Offered here is an exceptional No. 49 "Walnut Hill" rifle, with the highly desirable "Stevens-Pope" barrel which was offered in Stevens catalogs for a short time at the beginning of the 1900s. Manufactured c. 1896 into the 1930s, Stevens No. 49 "Walnut Hill" rifles were one of the more premium target rifles in their extensive lineup. Competitive shooting was an extremely popular pastime around the turn of the century, especially in America, and these "Walnut Hill" rifles would have been highly prized by competitive shooters. No. 44 1/2 type frame featuring factory floral scroll pattern engraving, marked "49 0" on the front surface of the frame. The top barrel flat has the "STEVENS-POPE" marking above the J. Stevens A&T Co. address, and the caliber marking "32.40" is on the upper left ahead of the number "321" which is also on the face of the muzzle. The same number is repeated on the included false muzzle piece which is marked "3/S/POPE/32.40/321" on the side. The barrel is marked with the matching serial number to the rifle "10165" on bottom ahead of the forearm, with "1" ahead of "1927" and "25/141" on bottom of the barrel concealed beneath the forearm. The serial number "10165" is marked on the lower tang with partial matching serial number also on the rear surface of the forearm, underside of the buttplate, and partly visible as handwritten on the rear surface of the buttstock. It is fitted with a windgauge front sight, a J. Stevens Arms Company scope numbered "368" mounted on the barrel, and an adjustable Pope patent peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a walnut checkered Schnabel tip forearm with a palm rest, and a fancy walnut pistol grip stock with checkered wrist a nickeled schuetzen buttplate.

Exceptionally fine, retains 90% original blue finish on the barrel with a few small patches of very minor surface pitting, 85% original case colors, and 95% refinished nickel on the palm rest base, lever and buttplate. Wood is very fine as refinished, with highly attractive grain patterns, a few light handling marks, a small replacement circular section of wood on bottom of the buttstock where a sling swivel may have once resided, and crisp recut checkering. Mechanically excellent. Scope is fine, retains 80% original blue finish on the tube, with slightly hazy but viewable optics.