Stevens Ideal No. 53 Schuetzen
J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1896
Also known as: Stevens Ideal Model 53, Stevens No. 53 Schuetzen, Ideal Schuetzen No. 53
Overview
The Stevens Ideal No. 53 Schuetzen is an American single-shot falling-block target rifle built by the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts on the underlever-operated Ideal No. 44 action. A mid-grade member of the Ideal Schuetzen family produced from 1896 to 1902, it was essentially the same rifle as the No. 51 but upgraded with fancier checkered walnut and a folding palm rest. Chambered most commonly in .32-40, it carried a heavy part-octagon barrel of about 30 inches, double-set triggers, a straight-grip stock with cheekpiece and long-prong Schuetzen buttplate, and a windage-adjustable globe front sight paired with a Vernier tang-mounted aperture peep sight for precision offhand competition. So few were made that Flayderman's standard reference skips straight from the No. 52 to the No. 54, making surviving examples especially scarce.
Specifications
| Barrel Length | 762 mm (30.00") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Set Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 435 m/s (1427 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1011 J (746 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Case Hardened |
Calibers
- .32-40 Winchester · primary — also known as .32-40 Ballard, .32-40 WCF, .32-40
- .22 Long Rifle — also known as .22 LR, 22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Single Shot, Part Octagon Barrel, Double Set Triggers, Folding Palm Rest, Checkered Walnut Stock, Straight Grip, Cheekpiece, Long Prong Schuetzen Buttplate, Vernier Tang Peep Sight, Windgauge Globe Front Sight, Underlever
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Civilian Schuetzen and offhand target shooters
Production
Production years: 1896-1902
Produced in very small numbers as an uncatalogued special-order Schuetzen grade; exact totals are unrecorded and surviving examples are rare.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Joshua Stevens
Discontinued: 1902
Notes
The No. 53 was an uncatalogued, seldom-seen grade in the Stevens Ideal Schuetzen lineup (Nos. 51-55), described as the same rifle as the No. 51 but with fancier wood and a palm rest. Documented examples are chambered in .32-40 with 30-inch part-octagon barrels, blued barrel with case-hardened frame, and factory-etched or scroll-engraved actions on the fancier specimens. Weight and overall length were not standardized and varied with the buyer's special-order specifications.
Background
The Stevens Ideal No. 53 is so scarce that it was skipped entirely in Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms, which jumps from the No. 52 straight to the No. 54, leaving this palm-rest Schuetzen grade a footnote prized by single-shot collectors.