Read it through, nice job, came together well.
Yes, the coil spring makes for a much heavier trigger than the prev model Fav with the flat spring.
I also suspect the geometry of the sear and hammer notch is a bit 'generous'.
The 'quick trigger job' is to disassemble enough to Totally clean any oil/grease off the sear tip and hammer notch (2 or 3x) and apply a dab of automotive anti-seize compound. Work the parts together to burnish it in and go shoot. I have never had the pull Not be Much Better.
The other issue may be the hammer notch is too deep. As with a Colt's SA, or the clones, about .030" is the min. engagement for safety, but each gun may be different! If you degrease the notch well you can epoxy a small 'block' in the back corner of the notch to keep the sear tip from going all the way. Maybe use some Superglue first with about .040" engagement to 'feel it out'. Once sure finish up with epoxy and the anti-seize and the trigger should be much better.

 

Final test firing showed that the crown adjustment cured the fliers. That, or maybe I’m just learning to shoot this rifle more consistently.



It’s now ready for the Black Nitride treatment.

 

The steel parts have returned from H&M Metal Processing, have been reassembled, with the result having fired fifty rounds, now. Here’s the (almost) completed Stevens Favorite 1915, shown with 25 yard and 50 yard targets shot with CCI Standard Velocity Round Nose .22LR:



The Marbles barrel-mounted, folding-leaf rear sight will be replaced with the next taller version.

Other views showing details and the excellent Black Nitride finish from H&M Metal Processing:

 

The mainspring which came installed in this Stevens Favorite is a real beast, which had resulted in some peening of the hammer face. I thought I could get away with a bit lighter spring. I tried various strength M1911 pistol mainsprings I had laying around, which at first seemed like they could do the job. But, even the strongest of them still produced misfires at the rate of three out of fifteen rounds. The resulting inconsistent ignition could explain the slight vertical stringing at fifty yards, pictured:



So, I reinstalled the original mainspring, which should certainly eliminate misfires, and maybe tighten groups as well. But, now the concern becomes the potential for further peening of the hammer face, and maybe even the breechblock too. I’m hoping the Black Nitride hardening of those parts will prevent that. We’ll see.

 

With the Lyman 17A front sight, the Marbles tang sight allows just enough elevation adjustment to successfully engage my 6” steel disk at two hundred yards.





Results with this Stevens Favorite using a thin post front sight insert in its 17A and LAPUA Biathlon Xtreme ammunition were satisfying. Virtually no wind. There are 5 hits, if you count the one on the right support cable. The tang sight elevation was set at 9 turns plus 3 clicks, using a six o’clock hold.

 

Another 10 shots with LAPUA Biathlon Xtreme on the 6” steel plate from this Stevens Favorite at 200 yards. A 2.4mm aperture front sight insert was installed, and overcast lighting limited target contrast somewhat. But, there was no wind, except for a light gust which blew shot #3 away to parts unknown. Elevation was set this time at 8-3/8 revolutions from the bottom to account for the center hold.

 

The Stevens Favorite project rifle came out once again a couple mornings ago for some exercise against the 6” steel at 200 yards off my back deck:





20 rounds of LAPUA Biathlon Xtreme (the last of that stuff in my stash). The tang sight elevation was again set at 8-3/8 turns, with windage set at 1 click left. The weather was 75 degrees and 47% humidity, with almost no wind. The first several shots were misses before I finally started getting onto the steel. Then things settled down quite nicely.

That 6” disk sure looks itty bitty at 200 yards, without a scope. But, the light was good and the bright white disk centered clearly in the front aperture.

 

Neat project

 

Nice job on your Stevens! Shoots good as it looks!👍

 

Wow. I always wanted one but don’t have the talent like you to make it a shooter. Great job. MD

 

I buy a lot of old project guns to repair and refinish myself. Your Favorite turned out just great! Nowadays I have to let someone else see how well they shoot with good eyes and iron sights. So your shooting results make me green with envy.

 

… Nowadays I have to let someone else see how well they shoot with good eyes and iron sights. So your shooting results make me green with envy.

If your vision problems are simply the result of typical geezer eye stiffening, the right corrective lenses can do wonders for your shooting. Even drugstore readers can work. Select a lens strength that brings into sharp focus small items which are about 3 feet away. Your front sight will then be in sharp focus while the target is less so, and the rear sight a blur, all as it should be. Works for me. It’s almost like cheating, ‘cause it forces you to concentrate your focus where it belongs.

 

I have had asigmatism for decades, it got worse over time then started getting better; good thing I kept some of my old glasses.
Cataracts getting slowly worse.
At least those two can be be fixed now, but a couple years ago I found out I am about 30% into glaucoma which is non-reversible optic nerve damage.
Some days I can start out pretty well but fade with eye fatigue; some days it isnt much worth poppin the caps. Ive come to know when to pull the plug for the session.
This has required me to re-evaluate my involvement in the shooting sports.
Yes, Im still some involved on an informal basis.
No, Im not too tightly wound about my 'performance', or lack of it....anymore.
Keep it fun and interesting; move targets closer, get bigger, or whatever it takes 'cause hits are better than misses.
It is still mostly a mental game

 

Some days I can start out pretty well but fade with eye fatigue; some days it isnt much worth poppin the caps. Ive come to know when to pull the plug for the session.

Sure not worth poppin the caps at 10 cents or more the pop, when you feel your focusing ability fading fast! After only about 40 rds, maintaining any semblance of focus has become so difficult for me that I'm quite ready to quit at 50. This isn't caused by any specific ocular disease, it's just the result of aging eye muscles.

 

Took this Stevens Favorite to the local 50 yard range with some LAPUA Center-X, yesterday. Over bags, it shot this:

Believe it or not, there are five shots in there. The RO and I tried to figure out whether it was 4 and 1, or 3 and 2. We couldn’t be certain, though the hole on the left did look like it was maybe just a tiny bit larger than the known single shot holes in the previous target beneath it.

 

"Two-hole" groups can mean something is loose, like a sight, or that there's some inconsistency in the way the gun is benched. I'd try shooting it with the brl. on the front rest, not the forearm, to see if that makes any difference. With two-piece stocks, forearm should not fit hard against the rcvr., but have a slight relief.

 

I’m afraid the only thing loose on this Stevens Favorite is the nut behind the trigger.
Unfortunately, this appears to be an excellent example of the scientific truth that “bullets have got to go somewhere; why not in the same hole” or, in this case, two holes.

 

Outstanding project !

 

looks great and shoots great , what more could one ask ?