Stevens Model 87D “Gill Gun” .22 S/L/LR Semi-Auto Rifle Parts Kit – Early 1950s, Blued Finish
This early-1950s Stevens Model 87D offers collectors and tinkerers a complete rimfire parts kit built around the famous “Gill Gun” receiver with its signature vent slots and dual-mode action. Designed to cycle .22 Short, Long, or Long Rifle cartridges, the Model 87D became one of America’s most produced autoloading rimfire rifles, and this kit preserves that history in serviceable form.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair
Bore Condition: Bore is bright with defined rifling.
Mechanics: Functions correctly in both semi-automatic and manual modes.
Finish Condition: Original blued surfaces show widespread scratches, finish thinning, and scattered blemishes.
Specific Condition Notes: The trigger guard is not present. All other major components are intact and mechanically functional.
What’s Included
- Stevens Model 87D rifle assembly (all major parts except trigger guard)
- Original hardwood stock
- Open iron sights set (blade front, elevator-adjustable rear)
The heart of this kit is the vented “Gill” receiver—so named for the series of slots that reduce bolt slap and give the 87D its distinctive look and sound. These vents also serve as an immediate visual cue for early production rifles.
Stevens engineered the Model 87D with a push-in bolt handle that lets the shooter lock the action for manual single-shot use. Releasing the handle returns the rifle to blowback semi-automatic operation, a dual-mode feature few rimfire autoloaders of the era offered.
Because this rifle left the factory before the 1968 Gun Control Act, it bears no serial number, a characteristic correct for period-original examples and helpful when dating the piece to the early 1950s.
The hardwood stock retains its straight-comb, semi-pistol-grip profile and factory oil/varnish finish, giving the kit a classic mid-century appearance. All carbon-steel components still wear their factory bluing, now thinned from honest use but free from structural damage.