Stevens Crack Shot No. 16
J. Stevens Arms Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1900
Also known as: Stevens No. 16 Crack Shot, Stevens Crackshot 16
Overview
The Stevens Crack Shot No. 16 is a single-shot, takedown 'boys' rifle chambered for .22 rimfire, part of the J. Stevens Arms Company line of inexpensive youth rifles. It is the early catalog version of the Crack Shot introduced around 1900, using a lever-operated tilting/falling breechblock with an exposed hammer. Simple, light, and cheap, it was sold through hardware stores and mail-order catalogs to introduce young shooters to marksmanship before being superseded by the under-lever Crack Shot No. 26 around 1912.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1701 g (60.0 oz) |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 320 m/s (1050 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 130 J (96 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 75 m (82 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1500 m (1640 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, .22 Short, .22 Long, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Hammer
- Features: Takedown, Exposed Hammer, Side Lever, Open Sights, Youth Rifle
Production
Production years: 1900-1913
Part of the Stevens Boys Rifles series (approx. 250,000 units across all models, 1890-1943); the early side-lever Crack Shot preceded the No. 26.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: J. Stevens Arms Company
Discontinued: 1913
Notes
The early Crack Shot used a side-lever action mechanism and typically wore a 20-inch round barrel. The .25 Stevens rimfire companion of the same era was cataloged as the Crack Shot No. 15, while the No. 16 covered the .22 rimfire chambering; the line was replaced by the under-lever Crack Shot No. 26 in 1912.
Background
Stevens 'Boys Rifles' like the Crack Shot were the first rifle for generations of young Americans in the early 1900s, sold cheaply through hardware stores and mail-order catalogs as an affordable gateway to marksmanship.