Stevens Favorite No. 27: A Boy’s Falling Block Rifle

A lot of people collect guns that revolve around different themes. I know guys who collect Civil War muskets, others who collect WWII rifles, and still more who collect various M1911 incarnations. Typically, anything that people are willing to collect within a theme costs a pretty penny. There are a few exceptions, and one of those exceptions is “Boy’s rifles.” Boy’s rifles remain affordable and often ignored. That’s great for me because it allows me to get rifles like the Stevens Favorite No. 27 for $150.

Boy’s rifles, as the name suggests, were unique firearms designed specifically for children, predominantly boys. In a time when responsible firearm ownership was commonplace, these rifles served as educational tools, teaching children the fundamentals of shooting and gun safety. They were often single-shot designs, each with a unique quality and design. The Stevens Favorite No. 27, a prime example of these rifles, was a high-end option that stood out among its peers.

Stevens produced the No. 27 as a falling block design, modeled on the Martini falling block action. These guns are scaled down to rimfire calibers and are lightweight, short, and easy to shoot. The model you see here is a .32 Long Rimfire. I purchased it because the seller advertised it as a .32 S&W Long, but that turned out to be a mistake in their listing. I wasn’t upset because I still collect Boy’s rifles, but ammo costs $11 a round, so it will likely remain a wall hanger.

Stevens and Their Famed Falling Blocks

The J. Stevens company became well known for their creative yet simple firearms. Most of the time, the company wasn’t creating anything new, but they adapted new technology to different forms. Falling block technology was nothing new when Stevens introduced these rifles. Stevens just saw the potential for small rimfire calibers in the falling block format. Remington produced rolling block boy’s rifles, and there were tons of single-shot bolt action and break-open rimfires. A falling block offered something new.

Falling block actions are super sturdy and capable of firing very powerful cartridges. The name comes from the breech block, which falls to expose the chamber, allowing access to it. After the weapon was loaded, the block slid back into place, and the user cocked the hammer and fired the rifle.

After the advent of metallic cartridges, falling block rifles became very popular. They outfitted hunters, homesteaders, and soldiers worldwide and often chambered big, powerful cartridges. Further, they were quick to load and fire.

When Stevens produced their Crackshot, Favorite, and Little Scout rifle lines, they had something new and novel. These were affordable falling blocks. Imagine if Barrett produced a .22LR micro-sized version of the M82. It would be neat, fun, and certainly novel. Seeing as how Stevens produced four different lines of these falling block rifles, they must have sold quite well.

The Favorite series is the highest quality of the falling block guns produced by Stevens. The “Favorite” name tells you a lot about these guns; they had the best finish, the biggest calibers, and were produced the longest.

Breaking Down the Favorite No. 27

Stevens produced these rifles from 1894 until 1935. The No. 27 is based on another falling block rifle: the No. 17. The No. 17 acted as a base for an entire line of rimfire-falling block rifles. Guns like the No. 18, No. 19, No. 20, and more all used the No. 17 as its base. The differences between the guns include sighting options and configurations. The No. 27 and No. 17 are identical, except the No. 27 has an octagonal barrel.

This falling block action is quite strong, stronger than the .32RF needs. Unlike a lot of the .22LR falling blocks, the .32RF featured a lever that actuates the falling block. When the shooter presses the lever downward, the block falls and reveals the chamber. The shooter can then remove the spent casing and insert a new one. The user has to manually cock the hammer to ready the weapon to fire.

The lever does not cock the gun; it just makes the falling block fall. The No. 27 features simple open sights with a thin front sight and an open rear sight. Sadly, mine is missing the rear sight, and I’m in the market for a replacement if anyone reading this happens to have an obscure part for an obscure gun made before anyone reading this was born.

These rifles feature real wood stocks and forearms that feel and look fantastic. The front handguard is clearly made for a child as it tapers into a very thin design. The stock is completely straight without the hint of a pistol grip. The weapon looks fantastic, and the combination of wood and steel doesn’t seem like something built for a kid.

The .32 Rimfire

My Favorite No. 27 fires the .32 Long Rimfire. The .32 Rimfire doesn’t get mentioned much these days. Much like the .22 Rimfire series, there are several different lengths of the .32 Rimfire. The .32 Long Rimfire pushed a 90-grain .32 caliber projectile to 1,080 feet per second. It certainly has no deer cartridge, but it was often used for small games like rabbits.

The .22 rounds of the day were quite anemic, not like the loads we see today. Often, the .22 Short and maybe long were seen as not powerful enough for anything but pests. This changed when the faster and higher-velocity .22LR entered the realm. Before the .22LR, the .32 Long Rimfire was the premier small game round for many shooters. By the 1930s, the cartridge was obsolete due to the high-velocity .22LR and smokeless powder.

Stevens Meet Savage

The J. Stevens brand was sold a few times. Eventually, it ended up in Savage‘s hands. These days, it’s just a brand for cheap Chinese shotguns that can be imported and sold. Interestingly enough, Savage sells the closest thing we have to a boy’s rifle these days, which is in the form of the Rascal. The old falling blocks are now collectibles, but many are rugged and still in good shape. I own a couple, and they are solid shooters if you can find the ammo.

I think Boy’s rifles are a neat, old concept that is a solid part of Americana. It might be cliché to say they don’t make them like they used to, but just because it’s a cliché doesn’t mean it’s not true. These rifles are testaments to the quality and longevity of a well-made rifle. If you have a chance, grab one, and it will bring you a truckload of joy.

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