Manufactured c. 1901-1903, this rifle is an exceptionally fine example of a small number of rifles built during a short lived partnership between J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. and the legendary riflesmith Harry M. Pope. Pope was one of the most highly respected American gunsmiths of the late 19th and early 20th century, however, due to personality clashes between him and Stevens company officials, the partnership was only destined to last a few years, making these Stevens-Pope rifles very scarce. This rifle is built on the Ideal No. 47 "Modern Range" rifle frame, a very capable target rifle offered by Stevens. It is fitted with a .32 caliber muzzleloading barrel with muzzle machined for interfacing with a false muzzle and starter, both of which are included, (bullet loaded at the muzzle, cartridge at the breech) for serious accuracy when target shooting. The top flat on the barrel has the standard two-line Stevens-Pope address, and there are Stevens-Pope proofs on the barrel and receiver ring. The bottom of the barrel is marked with an import mark and "1953". The model marking is on the lower tang just behind the trigger. The serial number is also marked on the lower tang, with the last three digits of the serial number, "343", marked on the rear face of the forearm, the butt of the stock, and inside the buttplate. The barrel is fitted with a globe front sight and there is a peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a nicely figured Schnabel tip forearm with multi-point checkering and a pistol grip stock with a Schuetzen pattern buttplate. Includes reloading tools, false muzzle, short starter, and ramrod.

Fine, retains 40% of the original blue finish and 60% of the original case colors with the balance mostly a smooth grey-brown patina and some scattered speckled spotting. The buttstock is fine with some scattered minor handling marks. The forearm shows a long, horizontal, recheckered/re-glued splice of wood on the top right side. Mechanically excellent.