Stevens 410ga. Refurbish Nightmare

[tws3b2]

Went to the gun show a few weeks ago and found a old Stevens model 54 410ga. Shotgun made between 1933 and 1942. The bolt assembly was missing. I picked it up and told my wife it will make a good project gun. It's a Stevens, I can find parts Anywhere. I remember the day when you could walk into any store that sold guns and find Stevens rifles and shotguns on the shelf. Parts should be plentiful. Wrong. I have looked at at every gun parts place on and off the internet I can find. Including ebay. Nothing. I did find that gunpartscorp does have bolt assembly parts but not the assembly itself. I did notice that gunpartscorp list the bolt body for the Stevens model 54, 54b, 37 and the 37b as all the same. The same part number for all four. Great, I Thought. But they had none in stock. I went back to ebay and found a model 37b bolt assembly. Paid way to much but now I had the bolt body. Removed all the parts from the 37b bolt assembly. Went back to gunpartscorp and purchased all the model 54 parts I need. Put it all together. Everything seems to fit perfect. Everything seems to work perfect. A nice bolt assembly to get my gun rocking again. Wrong. My perfect fitting, perfect working, nice bolt assembly does not fit my shotgun. It just in no way works in my gun. The cocking piece contacts the breech before the bolt can lock. Went back to gunpartscorp and asked why. They said maybe I needed a different "old style" cocking piece. More money, more time spent. Nope, Still will not work. Back to gunpartscorp . They said maybe Stevens made subtle changes to your gun. Subtle?? Subtle changes to the gun that will not allow the bolt to work?? I don't think so. Anyway my basement work bench is covered with 410 parts waiting for a solution. I have schematics for the gun. But they do no good. I can find no answers on the internet. I can't even find any good photos of the model 54 that show anything. Just wondering if anybody has a Stevens model 54, 410 that could answer a couple question about it.

 

[Scooter22]

Couple questions. Did the complete 37b bolt assy fit? Does just the bolt body fit?
I'm not understanding this. The cocking piece contacts the breech before the bolt can lock
The breach or chamber is the rear of the barrel where the face of the bolt contacts it. The cocking piece is at the rear of the bolt. Does this gun cock when cycling the bolt or do you have the pull back the cocking piece after a shell is chambered?
I've got some great deals buying .22 bolt actions missing the bolt. But I made sure a complete one was available before. Having to buy a bolt body plus all the parts to fit.... forget it unless its something real rare and worth it..

 

[tws3b2]

Couple questions. Did the complete 37b bolt assy fit? Does just the bolt body fit?
I'm not understanding this. The cocking piece contacts the breech before the bolt can lock
The breach or chamber is the rear of the barrel where the face of the bolt contacts it. The cocking piece is at the rear of the bolt. Does this gun cock when cycling the bolt or do you have the pull back the cocking piece after a shell is chambered?
I've got some great deals buying .22 bolt actions missing the bolt. But I made sure a complete one was available before. Having to buy a bolt body plus all the parts to fit.... forget it unless its something real rare and worth it..

The 37b bolt assembly would not fit like it was. I knew that from the start. The 37b has like a one piece double extractor that clamps into groves on the bolt head. The 54 has a single extractor. Gunpartscorp list the 37b bolt body as the same used in the 54. That was the only part from the 37b I was expecting to use. I removed all the other 37b parts from the bolt body and replaced them with parts listed by gunpartscorp as being for the 54. The cocking piece contacts the back end of the gun where the bolt slides in and out. I've always considered that as part of the breech or action. Oh well, live and learn. The gun is cocked by pulling back on the cocking piece. The cocking piece has what I call a dog leg or bar on the forward end. When in full cock that bar rest in a notch in the bolt. When the trigger is pulled the bar moves to a deeper notch allowing the spring to push the striker/firing pin forward. Problem is that dog leg/ bar is hitting the back of breech/action/gun , what ever and not allowing the spring to push forward. I remember back in the 50s 60s seeing these Stevens shotguns and rifles in practically every hardware, department store you walked into. At one time Stevens was one of the worlds largest gun makers in the world. Making very sturdy, affordable long guns. I never thought they would be so hard to find parts for. As far as "worth it" goes. I'm doing this because Thats what I want to do. I have more in the gun now than what it will be worth when I finish. It's not for profit/to sell. When it's finished it will go into my collection with the others and from time to time I can look back and say, I Did That.

 

[Scooter22]

Well it's possible GP has made a mistake in the reference as what fits what. I don't know not having pics of what should fit what. At this point your really into it so I hope you can get it straightened out. Good luck and post some pics. They could help someone in the future.

 

[Kp321]

You might try Lee's Gun Parts in Irving, TX. He is open Tue-Thur. Give him a call at 972-790-0773. He has saved my bacon a few times, there is no telling what he has.

 

[tws3b2]

Well it's possible GP has made a mistake in the reference as what fits what. I don't know not having pics of what should fit what. At this point your really into it so I hope you can get it straightened out. Good luck and post some pics. They could help someone in the future.

This is a photo of the cocking piece "early style" listed by GP to fit the model 54. As you can see it is against the receiver stopping the bolt from going all the way in. The bolt likes a good half inch from being in far enough to lock. The other photo is with the "old style" cocking piece ( with the long bar)also listed by GP to fit the model 54. As you can see it also is against the receiver. I had to pull the striker out of the receiver 3/4 of a inch just to get it on. My real problem is finding correct information. Apparently there are very few "if any" that know anything about this gun and several very similar models. I have even seen where others looking for info on the same guns are being told by " knowledgeable" people that the 54 and similar models do not exist. Here is my proof photo. Anyway Thanks for your time and help.

 

[tws3b2]

Ok, gunpartscorp show that the bolt body part # 119700D fits all the Stevens model's 37, 37b, 54 and 54b. I have a 37b bolt body. I purchased all the parts I need for the 54. All the parts fit the 37b body fine. But the new bolt assembly does not fit my 54. I have been going back and forth with GP for two weeks. They say it will fit. I say it will not. Seems they think I'm some kind of nut that does not know what he's talking about. I guess I am some kind of a nut but I think I know what I'm talking about, This time. In the photo below you can see my 37b bolt body on top. Notice the slot cut out on the forward end. That is for a pin that holds the bolt head in place. Under that is my 37b bolt head. Notice the pin hole in just the right place for the pin to go through that slot. Under that is a model 54 bolt head that I purchased from GP. Notice NO pin hole. Rest my case. Last contact I had with GP they said my 54 need a groove cut in the receiver for the cocking piece. My 54 was made between 1933 and 1942. Now, After over 75 years it needs a groove?? Don't think so. To be fair, they did offer a full refund if I return parts. Anyway, I did find some info saying that the model 37 bolt assembly is more likely to work in my 54. I did find a photo of the 37 and guess what. There is No pin hole in the bolt head. Still looking for any photos, bolt assembly, bolt body, information or any help getting my J Stevens model 54 rocking again.

 

[Scooter22]

So it looks like you have the correct bolt head. Another thought I have is when you assemble it with the striker and cocking piece are they oriented correctly? Many times they can be put in wrong so they don't line up when the bolt is closed in the firing position. It looks that way in the pics showing the old/new CPs. Shouldn't they be lined up with the groove so when the trigger is pulled they can move forward instead of hitting the bolt body? Just some thoughts. Actualy it looks like they should line up with the groove and the leading edge getting held by the trigger sear sticking up in the bottom of the receiver tube. Then when the trigger is pulled it release the assy to move forward firing the gun.

 

[possumbelly220]

Google Bobs Gun shop, he is showing a bolt for a Stevens model 54. Might have all the parts you need.

 

[tws3b2]

So it looks like you have the correct bolt head. Another thought I have is when you assemble it with the striker and cocking piece are they oriented correctly? Many times they can be put in wrong so they don't line up when the bolt is closed in the firing position. It looks that way in the pics showing the old/new CPs. Shouldn't they be lined up with the groove so when the trigger is pulled they can move forward instead of hitting the bolt body? Just some thoughts. Actualy it looks like they should line up with the groove and the leading edge getting held by the trigger sear sticking up in the bottom of the receiver tube. Then when the trigger is pulled it release the assy to move forward firing the gun.

Yeah, Every thing lines up. Actually it is hard to put it together wrong. There are four pins holding the bolt together. I got tired punching them out and putting them back. I just stuck everything back without pins for photo. The striker that I got from gp was listed for the 54 and 37 only. But if you put it side by side with the 37b they are exactly alike. And if you put the 54 old style cocking piece on gps 54 striker its a sloppy fit. Even with pin in place it rocks on the striker like they don't belong together. But i think I'm past all that and just want to get on the right track to get this gun working.

 

[tws3b2]

Great, I'v checked bobs before. I'll go back and check again. Thanks

 

[tws3b2]

Google Bobs Gun shop, he is showing a bolt for a Stevens model 54. Might have all the parts you need.

Nope, He has none . I think he's getting tired of me asking.

 

[possumbelly220]

Sorry tws3b2, thought I saw it listed there. This was Bobs in Royal AZ?

 

[tws3b2]

Sorry tws3b2, thought I saw it listed there. This was Bobs in Royal AZ?

Yes, Royal AZ. No problem. I appreciate the effort.