Is this chamber bad?

[smokenrust]

Shot my grandpa's old Stevens and this is how the shell casings came out.

Think she's cherry yet? what would you do, make a wall hanger out of her?
Looks like she ate a lot of 22shorts in the days long ago... And funny part is it is still fairly accurate... at 50 feet. It could be just my eyes tho that could be contributing to some of the errors of not putting lead on top of each other.

[adirondakjack]

It ain't wonderful, but for low pressure loads (shorts, CB caps) I wouldn't sweat it as the brass is holding the pressure. I have a 1900-ish Stevens Favorite about like that. Shorts or BB caps only......

[gvthnks]

youre sure the cartridge is all the way in the chamber when it fires?

[Don McDowell]

Looks like the case is to long for the chamber,but with that bulge at the head, I'ld think the best thing to do would be have it relined and chambered.

[jdad]

Does the breech block snap up tight against the breech face?

If it doesn't you can always have a competent gunsmith turn the barrel a full turn, recut the extractor slot and headspace it.

[williamranks]

Where is the bulge in relation to the chamber? Is it at the ejector or at the top where loading will eventually wear the chamber wall?
Did a quick web search and found most shorts are now high velocity, only CCI makes a low velocity target load at 830 fps.
A little more looking and the most common problems seem to be the block dropping open when the hammer is cocked and the holes in the internals wearing at the action screws.

[smokenrust]

This is a J. STEVENS ARMS & TOOL CO., Visible Loading Repeater Pat. Apr. 30-07.
It's a nice little 22 if you didn't have to poke the shells out. Gramps and dad must of shot a million bullets through it.
Here is a pic of the loading chamber area. (Pictures are not real good.)

And the extractors

Theres still some rifling in the barrel, could a fellow just bore the bullet seating area and press in a new sleeve of tad smaller size and then ream it to straighten to rifle bore?
Thanks for suggestions. Smokenrust

[Don McDowell]

Best bet would be take it to a gunsmith (not a gunparts changer) and have the barrel relined.

[adirondakjack]

Smokenrust, Yes there are guys who can sleeve the chamber. A friend recently had two fairly new (within 15 years) guns sleeved because of egg-shaped chambers. I think it cost him like $75 each (but that was with no shipping). If yer seriously interested, PM me and I will find out for you who did the work.

I have a Stevens Favorite smoothbore .22 I might have done....