The Stevens .28 Caliber Rifle.

By John A. Cox

American Rifleman, vol 31, No. 7, Nov 28, 1901 - page 149

I have been very much pleased to see the many recommendations for the Stevens .28-30-120 that have appeared from time to time in SHOOTING AND FISHING. Last spring I purchased from the Stevens Co. one of its .28 caliber No. 49 Walnut Hill rifles, with No. 3 barrel and double set triggers, and, after giving it a thorough trial the past season, both at the target and woodchuck shooting, I do not hesitate to say that it is a little the finest thing, in the shape of a rifle, that I have ever been fortunate enough to possess. For woodchuck shooting it is just the thing, for with its extreme accuracy, flat trajectory, and great killing power, it ought to satisfy any rifleman.

I have been experimenting with different charges of powder, and different weights of bullets, to determine what load would give best results at the target, and have decided on the following: 30 grains of DuPont FG primed with 3 grains of DuPont Smokeless No. 1; on top of this one of Skinner's plastic lubricating wads, an article no rifleman can afford to be without, and a 135-grain bullet, lubricated with a mixture of ozocerite and Vaseline, and seated in barrel base just even with mouth of shell. This charge for target shooting is an extremely fine one, and although I have not yet had a telescope sight attached to my barrel, I have made some very fine groups with globe and peep sights. I made one Nov. 22 at 100 yards on the Standard target reduced to four-inch bullseye, which counted 100 with all shots well inside the 10 ring.

Perhaps some of the fraternity may think I am a little too enthusiastic over the latest production of our friend Crimp, but nevertheless I cannot close until I have said that I regard my .28, and I take it from what I have read that there are other good ones, as the equal of any factory barrel, under .38 caliber, and were it put upon the machine rest with them I think it abundantly able to cope with them at any range up to 200 yards. This new rifle of mine uses the finest shell ever manufactured, and I will say to the brother rifleman who is looking for a rifle for the uses I have named he will make no mistake when he selects the .28-30-120 Stevens straight.

JOHN A. COX   Hoosick, N. Y.