Stevens 311 firing pins

bergie · December 19, 2006, 07:35 AM

What do you have to do to get at the firing pins on one of these? Ive got one that the left pin is sticking bad, and it looks like there is too many other parts in the way to get to the retaining screw without removing other parts. Since I hate having pieces and springs fly across the room unexpectedly (as opposed to when I expect it) if someone could tell me the proper procedure it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
bergie

steve1589 · December 19, 2006, 09:56 AM

Take the barrels off the shotgun. Take the buttstock off. Take a punch and press down on the plunger that is down in the rectanular notch in front of the break open lever. This will allow the lever to go to the left. The hammers will now fall when you pull the triggers. With the hammers in the fired position you can now drive the sear pin out from left to right. If you want to mark the sears with a felt tip marker which one is left and right before you drive the sear pin out. Make sure you make a note how the sear spring is installed. With those out of the way now mark your hammers right and left. Drive the hammer pin out from left to right. The firing pins are easy to remove now. There is a spring that should be on each firing pin. These are fine as angels hair they are easy to loose and are easy to deform. I have found it to be in my best interest to take pictures with a camera before I start and as I continue to disassemble guns that I am not familar with.

bergie · December 19, 2006, 07:46 PM

Thanks Steve. I think the spring on the left pin is fubar. The pin goes forward and sticks tight like it is wedged in place. Pushing back on it with the flat of a screwdriver I can feel it pop loose and when back it is free.
I just picked the gun up as a winter project, it is a 16 gauge in pretty decent overall shape, most of the case colors and bluing, and the original buttstock has been replaced with a Fajen that is very highly figured but with a crappy finish. The other problem that it has is the ejector screw needs replaced. When I pulled the forearm the ejector fell out. Holding the ejector in one hand and pointing out the stuck firing pin got the gun pretty cheap.

bergie

steve1589 · December 21, 2006, 10:29 PM

Are the firing pin holes puckered out on the breech face? I have got one here now that somebody sat around dryfiring the shotgun until they made volcanoes out of the firing pin holes. It sounds like the HAMMER SIDE of the firing pin may have a burr on it, causing it to stick in the fired position. Firing pins often peen over like an often used punch.

bergie · December 23, 2006, 12:27 AM

No, the breech face looks fine,not puckered out at all, and the tips of the firing pins look okay also. I already had the buttstock off before my first post, cleaning everything up, the innards weren't very dirty at all. Haven't had time to go any farther with it yet, but will be taking some extra time off for the holidays. I was thinking the spring is toast , maybe broke, and causing the binding, but your thoughts on the pin being peened makes a lot of sense. I guess I will see when I get it tore down.
If any one part needs replaced I will probably do both of the pins and springs, only $10 and $2 each for them from Numrich and I hate ordering anything that the shipping cost more than the part. I do have a couple of other little things I was putting off ordering also.
Thanks,
bergie

Ger34 · February 11, 2009, 09:49 PM

I just tore mine apart last night...I borrowed a book and then subsequently ordered it from Brownells called "Firearms assembly/disassembly Part 5 : Shotguns
It gives detailed instructions on how to get everything apart and then back together.

I have the same problem with the left barrel pin sticking...I switched the two firing pins around...same problem...I used a solution of windex and isopropyl alcohol dipped a q-tip in it and cleaned out the grease and crud in the left firing pin hole...so it is clean....what I am finding is the left hole seems ever so slightly smaller than the right and is causing the firing pin to "wedge" in the hole.
My assumption is that since the front trigger fires my left barrel the gun has been dryfired to release the tenson on the springs soooo many times that the shoulder of the firing pin has "peened" over the inside of the hole just enough to cause the pin to stick...I am taking it to my smithy to confirm and I will let you know if we enlarge or clean out the hole and if that works

December 19, 2006, 07:35 AM	#1
bergie Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 1999 Posts: 567	Stevens 311 firing pins What do you have to do to get at the firing pins on one of these? Ive got one that the left pin is sticking bad, and it looks like there is too many other parts in the way to get to the retaining screw without removing other parts. Since I hate having pieces and springs fly across the room unexpectedly (as opposed to when I expect it) if someone could tell me the proper procedure it would be greatly appreciated. thanks bergie

December 19, 2006, 09:56 AM	#2
steve1589 Member Join Date: December 12, 2005 Posts: 55	Take the barrels off the shotgun. Take the buttstock off. Take a punch and press down on the plunger that is down in the rectanular notch in front of the break open lever. This will allow the lever to go to the left. The hammers will now fall when you pull the triggers. With the hammers in the fired position you can now drive the sear pin out from left to right. If you want to mark the sears with a felt tip marker which one is left and right before you drive the sear pin out. Make sure you make a note how the sear spring is installed. With those out of the way now mark your hammers right and left. Drive the hammer pin out from left to right. The firing pins are easy to remove now. There is a spring that should be on each firing pin. These are fine as angels hair they are easy to loose and are easy to deform. I have found it to be in my best interest to take pictures with a camera before I start and as I continue to disassemble guns that I am not familar with.

December 19, 2006, 07:46 PM	#3
bergie Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 1999 Posts: 567	Thanks Steve. I think the spring on the left pin is fubar. The pin goes forward and sticks tight like it is wedged in place. Pushing back on it with the flat of a screwdriver I can feel it pop loose and when back it is free. I just picked the gun up as a winter project, it is a 16 gauge in pretty decent overall shape, most of the case colors and bluing, and the original buttstock has been replaced with a Fajen that is very highly figured but with a crappy finish. The other problem that it has is the ejector screw needs replaced. When I pulled the forearm the ejector fell out. Holding the ejector in one hand and pointing out the stuck firing pin got the gun pretty cheap. bergie

December 21, 2006, 10:29 PM	#4
steve1589 Member Join Date: December 12, 2005 Posts: 55	Are the firing pin holes puckered out on the breech face? I have got one here now that somebody sat around dryfiring the shotgun until they made volcanoes out of the firing pin holes. It sounds like the HAMMER SIDE of the firing pin may have a burr on it, causing it to stick in the fired position. Firing pins often peen over like an often used punch.

December 23, 2006, 12:27 AM	#5
bergie Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 1999 Posts: 567	No, the breech face looks fine,not puckered out at all, and the tips of the firing pins look okay also. I already had the buttstock off before my first post, cleaning everything up, the innards weren't very dirty at all. Haven't had time to go any farther with it yet, but will be taking some extra time off for the holidays. I was thinking the spring is toast , maybe broke, and causing the binding, but your thoughts on the pin being peened makes a lot of sense. I guess I will see when I get it tore down. If any one part needs replaced I will probably do both of the pins and springs, only $10 and $2 each for them from Numrich and I hate ordering anything that the shipping cost more than the part. I do have a couple of other little things I was putting off ordering also. Thanks, bergie

February 11, 2009, 09:49 PM	#6
Ger34 Junior Member Join Date: February 11, 2009 Posts: 1	I just tore mine apart last night...I borrowed a book and then subsequently ordered it from Brownells called "Firearms assembly/disassembly Part 5 : Shotguns It gives detailed instructions on how to get everything apart and then back together. I have the same problem with the left barrel pin sticking...I switched the two firing pins around...same problem...I used a solution of windex and isopropyl alcohol dipped a q-tip in it and cleaned out the grease and crud in the left firing pin hole...so it is clean....what I am finding is the left hole seems ever so slightly smaller than the right and is causing the firing pin to "wedge" in the hole. My assumption is that since the front trigger fires my left barrel the gun has been dryfired to release the tenson on the springs soooo many times that the shoulder of the firing pin has "peened" over the inside of the hole just enough to cause the pin to stick...I am taking it to my smithy to confirm and I will let you know if we enlarge or clean out the hole and if that works