Our gun guy appraises your vintage firearms… and discovers some surprising values

I have a Springfield Stevens 87A (above) and was wondering about its value and the year it was made. There is no serial number, but the patent numbers 2094577, 222093, 2224758 and 2271576 are stamped on it. The stock has a couple of cracks, and the bluing has brown patina. I enjoy reading your column in Outdoor Canada.

GARRY WURM

WOKIN, ALBERTA

The Stevens 87A was made from 1938 to 1982. It was a very popular model, with some 1.8 million produced. It was sold under the Stevens name, as well as under brand names for companies such as Montgomery Ward, Western Auto, CIL and others. It’s impossible to find the date of manufacture with any certainty, but since there’s no serial number, your rifle would have been made sometime between 1938 and 1968. There is no significant collector interest in these rifles at this time, so its value is as a practical sporting rifle. Your 87 appears to be in good condition and should be worth $200 or so.