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Old September 22, 2017, 04:07 AM   #1
bamaranger
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Stevens 311A, 16 ga

I recently walked into a deal on a Stevens 16ga double. A friend is relocating and selling out. The forearm was loose and very heavily scratched, the top lever was past "6 o'clock", lock up a tad loose but not bad, blueing a worn silver gray in alot of places. Operated very sticky like, congealed oil no doubt. Barrels were 26" and choked IC & Mod almost certainly. But absolutely mirror bright. Stock and forearm were genuine walnut, not birch, not Tenite. The old gun was well used but muched loved. He asked a give away price,and I could not resist.

A little research...made in 1950. A little work and the forearm cleaned up nicely, but I tried hard to keep the used character. I was left with the impresson the gun had rode in a scabbard good bit. Old school bird hunters often followed the dogs on horse or mule, or on a wagon. Some more work and I was able to reattach the forearm metal to the wood nice and tight, and the forearm snapped onto the barrels as it should. Removed the buttstock and hosed down the action with solvent, things loosened up nicely. I gave the buttstock a coat of Tru-Oil while I was at it. Some more research on the bolt/locking system........some home gunsmithing to tighten, got the toplever around to about "5:30" with no rattle when shook w/o the forearm.

All in all I am much pleased. I wish it was a 28" gun choked F & M, would suit my uses better, but no matter. My Dad shot a 16 ga Stevens double for awhile, later a Stevens 67, 16 ga pump( now in my possession) but I've always wanted a double.

I got rooting around in Dad's archives, stowed away for 15 yrs now, and found a bunch of 16 ga shells, some pretty interesting. Some five packs of slugs and #1 buckshot. Two 25 rd boxes of short mags, (1-1/4 oz of shot!) #6 and #2 shot. Dad had those for turkey hunting I feel sure. Also about 100 rds of 1 0z and 1-1/8 oz loads, and the old gun I bought also came with a box of 1 oz loads as well. All modern plastic, Federal/Remington ammo. Dad's ammo was priced in the $3.00-$5.00 range Some looking in shops locally turned up more ammo, (NOT $5.00) and I bought a 5 pack of #1 buck for grins, and another box of 1 oz loads (Walmart of all places). All told , about 200 shot loads, and the the buck/slug mix of 20.

I do little if any wing shooting/small game hunting, but I guess I'll have a claybird day and shoot 16's a bit, Dad's pump and the recently acquired old double. Hope to post the pics of the double for you guys soon.
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Old September 22, 2017, 05:05 AM   #2
Scout
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That brings back memories. I never, ever sell a gun now, but in my youth they came and went. I had a 16 double like yours, but it was M/F. Nice gun that pointed and shot beautifully. Coincidentally, I've still got the Savage 67, which has been my #1 field gun for close to 30 years.
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Old September 22, 2017, 09:58 AM   #3
Tony Z
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I also had a Stevens 16 ga. double, was my uncle's, and I borrowed it for my first years of hunting.
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Old September 22, 2017, 12:29 PM   #4
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If is loose and off face, then it is NOT safe to shoot...................
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Old September 22, 2017, 12:40 PM   #5
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Sounds like fun to me. Never played with a 16 gauge but I now have in my possession a Savage Fox BSE-c 12 gauge with 28 inch barrels. When I got it the top snap screw was turned out a few threads causing the gun to want to unlock after shooting hotter loads.

The finish on my gun was about 98 percent so I knew it probably wasn't wear but Numrich has plenty of parts for them. Probably taken 40 pheasants with it in the past few years.
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Old September 23, 2017, 01:21 AM   #6
bamaranger
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flats and watertables

FITASC, thanks for the comment regards my safety. At present, the 311A is now solidly on the faces, and will trap a slip of paper easily and tight. The right barrel has room on the right side from the watertable, the left barrel is touching slightly in spots on its table. There is no rattle, lateral or linear. For some light shooting, I believe I'll be fine.
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Old October 1, 2017, 08:31 PM   #7
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My second shotgun I could call "all my own" when I was a kid. First was a Stevens 59 bolt 410. That 311 was a great shotgun. The 16 gauge was an excellent game getter, and put many a fine meal of squirrel & gravy, and Hasenpfeffer on the dinner table. When my father got the Stevens side by side for me for Christmas the word at the time was tge 16 gauge was the upland game gun of the future. Lighter than 12, but nearly as big of a load. Then entered the 3" 20 gauge, and bye-bye 16!. But the 16 is still a fine chambering.
Through the years prior to my rule #1, and resulting in a big way to it's implementation, both have left my possession. However, over the past few years I have found identical replacements in very good condition. Along with a Winchester 97 like my father had that was the first shotgun I ever hunted with. My days of mobility afield are over, at least enough that I no longer make the rapid treck through the field to the spot I think my hounds will bring a fleeing cottontail. But I often take these gunsout for a little shooting, and reminiscing my outdoors past.
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Old October 4, 2017, 01:22 AM   #8
bamaranger
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family gun

I've come to learn that the Stevens 311A I described to all in my first post belonged to the sellers Grandad. I'm sure the sellers Dad hunted it as well. Some old 16ga shells that came along with the deal still had feathers stuck to them! I wish this old gun could talk. It likely saw bird hunting (around here that means quail) when it was in its prime in our area. Nowadays, small farms, small fields are gone, and the 'dozers have pushed the fencerows out, and there is much cotton and soybeans, and few quail.

I couldn't sell any "family" guns. And in defense of my friend the seller, he kept his Dad's pair of Model 12's, one a 12ga and the other a 20, as well as a Remington pump rifle in 25-20. I'll add that I am truly honored to think that Gary believed I could provide a good home for the old 16 ga double. He's tickeled pink to learn I've overhauled the old gun and cleaned it up.

Ideally, I wish the gun was 28", M&F, but it is not. It is a birdhunters gun, fast swinging at 26", and open choked for flushing game, M & IC. I am not a birdhunter. Were it M&F, I just might try to kill a gobbler with it next spring. But I really doubt that the Modified barrel will throw a tight enough pattern with 1-1/8 of #6 to satisfy me. 'Course, it would be a challenge to get a Tom in close enough. Decoys and a blind can yield some close shots. Modern shells and wads typically have tightened the patterns of most older guns. I have no idea of the old gun will shoot to point of aim either. The local Wally World has 16 ga shells on the shelf from Winchester, Fedral and Remington. Affordable "low brass" 1 oz game loads, and more expensive high brass 1-1/8 oz with good wads.

I've not patterned the old gun, we'll see........
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