Stevens Sure Shot
J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1894
Also known as: Stevens Sure-Shot, Stevens Sure Shot No. 23, Stevens No. 23, Stevens Boys Rifle Sure Shot
Overview
The Stevens Sure Shot No. 23 is a scarce single-shot .22 rimfire 'boys' rifle' produced by the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company. Its 20-inch round barrel swings sideways to the right to load, released by a button on the left side of the frame, an arrangement similar to the early Stevens Gem tip-up derringer pistols. Marketed as an inexpensive first rifle for plinking and small game, it was introduced in 1894 and dropped after only a couple of years, making it one of the rarest of the Stevens boys' rifles.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1700 g (60.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 838 mm (32.99") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 320 m/s (1050 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 130 J (96 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 140 m (153 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Hammer
- Features: Takedown, Exposed Hammer, Open Sights
Production
Production years: c. 1894-1896
Short production run as one of Stevens' budget single-shot boys' rifles; precise totals unrecorded and surviving examples are rare.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Joshua Stevens
Discontinued: 1896
Notes
Cataloged as the Stevens No. 23 'Sure Shot'. Introduced in 1894 and discontinued circa 1896 after poor sales, it is among the rarest Stevens boys' rifles and seldom seen by collectors. Typical examples have a blued barrel, nickel-plated frame and buttplate, a smooth buttstock with brass diamond inlays on the wrist, and no forearm. Part of the broad Stevens line of low-cost single-shot boys' rifles alongside the Crack Shot, Little Scout, Marksman and Favorite.
Background
Stevens boys' rifles like the Sure Shot introduced generations of American youngsters to marksmanship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, prized for being cheap, accurate and easy to carry thanks to their takedown design.