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Antique " J. Stevens Hunter's Pet " Single Shot .32 RF Pistol “One of a kind” , highly collectible
Guns International #: 103524130 Seller's Inventory #:
Category: Stevens Pistols - Antique Pistols - Cartridge
Seller's Information
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Seller: steve03038
Member Since: 9/13/13
State: Florida
Country: United States
Premium Seller
Number of Active Listings: 34
Total Number of Listings: 245
Seller: Private Seller
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: Personal check, bank check, postal money order, Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App
Description:
Antique " J. Stevens Hunter's Pet " Single Shot .32 RF Pistol
“One of a kind” highly collectible
Serial #1897. Manufactured between 1872 - 1886. This is an early production model 1872-1875
One of only 4000
Iron Frame
Nickel plated
Blued 8 3/8” tip-up bull barrel
Walnut Grips
Weight: 3# 1oz
Firing pin in frame with bushing
Barrel markings:
Right side:
A.R. SHAW. HOMEWOOD, FRANKLIN CO. KAS
Left side:
J.STEVENS&CO.CHICOPEE.FALLS.MASS.PAT.SEPT.6.1864
Condition: 8 3/8” Octagon Tip-up heavy bull barrel with a good bore. Moderate light pitting from black powder use and still showing good rifling. The metal frame still retains most of the original nickel with light oxidation, finish loss and wear. Barrel retain some of the original blue with remainder turning to a nice antique gun-metal gray with some light edge wear , oxidation, minor spot pitting and freckling. Barrel markings with owners name and company name are clear and legible. This barrel was professionally shortened with a front bead sight sight drilled and installed , usually these were to be used as a saddle or wagon gun when traveling. No extractor present. Original rear sight remains intact. Right side of frame has a series of notches carved into it. No way of knowing what they indicated but this was the wild west Kansas in 1870’s ?
Mechanically works excellent in half and full-cock positions with a strong hammer spring.
HISTORY:
Frontier-Marked Stevens “Pet” Pocket Rifle No. 34
Franklin County, Kansas – Circa 1872–1886
This unusual rifle began life as a J. Stevens “Pet” Pocket Rifle No. 34, manufactured by J. Stevens Arms Company of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts between approximately 1872 and 1886. The rifle is chambered for .32 Rimfire, a popular small-game cartridge of the period. Originally produced with an approximately 18-inch barrel, this example was later modified during its working life to a compact 8½-inch heavy octagon bull barrel configuration, giving the rifle exceptional balance and portability while retaining useful accuracy. Weighing just over three pounds, the altered rifle resembles a compact trail or wagon rifle—well suited to the practical needs of frontier life in the late nineteenth century.
Stamped prominently on the barrel is the marking “A.R. SHAW – HOMEWOOD – FRANKLIN CO. KAS.” identifying a resident of Homewood, Kansas, a small railroad settlement near the county seat of Ottawa in Franklin County. In the 1870s and 1880s, Kansas was still emerging from its frontier era, and firearms were valuable everyday tools used for hunting, pest control, and protection. Owners frequently marked their guns with their name and location to discourage theft and aid in recovery if the firearm was lost while traveling between towns or farms. Historical references suggest that A. R. Shaw later worked as a representative for the Northwestern Oil Company, part of the growing petroleum and machinery lubrication trade that supported railroads and agricultural equipment across the Midwest during the late nineteenth century.
Family history connected to the Shaw name also recalls a violent episode in Ottawa, Kansas in 1890, when Shaw’s brother-in-law was reportedly shot and killed during a bank robbery. Frontier bank robberies were unfortunately not uncommon in rapidly growing railroad towns of the period. Contemporary newspaper reports describe a suspected robber named Shannon Robertson who was killed during the investigation of a robbery tied to Ottawa, Kansas. The event reflects the turbulent environment of the era in which the rifle was owned and used.
The rifle also shows a series of notches cut into the right side of the receiver. Such marks are frequently encountered on working frontier firearms and were often used as personal tally marks, commonly representing animals taken while hunting varmints such as rabbits, prairie dogs, raccoons, or coyotes. While folklore sometimes attributes such marks to gunfights, the Stevens “Pet” rifle was primarily a light sporting rifle, and these marks most likely represent hunting records kept by the owner during years of use on the Kansas plains.
Together, the Stevens rifle’s early manufacture, frontier modification, personal ownership marking, and evidence of use provide a tangible glimpse into everyday life in Franklin County, Kansas during the late nineteenth century. Rather than a preserved factory specimen, this rifle represents a true working frontier firearm, carried and used by a known resident of the region during a period when small rifles like the Stevens “Pet” were essential tools for survival, hunting, and protection on the American frontier.
Collector Significance
This rifle represents an interesting convergence of:
• early Stevens Arms production
• a documented Kansas frontier owner marking
• period modification reflecting practical use
• a local historical connection to Franklin County
Firearms bearing personal markings tied to identifiable locations and individuals are especially desirable to collectors because they transform an ordinary firearm into a tangible artifact of American frontier life. A rare and character-rich example of a Kansas frontier-marked Stevens pocket rifle.
Antique guns are sold as collector items only with no representation as to their safety to shoot or use.
Asking $950. all reasonable offers considered. If you buy more than 1 firearm from me , I will discount each addition firearm at 15% off the listing price.
This firearm is an antique and no FFL is required. Please include an ID for proof of age, unless you have purchased from me in the past. It is your responsibility to make sure the item is legal in your state and you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase.
FREE USPS priority shipping will be provided. This gun is sold "as-is" as a collectible with no warranty express or implied. and no returns.
Payment can be made with bank check, postal, money order, or personal check and must be sent within 7 days of close.
For instant payment please contact me for account info and item will be shipped as soon as funds are receive. I can take Venmo, Zelle or Cash App. For credit card purchase use the GunTab icon at checkout. An email with tracking number will be sent as soon as item is shipped.
Price: $950.00
Antique: Yes
Handgun Caliber: .32 Rimfire
Manufacturer: J. Stevens
Model: Hunters Pet
Serial Number: 1897
Barrel Length: 8 1/2