J.Stevens A.&T. .22 short pistol

Question
My wife's grandfather has a J.Stevens A.&T. Co. .22 short single shot pistol.  it has a nubmer marked on the barrel 54897 which I think may be the serial number, but I am not sure.  When was this gun made and what is the value of it?

Answer
Hi Brian.

Your pistol is most likely a "NO. 10 TARGET SINGLE SHOT"
or a "NO. 35 TARGET SINGLE SHOT".  The following web sites have some data and pictures of the J. Stevens Arms firearms including some models which might be similar to yours:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=94986

http://www.a-gun.com/GUNINFO.CFM?productID=2001&CATID=2&do=category

http://books.google.com/books?id=5bcvx9j3gEAC&pg=PA533&lpg=PA533&dq=j+stevens+si...

http://www.ugca.org/ugca1000/ugca1000main.htm

Unfortunately I can't answer questions about current or future gun values.  This was explained in my profile and displayed on the screen when you selected an expert and submitted your question.

To get an accurate value for your firearm I highly recommend that you refer to the Blue Book of Gun Values by S. P. Fjestad.  This book contains detailed history and pricing information for virtually every major firearm on the market including older models and obsolete brands.  It is well worth the price (especially if you own more than one firearm) and it is generally used as the sole source for appraisals by gunsmiths, collectors, and dealers.  This book is updated every year to ensure that the values are always current so beware of older printed copies which are often sold at a discount but usually contain outdated information.

The Blue Book of Firearms does contain some info on these pistols but you have to buy the book or subscribe to it online for $35 to see what they have.  Here is the link to the Blue Book site and a second link which gives you the option to download just the J. Stevens Arms section for only $10:

Book: https://store.bluebookinc.com/Home/Firearm.aspx
Info: https://store.bluebookinc.com/download/SalesPage.aspx?product=GUN&id=940

You should also know there are many variables that significantly affect the value of any firearm and most of these details are impossible to discern without inspecting the gun in person.  The book mentioned above will educate you on all the details to look for and it includes many photos of real guns so you can learn how to distinguish between the finer points that can make a big difference in the value.  Once you have graded your gun according to the standard rating system then you simply look it up in the tables that are provided to see the current market value.  Any estimates that you get without a physical inspection are likely to be way off the mark in either direction so you need to do the research yourself or have an experienced professional appraise it in person to be sure you are getting an accurate estimate.

If you can determine the specific model number then you can also search for a used gun online at the popular firearms auction sites which might give you some idea of the practical street value:

http://www.auctionarms.com/
http://www.gunbroker.com/
http://www.gunsamerica.com/

There are also some gun dealers, pawn shops, and other retailers which post their inventory on the web but the sites above offer a pretty good chance of finding a similar gun since they are used by thousands of dealers across the US.

Due to the age of the gun I would recommend NOT shooting it or at least getting it checked by a gunsmith first since it could be worth a lot of money or may be unsafe to fire.

You can also look for some information online with this link:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=j+stevens+arms+pistol

Hope this helps.

Bob