Hey guys, I’ve been collecting J. Stevens Arms & Tool and J. Stevens Arms guns for 40 plus years now. I’ve just added one of my unicorns to the collection; a “special order” model No. 185.
The No. 180 series is a hammerless design, the second such design for J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. They offered the special order models No.’s 185,190, and 195. Each subsequent model was more elaborate, which upgraded walnut, checkering, engraving and other attributes.
The is the ONLY special order No. 180 series I have ever seen....period. There are no pictures of ANY No. 190 or 195’s, except the old catalog etchings of the No.195.
This No. 185 features a color case hardened receiver and trigger guard, Deeley & Edge forend, fine hand cut checkering, octagon to round solid rib barrel with ivory bead sight.
The barrel looks as if was drilled, chambered and polished yesterday!
It will accompany it’s brothers(8) in my collection. Now onto finding the No.’s 190 & 195; though I personally believe no examples exist, as I believe this to be the only known No. 185 to exist today.
To add to it, I believe J.S.A.&T made the No. 180 series in pre-production in the rifle caliber 32-20, 38-40, 44-40, 38-55, and 303; just as they did the sister model No. 160 series hammered/trigger open gun. This was a new discovery I made last year while digging through a 1903 periodical. I have yet to come across either the No. 160 or No. 180 series factory made rifles. Though I DO have a couple No. 180’s I rehabbed into large bore BPCR rifles; a 50-140 and a 577 3 1/4”
Enjoy!
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