Keefe Report: Coming to Town in Style

by
posted on December 24, 2015
stevens_3.jpg

Forget Donner, Dancer and Blitzen, few things could be as cool as having the jolly old elf land on your roof astride a brand-new Steven-Duryea horseless carriage with five whole horsepower under the hood. Well, maybe that and a brand-new Stevens Favorite single-shot under the tree. Or a Stevens-Lord No. 36 pistol in my stocking? We found this great ad from J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. in Chicoppee Falls, Mass., in our December 1903 issue, and Santa apparently has plenty of .22 single-shots rifles, pocket rifles, pistols, pumps and hammerless Stevens double guns for those that have been nice and checked twice. 

“SANTA CLAUS will get around more quickly this year, as he has adopted the ‘STEVENS-DURYEA’ automobile to speed him safely on his way. More than ever will St. Nick be welcomed because he is loaded down with Steven RIFLES, PISTOL and SHOTGUNS for the youths of the land. Give your boy that ‘STEVENS’ he has been wishing for so long, and make this Xmas time a memorable one for him. ‘STEVENS’ means SAFETY, ACCURACY and RELIABILITY to the highest degree attainable and MAKES MEN out of BOYS. Our line is a large and varied one, suitable for man or boy … .”

The Stevens-Duryea was one of America’s first automobiles, and J. Frank Duryea partnered with Stevens—which was looking to get into the car business—after he and his brother Charles went separate ways. Stevens-Duryea split off from the gunmaker and was out of business by the late 1920s. Savage bought Stevens in 1920, and although the Stevens Favorite Model 30 in .22 Long Rifle made a brief comeback from 2007-2012, it, like the Steven-Duryea, are not made today. Talk about a lump of coal. Maybe next year the classic single-shot will make a return.

Merry Christmas.

Latest

Century BFT 01
Century BFT 01

New For 2024: Century Arms BFT74 & BFT556

Century Arms expanded its AK-style BFT rifle line in 2024 with two new models chambered for 5.56 NATO and 5.45x39 mm, respectively.

Preview: Armaspec SRS AR-15 Kit

This Armaspec upgrade to the AR-15’s standard buffer and spring includes a trio of interchangeable buffer weights that allow the user to tune it to his or her rifle/load.

Gun Of The Week: Davidson’s Exclusive KelTec KS7

Join American Rifleman staff on the range this week with a unique version of KelTec's KS7 bullpup shotgun.

The Armed Citizen® Nov. 1, 2024

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Hydra Weaponry Expands To New Facility

Hydra Weaponry—the designer and manufacturer of the modular Marck-15 Hydra Weapon System and Maine’s largest firearm employer—has expanded into a larger facility.

Review: Bushmaster M4A2 Patrolman's Carbine

The M4A2 Patrolman’s Carbine from Bushmaster Firearms is the first in a line of AR-15s designed to bring back the standard, carbine-length firearms that have long been a staple of American shooting enthusiasts.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.