have along with detailed info on the barrel measurements, any and all markings even if they do not seem important they are. I will be more then happy to help you out and email you info on what you need I have a good reference library available on Stevens.

Thanks, A. F.

=================================================================

I received a message from LeeRoy Wisner on November 29, 2003 and he provided both information and a tip to his website where he can provide replacement and repair parts for the Stevens rifles, as well as numerous other guns.

"There were 2 different Stevens Crackshots, yours being the #16 sidelever version. The other was a #26 which was a under lever type.

Look at my website www.gunpartsspecialist.com I make some parts for these & many other obsolete firearms."

You might find the address at    http://www.gunpartsspecialist.com/rifles/stevens/sl.html to be especially helpful.  I've added the note above and link to his website with his permission.  Thanks LeeRoy.

=================================================================

On 1 Dec 2003, I received the following information from Gary Richmond.  He mentioned the site shown above but, unfortunately, I had failed to upload the page with that information so he was adding information not being shown at the time.  He wrote:

"I don't know if you are still looking for info on the crackshots but I have done some research on them and discovered that there are two different models that were called crackshot.  The earlier model 16 with the side lever and the later model 26 crackshot with a bottom lever, like a Stevens favorite 1915.  Parts don't interchange of course.

I found two places that carry parts e-gunparts.com and gunpartsspecialist.com ---- Brownells.com carrys firing pins for the 26 type. checking various sites that have them for sale shows that they run in the neighborhood of 250-300 dollars retail.

Hope this helps Gary Richmond Vienna Mo."

These are some good sites for anyone looking for additional gun information.  Thanks Gary.

=================================================================

I received another message from David Stephens on January 03, 2005 and he had some additional good information.  If you'd like to contact him you can send me your email address and I will forward it on to him.

Sir,

 Read your inquiry and responses with great interest.  I'm 72 and my step-grandfather had one (model 16) as a boy before 1900.   It was involved in a shooting accident that killed his friend as a boy. Grandad was born about 1870 so I'd place the date of the gun about 1885-1890.  My father used it as a boy and passed it on to me as a boy.  The rolling block mechanism was activated by the lever as in your photos.  Unfortunately, the block didn't always close securely about the cartridge end, and when that happened, the cartridge would blow off the rear end and the flash and noise was unmerciful -- I know, it happened to me more than once.  When that happened, you had to open the block, peal the cartridge into a deformed shape so a ramrod (usually a coat-hanger) could drive the casing out, since it was expanded tight against the chamber.  My father used it a lot more than me when he was young in Nebraska about 1917, 1918.  The gun would lead up pretty badly and the cure for that was to cork the breach and let vinegar stand in the barrel overnight, ha.  When it came into my hands it could still shoot very well  (when it wasn't blowing off the cartridge end) and I burned a lot of ammo through it   -- ,22 long rifle, which may have been a bit strong for the aged beast.

 Finally, my parents disposed of it in a yard sale for a few dollars when moving in 1958 -- much to my dismay!  Your photos were the first I'd seen of its likes since then and I'd often wished I still had it.

 I know this is anecdotal but thought you'd like to hear the story anyway.  One fact seems to emerge, however:  its age being pre-1900 by about 20 years or so.

 Regards,

David Stephens

 Then a bit later he wrote:

 Hi Jim, 

I forgot to mention that in reviewing your photos, the one with the open block seems to indicate that the cartridge extractor was missing.  Perhaps it just wasn't visible from that angle, but usually it rested below the chamber in that slot under the chamber.  On mine, it never really worked well anyway and I usually had to use a pen knife to get the cartridge case out.   (Loveable old thing!  Ha.)  If it is missing, I wouldn't recommend shooting it since it leaves the lower end of the cartridge unsupported with probable noisy consequences.

 That rolling block design for that gun was pretty cheap and sloppy and probably resulted in scaring the dickens out of a lot of people who used it or were standing nearby!  :-)  It was rather like setting off a cherry bomb about six inches from your face!

Even  later he wrote:

Incidentally, I was checking on the values of some of my arsenal and came across the Blue Book of Gun Values, 25th Ed., which rates the mod 16 "Crack Shot" at $250 for a !00% condition, $175 @ 80%, and $100 @60%.  Judging from your photos, I'd place it somewhere in the 60% or lower range. (Sorry about that!) But, a thing is as valuable as what someone will pay for it, ha. It also says it was manufactured between 1900 and 1913, but that cannot be true for the reasons I cited previously. A lot of my stuff is surprisingly good, but I doubt I'd get 60 cents on the dollar from a dealer -- and that's about the only place you can sell them these days.

================================================================= 

A reader named Pete wrote on January 11, 2005:

"What you have is a stevens crack shot model 16.They made two model crack shots a model 26 which was lever operated and the 16 which was operated with the thumb piece on the right side of the breech. Your gun does not have the original pieces to operate which is clear fron the pictures.These parts seem to have been weak and many of the model 16s I work on or own are missing the same parts. Value? if the bore is g-vg its a shooter and might bring 1-2 hundred dollars.I hope yoy are not too disapointed. I have collected Stevens for 35 years and am always lookig for parts.Hope this helped"

Pete

================================================================= 

A few days later I received some additional information from a reader named John:

"Howdy....John M-------, in Lake Placid Fl.

I just picked up a *Crack Shot* !  Comparing yours to mine here are a few differences:

Mine is a Side Lever...  Has no mention of Pat. Information.  The number stamped trigger housing is 436. I gave less than $100.00, and it is a Nice Shooter. I did remove the firing pin, to hammer it out a little. the end was a bit mushroomed. I also took valve grinding compound to the inside, to smooth the bore a little. I figure mine is around 1903, but I am not too sure. 

If you would keep in touch I would sure be glad to as well.

I have been looking for information on this rifle for a long time.

....and have not been very successful"

also from the same reader:

"Regarding the crack shots.....I still have not found much value information.  I am no expert, but a little knowledgeable........ $ 50.00 - $150.00 is a fair safe number i should think.   ....Mostly due to the sheer number manufactured.  I think Mine & Yourn could be a little more valuable due to the "Born on" date. 

Looking closer at yours....I suspect the lever is not original. ....In fact, it looks like a lever for a shotgun.

 If you find a source to better estimate the value of earlier crack shots I would really like to know more. ...[like a Stevens, or Savage museum?] "

NOTE:   John included several pictures of his Stevens 22 rifle.  As soon as I can find my software I will convert them to thumbnails and place them here. -- Jim

================================================================= 

In late September or 2009, I received some interesting information on the Crack Shot patents from KAT at thomas@connerprairie.org

If you are still gathering info on Crack Shot rifles I think you will like this. This is the link to the patent drawings and description for the

Crack Shot 26, patented on April 22, 1913.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=HA1FAAAAEBAJ&printsec=drawing&zoom=4#v=onepage&q=&f=false

I too have my grandfathers' rifle that I found in the attic after he passed away. I restored it AND managed to find an unused .32 Rim Fire

barrel that was an option on the model 26. Both the .22 & .32 cal. shoot great and look good.

This is the octagon barrel Crack Shot with the under lever:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=9DFYAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=939,142&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q=&f=false

I found two patents that deal with your side lever Crack Shot they are:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=c1lTAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false

http://www.google.com/patents?id=wa5vAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=J+Stevens+Arms+%26+Tool+Co.&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q=&f=false

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks KAT, that information will be helpful for those folks looking to research their guns. -- Jim

===================================================================================

NOTE:
You can see from the questions I've received and the limited answers that I've
given to the writers that I don't have a great deal of information and there are
several people out there also looking.
If I get any other good information on this gun I will post it on these pages.
Thanks to all those who have written.
Jim - K5LAD

Updated 09/30/09

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