I'm trying a new backdrop. I think this one allows the firearm to stand out more while still being fun and unique. Part of this is also using a location that is easy for me to setup and has good lighting.
Now on to the good stuff.
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You knew a Gill-gun was going to show up sooner or later.
The Stevens 85 is a semi-automatic .22 caliber rifle, manufactured by the Stevens Arms Company (then a division of Savage Arms) primarily from the late 1930s to 1960. It has detachable box magazine and is able to fire .22 Short and 22 Long by locking bolt and in semi-auto with 22LR. This model is the same as the Savage 7 and Springfield 85. The Stevens 85 has a birch stock with the buckhorn black tip while the Springfield 85 has a plain birch stock and the Savage 7 has a walnut stock. These are the same action as the tube-fed Savage 6 and Stevens/Springfield 87.
What's most interesting about this design is that the manufacturers of the day were already trying to combat the extremely dirty nature of rimfire cartridges as far back as the 1930s when the rifle was released. On the left-hand side of the receiver, the rifle features a series of vented ribs commonly referred to as "gills." Hence the nick-name "Gill-gun". These gills, according to the original patent for the rifle, were meant to vent excess gas. They also do a great job of reducing the overall amount of fouling by allowing the unburnt powder to exit the receiver.
The action design also gets the nick-name "Click-clack" due to how it cycles. On the later versions, when you pull the trigger and it fires, the bolt goes back and stays back until you release the trigger. This creates a sort of click-clack sound as your fire it.
This video is for an 87A, but it the same action as the 85 and demonstrates the click-clack sound the action makes.
(Not my video. Just a random example I found on YouTube.)
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This particular rifle was made in 1953 or 1954. The date code is poorly stamped and difficult to determine if it is "E" or "F".
If you want to learn how to date these yourself, check out this thread: https://www.okshooters.com/threads/...-model-4-5-6-and-85-86-87-series-and-variants.
Click on the thumbnails to see the full-size image.
And here are some vintage adverts, the patent for the gills, and a parts list.
Now on to the good stuff.
----------------------
You knew a Gill-gun was going to show up sooner or later.
The Stevens 85 is a semi-automatic .22 caliber rifle, manufactured by the Stevens Arms Company (then a division of Savage Arms) primarily from the late 1930s to 1960. It has detachable box magazine and is able to fire .22 Short and 22 Long by locking bolt and in semi-auto with 22LR. This model is the same as the Savage 7 and Springfield 85. The Stevens 85 has a birch stock with the buckhorn black tip while the Springfield 85 has a plain birch stock and the Savage 7 has a walnut stock. These are the same action as the tube-fed Savage 6 and Stevens/Springfield 87.
What's most interesting about this design is that the manufacturers of the day were already trying to combat the extremely dirty nature of rimfire cartridges as far back as the 1930s when the rifle was released. On the left-hand side of the receiver, the rifle features a series of vented ribs commonly referred to as "gills." Hence the nick-name "Gill-gun". These gills, according to the original patent for the rifle, were meant to vent excess gas. They also do a great job of reducing the overall amount of fouling by allowing the unburnt powder to exit the receiver.
The action design also gets the nick-name "Click-clack" due to how it cycles. On the later versions, when you pull the trigger and it fires, the bolt goes back and stays back until you release the trigger. This creates a sort of click-clack sound as your fire it.
This video is for an 87A, but it the same action as the 85 and demonstrates the click-clack sound the action makes.
(Not my video. Just a random example I found on YouTube.)
---------------------
This particular rifle was made in 1953 or 1954. The date code is poorly stamped and difficult to determine if it is "E" or "F".
If you want to learn how to date these yourself, check out this thread: https://www.okshooters.com/threads/...-model-4-5-6-and-85-86-87-series-and-variants.
Click on the thumbnails to see the full-size image.
And here are some vintage adverts, the patent for the gills, and a parts list.
