I read a few comments about jamming, replace the mag spring, Numeric has them. The old springs would fatigue if left loaded. Also check the recesses in the chamber face where the extractors go into when in battery. Many original owners thought because of the gills these things never needed cleaning and would be left loaded in the barn or by the back door for varments in the garden or chicken coupe. Mine was made in 1948 and although in great condition I got a great deal on it because of these issues along with a missing inside extractor that was kicked out by hitting the clogged up recess in the chamber face, also available at Numeric. Refinished the stock and she is a real tack driving beauty. I fell in love with these rifles when shooting my uncles as a kid back in the 50s. His was also made in 1948 that he bought new after coming back from the war.
UA-cam has it's metaphorical head firmly wedged in it's sphincter. Real is refreshing... you keep doing you! By the way I inherited my Dad's Stevens 87A. It has 5 patents stamped on the barrel but no serial number so it has to be pre 1968. The only difference is that the very front of the stock is painted black.
I have one myself. It can also cycle .22 long or .22 sort. To do that it is single shot. You push the charger handle in and it will lock the bolt and once fired you manually cycle the rounds. Holds far more .22 short than long rifle. It is actually semi-automatic/bolt action. The longs and shorts do not have enough blow back to cycle the gun semi-automatic. Try sub sonic ammo, it is a 24" barrel. Let me know what you think when you try it. I like your video, thank you for putting up with the humidity!
Your absolutely right! Thank you for mentioning this. I had recorded a segment on the locking bolt and using shorts, but it accidentally got cut from editing. It’s one of the features that makes this particular style of .22 rifle invaluable.
@Majormusket when you lock the charging handle and shoot shorts, it's stupid quiet. Make sure to lock the charging handle, otherwise it'll run full auto
Something you may not know. It will not cycle 22 shorts automatically. You load tube and charge it with one shell then push charging handle in and it will shoot. Then you pull out on charging handle releasing it and pull back loading another round. The when you release it yoju push the charging handle back in locking the bolt making it shoot like a single shot. You have to do this on each shell to keep it from malfunctioning. On long and long rifle you can keep the charging handle pulled out allowing for automatic operation .Neat little design feature. Try it.
I have a Springfield 87 A….. many were made for stores too….different names, Savage, etc….great .22. I read somewhere that two million were made. I also have had the Ruger 1022 for years, also like it a lot, but prefer the long barrel of the 87 A……Hey, take that great felt looking hat off, you will be cooler. Thanks. 👍 If you didn’t know, that 87 A can be set to shoot single shot only. Push the bolt in till you hear and feel the click. 😉
Good video on these interesting rifles. If you're interested in getting one,be aware that they are addictive. I'm a Winchester guy, but I have 3 gill guns. Ive got a Stevens 87a, a Wester Field (Montgomery Ward) version, and a Savage 6a, the original of this rifle. The Savage has a walnut stock, the other 2 birch. Dating them requires some research, as they were made before 1968 and they don't typically have serial numbers, unless, i think, they were exported.
Nice drawing of the squirrel. My art teacher said I was good at drawing flies. Looked at a click clack years ago, always suggest taking along a cleaning rod and patches to check for ringed barrel. You will feel the bulge pushing the patch down the barrel. A loose spot.
Just picked one up. Been in a garage for over 10yrs and its safe to say that's true. Doing the deep clean now. There is slight corrosion in the barrel towards the end of the muzzle. I got some killer rust juice. Stay Rad bud!! Sweet vid.
Very nice rifle , the older guns just have a feel that the more modern weapons don't have. I agree about the 10/22 , I feel they are over rated. I have one , and I will reach past it for my winchester model 69A built between 60 to 63 , every time.
Everybody’s gonna have different views on guns. I don’t think the 10/22 at all is overrated. It is one of the best in the world. It can be more modified than any other 22 rifle in world history. It is definitely one of the best guns out there.
Looks similar to my marlin model 60 with he tube magazine, I need one for just plinking around since my model 60 is for hunting only, seen bunch of these at the store might pick one up for the heck of it
You really can’t go wrong. Think about the quality of materials at the time these were manufactured. Stuff like this is going to be hard to find in the near future.
Nice looking rifle. I always look for the older ones when I go to the local gun shop. But they’re not around like they were a few years back. At least not where I live. Good video.
They’re hard to find in my neck of the woods too! I check out the local lawn shops regularly and have never seen one. This was a nice score for me. Sometimes it’s the simple, inexpensive things that bring the most joy. I’m really excited to get some hunting videos done with it this fall. Should be a lot of fun!
I ended up getting mine dialed in. It’s dead nuts on. Someone told me that when you’re going to purchase one, run a small jag with a patch down the barrel to feel for any bubbles near the breech. For instance, the patch fits tight and then hits a loose spot. Some knuckle heads would get the barrel too hot which can make that bubble. It truly is one of the best guns I’ve ever owned.
@@Majormusket thanks for the tip! I personally feel like the 10/22 is over rated, and there a far superior & cooler semiautomatic rifles out there such as the 87a. I think it is well worth me trading my 10/22 in for the 87a. Thanks!
Mine doesn’t have the A behind the 87, The one that I have was in pretty rough shape when I found it at a pawnshop. So I redid the stock on it and cleaned the surface rust off the barrel and retouched it up with blowing. Looks pretty good now. They had to get rid of a few gun sale so I got it for $50.
Yeah my old 87a with the most vague and mushy trigger of all the firearms I own is still inherently more accurate than the 2 Safe Queen 10/22’s I have! I hunted squirrels and rabbits for years with the 87a and still break it out for starlings and garden pests on occasion. The 87a has been retired from hunting by the CZ 452 ultra lux a few years back but it is still a favorite of mine for just breaking out and plinking with.
I recently bought a High Standard Sport King deluxe A-1041 which is also a Gill/Click Clack gun. Similar but with small differences, does not have the single shot capability. I have only shot it once but am impressed. This is only my second .22 rifle but I am looking for more including a Savage/Stevens version. Just discovered your channel tonight and have subscribed.
I also have an 87A, mine was manufactured in 1936 as I researched its serial number. One thing that you failed to mention in your video was that these guns can also be used as a Bolt Rifle single shot. That bolt on the side can be pulled outward, and stops the semiautomatic function. Also you can fire 22 shorts, 22 longs, and 22 long rifle. Just thought I’d share that with your viewers. Stay locked and loaded.
I bought my Stevens 87D for $15. It was all rusty, Had no stock, no trigger guard, no but plate and no lifter assembly. It now has all the parts and functions well. It will soon receive a Birchwood Casey Browning. I like your video!
I have one with the Tenite stock which was made by Dupont in 47. Not to many have the Tenite stock because if left in sun like we use to do in our trucks yrs ago the sun made the plastics brittle and crack easily.
I have one of the Tenite stock ones too. Sadly or happily, however you look at it, someone etched in the stock Happy Birthday 1948! Other than minor scratches the gun itself has like new blueing and shoots like a champ. Lucky me, I bought it from the never made it to the shelf section of the gun store as it was leaning against the wall behind the counter as a junker and paid $75 back around 2010. It's tapped for side scope mounts. Better than a 10-22? Oh yeah, as is the Marlin 60 also.
Your guns finished out of the box , the Ruger 10/22s are a great platform and when you work on them , give them a decent stock they are smooth and really accurate however I get your train of thought partner . Don’t sell out and lose your integrity and keep smiling 🙂
Growing up that was Dad's rabbit gun. I saw him shoot many a rabbit on the run. After getting passed my brother wound up with it but I've been looking for one since.
The 10/22 Ruger is not overrated at all. It is one of the best 22 rifles in the world. It could be more modified and upgraded than any other 22 rifle in history. You can’t go wrong with a 10/22 Ruger. You’re never gonna get a unanimous consensus on any gun. It’s personal preference. Somebody has one bad experience with a gun. Then they tell everybody that gun stinks.
Ask yourself why a gun out of the box would need to be upgraded more than any gun in the world. One of their biggest flaws are the magazine release that can dump your mag on a hike without you knowing. Ask me how I know… so instead of fixing the issue, you can buy parts to upgrade it with a recessed release. Ruger makes fine guns, and you’re right, it will always come down to personal preference. I prefer a slim .22 over a 3” wide hog that doesn’t need upgrades from the get-go. Just me…
Man, the 10/22 is one of the greatest.22lr rifles ever designed. Including the sights. I was shooting Pennie’s offhand at 11yds consistently, so I started shooting .22 shell casings then q-tips and splitting cards… all with a stock 10/22 lol. I like the 87a, but 10/22 is king
You’re never gonna have a unanimous decision on any gun. The 10/22 Ruger is one of the best in the world. The most modifiable 22 rifle to ever exist. You can so modify that gun that it looks like a military style weapon. Extremely cool. It doesn’t matter how good a gun is there’s always gonna be something that can go wrong even with the best of them. And then somebody gets a sour opinion of that gun because of it. But you can’t go wrong with a 1022 Ruger.
I love my 10 22s for what they are. You should not compare them with a much older and differently well built 70 year old gun, your talking two very different leagues
There’s nothing wrong with comparing the quality of the past, with the quality of the present. Though the platforms are different, the outcome is one of repeatable .22 firing capabilities. We should always compare quality of firearms from past to present as a baseline reference.
For me the Stevens savage .22LR rifle was the worst rifle i ever had to rely on. My Dad had the same rifle and loaned it to me when i was I was 17 for spending the spring summer and late fall at the old land way up in the Rockies by myself. I also had a single shot black powder pistol from a kit i made when i was 13 in .45cal. The Stevens was the most non-consistent .22 no matter what the ammo. i had bad luck with two Steven's over the years both .22lr variants the second being a single shot.22/20ga Stevens. These old models of Stevens are in my opinion through experience pieces of shit. My choice is the Marlin model 60. Old version, not new ones. Old ones hold 18 in tube, longer barrel (3 inches longer).
Hey bud I have one of those rifles my granddaddy gave it to me years ago how much did you pay for yours I was just wondering what mine might be worth but I had a scope mounted on mine years back
Did you ever figure out your issue with shell not ejecting? I just got my grandfather's that he bought after WW2 my mom remembers it from on the ranch I'm Texas when she was a kid. Grandpa died months B4 I was born this rifle is my attachment to him every gunsmith said they won't touch it go buy a Marlin model 60. But already have one. They do not understand why I need this working 100%
The accuracy level, the innovation level (so many tube-fed semi-autos).... I think it's like a volkswagen beetle --- there are superfans of it, and then there is me, driving without a heater in the middle of winter in the pre-dawn hours to work with the drone of the engine not letting me hear the radio cranked up as loud as it will go.... I'm not hating on it, because it's an experience.... I'm just thinkin' it's overrated. 🤣
I read a few comments about jamming, replace the mag spring, Numeric has them. The old springs would fatigue if left loaded. Also check the recesses in the chamber face where the extractors go into when in battery. Many original owners thought because of the gills these things never needed cleaning and would be left loaded in the barn or by the back door for varments in the garden or chicken coupe. Mine was made in 1948 and although in great condition I got a great deal on it because of these issues along with a missing inside extractor that was kicked out by hitting the clogged up recess in the chamber face, also available at Numeric. Refinished the stock and she is a real tack driving beauty. I fell in love with these rifles when shooting my uncles as a kid back in the 50s. His was also made in 1948 that he bought new after coming back from the war.
I have my late dad's Sears Ranger 101.1...which he bought about 99 years ago...it's a Sears copy of the Savage...
UA-cam has it's metaphorical head firmly wedged in it's sphincter. Real is refreshing... you keep doing you! By the way I inherited my Dad's Stevens 87A. It has 5 patents stamped on the barrel but no serial number so it has to be pre 1968. The only difference is that the very front of the stock is painted black.
I have one myself. It can also cycle .22 long or .22 sort. To do that it is single shot. You push the charger handle in and it will lock the bolt and once fired you manually cycle the rounds. Holds far more .22 short than long rifle. It is actually semi-automatic/bolt action. The longs and shorts do not have enough blow back to cycle the gun semi-automatic. Try sub sonic ammo, it is a 24" barrel. Let me know what you think when you try it. I like your video, thank you for putting up with the humidity!
Your absolutely right! Thank you for mentioning this. I had recorded a segment on the locking bolt and using shorts, but it accidentally got cut from editing. It’s one of the features that makes this particular style of .22 rifle invaluable.
@Majormusket when you lock the charging handle and shoot shorts, it's stupid quiet. Make sure to lock the charging handle, otherwise it'll run full auto
Something you may not know. It will not cycle 22 shorts automatically. You load tube and charge it with one shell then push charging handle in and it will shoot. Then you pull out on charging handle releasing it and pull back loading another round. The when you release it yoju push the charging handle back in locking the bolt making it shoot like a single shot. You have to do this on each shell to keep it from malfunctioning. On long and long rifle you can keep the charging handle pulled out allowing for automatic operation .Neat little design feature. Try it.
I have a Springfield 87 A….. many were made for stores too….different names, Savage, etc….great .22. I read somewhere that two million were made. I also have had the Ruger 1022 for years, also like it a lot, but prefer the long barrel of the 87 A……Hey, take that great felt looking hat off, you will be cooler. Thanks. 👍 If you didn’t know, that 87 A can be set to shoot single shot only. Push the bolt in till you hear and feel the click. 😉
Just bought one at gun auction but mines the JC Higgins version. Very fun gun to shoot
Good video on these interesting rifles. If you're interested in getting one,be aware that they are addictive. I'm a Winchester guy, but I have 3 gill guns. Ive got a Stevens 87a, a Wester Field (Montgomery Ward) version, and a Savage 6a, the original of this rifle. The Savage has a walnut stock, the other 2 birch. Dating them requires some research, as they were made before 1968 and they don't typically have serial numbers, unless, i think, they were exported.
Nice drawing of the squirrel. My art teacher said I was good at drawing flies. Looked at a click clack years ago, always suggest taking along a cleaning rod and patches to check for ringed barrel. You will feel the bulge pushing the patch down the barrel. A loose spot.
Just picked one up. Been in a garage for over 10yrs and its safe to say that's true. Doing the deep clean now. There is slight corrosion in the barrel towards the end of the muzzle. I got some killer rust juice. Stay Rad bud!! Sweet vid.
Hope you get it squared away!
Very nice rifle , the older guns just have a feel that the more modern weapons don't have. I agree about the 10/22 , I feel they are over rated. I have one , and I will reach past it for my winchester model 69A built between 60 to 63 , every time.
Yeah the old ones are the best! The older ( and more accurate) 22’s get a lot more love and attention than the 10/22’s I have ever will!
Everybody’s gonna have different views on guns. I don’t think the 10/22 at all is overrated. It is one of the best in the world. It can be more modified than any other 22 rifle in world history. It is definitely one of the best guns out there.
Good choice, I've got an early Model 69 (no A) that I love.
Looks similar to my marlin model 60 with he tube magazine, I need one for just plinking around since my model 60 is for hunting only, seen bunch of these at the store might pick one up for the heck of it
You really can’t go wrong. Think about the quality of materials at the time these were manufactured. Stuff like this is going to be hard to find in the near future.
Because of your little speech at the end, I subscribed and liked your channel. Oh, and I like the gun stuff too.
Nice looking rifle. I always look for the older ones when I go to the local gun shop. But they’re not around like they were a few years back. At least not where I live. Good video.
They’re hard to find in my neck of the woods too! I check out the local lawn shops regularly and have never seen one. This was a nice score for me. Sometimes it’s the simple, inexpensive things that bring the most joy. I’m really excited to get some hunting videos done with it this fall. Should be a lot of fun!
I've got the Springfield 87a. It probably my most favorite. 22 to shoot.
Awesome video. I like my gill gun for all the same reasons you talk about. It's a nice rifle
I was thinking of trading in my 10/22 for one at my local gun shop. After watching this video I may have been convinced to go get it
I ended up getting mine dialed in. It’s dead nuts on. Someone told me that when you’re going to purchase one, run a small jag with a patch down the barrel to feel for any bubbles near the breech. For instance, the patch fits tight and then hits a loose spot. Some knuckle heads would get the barrel too hot which can make that bubble. It truly is one of the best guns I’ve ever owned.
@@Majormusket thanks for the tip! I personally feel like the 10/22 is over rated, and there a far superior & cooler semiautomatic rifles out there such as the 87a.
I think it is well worth me trading my 10/22 in for the 87a. Thanks!
You are 100 percent on this rifle! Love them!
Mine doesn’t have the A behind the 87, The one that I have was in pretty rough shape when I found it at a pawnshop. So I redid the stock on it and cleaned the surface rust off the barrel and retouched it up with blowing. Looks pretty good now. They had to get rid of a few gun sale so I got it for $50.
Yeah my old 87a with the most vague and mushy trigger of all the firearms I own is still inherently more accurate than the 2 Safe Queen 10/22’s I have! I hunted squirrels and rabbits for years with the 87a and still break it out for starlings and garden pests on occasion. The 87a has been retired from hunting by the CZ 452 ultra lux a few years back but it is still a favorite of mine for just breaking out and plinking with.
Great video and rifle. Don’t forget you can shoot the long rifle, short and cb caps out of that rifle.
Your location reminded me of jungle, what with the humidity, heat, and cicada's.
looking at getting one of these and found your video. Thanks for doing this. Cheers!
Beautiful firearm, it's hard to knock perfection.
It will shoot a little higher at 100 yards if in the bolt action mode ..as opposed to semi auto .
I recently bought a High Standard Sport King deluxe A-1041 which is also a Gill/Click Clack gun. Similar but with small differences, does not have the single shot capability. I have only shot it once but am impressed. This is only my second .22 rifle but I am looking for more including a Savage/Stevens version.
Just discovered your channel tonight and have subscribed.
Thank you for your support, Gary! Hard to beat a good, solid, .22 rifle.
You are right on. From a non shooter the best 22 . Well balanced. A tip check the tube spring.
I inherited one of these rifles, it came with th original scope. It's really a fun rifle to plink with.
I also have an 87A, mine was manufactured in 1936 as I researched its serial number. One thing that you failed to mention in your video was that these guns can also be used as a Bolt Rifle single shot. That bolt on the side can be pulled outward, and stops the semiautomatic function. Also you can fire 22 shorts, 22 longs, and 22 long rifle. Just thought I’d share that with your viewers. Stay locked and loaded.
Never found a serial number on my 87A. Would love to know it's D.O.M.
that's actually a really good squirrel
😂
I have one of these it's a springfield and every time I clean it I lose that little ball
I bought my Stevens 87D for $15. It was all rusty, Had no stock, no trigger guard, no but plate and no lifter assembly. It now has all the parts and functions well. It will soon receive a Birchwood Casey Browning. I like your video!
Thank you, Eldon!
I have one with the Tenite stock which was made by Dupont in 47. Not to many have the Tenite stock because if left in sun like we use to do in our trucks yrs ago the sun made the plastics brittle and crack easily.
I have one of the Tenite stock ones too. Sadly or happily, however you look at it, someone etched in the stock Happy Birthday 1948! Other than minor scratches the gun itself has like new blueing and shoots like a champ. Lucky me, I bought it from the never made it to the shelf section of the gun store as it was leaning against the wall behind the counter as a junker and paid $75 back around 2010. It's tapped for side scope mounts. Better than a 10-22? Oh yeah, as is the Marlin 60 also.
Haha. Funny video. Thanks for the humour in this vid
Thank you, sir!
Keep doing what your doing. I love your videos. Scott upstate new york.
Thank you! I really appreciate it!
I run 22 shorts in mine for more time with the extra ammo that short allow.
Your guns finished out of the box , the Ruger 10/22s are a great platform and when you work on them , give them a decent stock they are smooth and really accurate however I get your train of thought partner . Don’t sell out and lose your integrity and keep smiling 🙂
Nice video, thank you…👌👍💪🇺🇸
I’m with you on your thoughts of the 1022
Growing up that was Dad's rabbit gun. I saw him shoot many a rabbit on the run. After getting passed my brother wound up with it but I've been looking for one since.
The 10/22 Ruger is not overrated at all. It is one of the best 22 rifles in the world. It could be more modified and upgraded than any other 22 rifle in history. You can’t go wrong with a 10/22 Ruger. You’re never gonna get a unanimous consensus on any gun. It’s personal preference. Somebody has one bad experience with a gun. Then they tell everybody that gun stinks.
Ask yourself why a gun out of the box would need to be upgraded more than any gun in the world. One of their biggest flaws are the magazine release that can dump your mag on a hike without you knowing. Ask me how I know… so instead of fixing the issue, you can buy parts to upgrade it with a recessed release. Ruger makes fine guns, and you’re right, it will always come down to personal preference. I prefer a slim .22 over a 3” wide hog that doesn’t need upgrades from the get-go. Just me…
Man, the 10/22 is one of the greatest.22lr rifles ever designed. Including the sights. I was shooting Pennie’s offhand at 11yds consistently, so I started shooting .22 shell casings then q-tips and splitting cards… all with a stock 10/22 lol. I like the 87a, but 10/22 is king
Love it Jordan!
Thanks buddy!
Nice rifle but you are an excellent drawer! That squirrel was well done.
I appreciate it lol! I’m assuming your last name is Merrill, is your family from the south?
@@Majormusket first name Merrill.
My family is from south though.
I have seen savage 22lr box type magazine also gill
I agree with you that the Ruger 10/22 are sterile and dull in my opinion too. Cant figure all the hoopla about it.
You’re never gonna have a unanimous decision on any gun. The 10/22 Ruger is one of the best in the world. The most modifiable 22 rifle to ever exist. You can so modify that gun that it looks like a military style weapon. Extremely cool. It doesn’t matter how good a gun is there’s always gonna be something that can go wrong even with the best of them. And then somebody gets a sour opinion of that gun because of it. But you can’t go wrong with a 1022 Ruger.
Tengo uno y muy bueno
Tenho 1. 87A vc sabe qual é o modelo da torre da luneta, e também da luneta
I love my 10 22s for what they are. You should not compare them with a much older and differently well built 70 year old gun, your talking two very different leagues
There’s nothing wrong with comparing the quality of the past, with the quality of the present. Though the platforms are different, the outcome is one of repeatable .22 firing capabilities. We should always compare quality of firearms from past to present as a baseline reference.
Had one of them. Never functioned right. Jammamatic.
For me the Stevens savage .22LR rifle was the worst rifle i ever had to rely on. My Dad had the same rifle and loaned it to me when i was I was 17 for spending the spring summer and late fall at the old land way up in the Rockies by myself. I also had a single shot black powder pistol from a kit i made when i was 13 in .45cal. The Stevens was the most non-consistent .22 no matter what the ammo. i had bad luck with two Steven's over the years both .22lr variants the second being a single shot.22/20ga Stevens.
These old models of Stevens are in my opinion through experience pieces of shit.
My choice is the Marlin model 60. Old version, not new ones. Old ones hold 18 in tube, longer barrel (3 inches longer).
Ear pro but no eyes...50 percent right
Mine gets jammed even after cleaning it
Hey bud I have one of those rifles my granddaddy gave it to me years ago how much did you pay for yours I was just wondering what mine might be worth but I had a scope mounted on mine years back
It depends on condition and everything, but usually only a few hundred bucks.
Holds 16 rounds
Hey wat is wrong when it want eject the shell after u fire it
Check the ammo velocity. Some .22 target rounds have a lower velocity than hunting rounds and won’t cycle the action appropriately.
Did you ever figure out your issue with shell not ejecting? I just got my grandfather's that he bought after WW2 my mom remembers it from on the ranch I'm Texas when she was a kid. Grandpa died months B4 I was born this rifle is my attachment to him every gunsmith said they won't touch it go buy a Marlin model 60. But already have one. They do not understand why I need this working 100%
Meh. Over-hyped gun, I believe. Good video otherwise, brother. I'm "thumbs up #3".
Thanks for the support Travis! In your opinion, what aspects are over hyped?
The accuracy level, the innovation level (so many tube-fed semi-autos).... I think it's like a volkswagen beetle --- there are superfans of it, and then there is me, driving without a heater in the middle of winter in the pre-dawn hours to work with the drone of the engine not letting me hear the radio cranked up as loud as it will go.... I'm not hating on it, because it's an experience.... I'm just thinkin' it's overrated. 🤣
Lol point well taken. I still swear up and down that my single shot youth model Marlin is the most accurate and best gun I’ve ever purchased at $75.
My little Ithaca M-49 lever action single-shot will always be my most comfortable favorite.
I have the same rifle, from my grandfather, vote blue, trump would be a catstrophe