Wow. Looking at that schematic, I don't think I've ever seen a more simply designed firearm. Only one spring! Simplicity usually means robustness. Buy yourself an extra mainspring or two from Numrich to keep as spares, and that rifle will probably be good for another 500 years.

Now I want one of these Stevens, ... just for it's simplicity!

Probably not legally. Certainly not humanely. But I hear poachers like .22's for their relative quietness (to conceal what they are doing).

In WV a .22 hornet is legal, smallest one you can use. Same as a .22 with a little more powder behind it. I've taken two deer with it.

One guy had pics of a few he'd taken and said every one was taken with one clean shot. I was very doubtful also, but he did have evidence to back up his claims.