Ammo Question about old Stevens 12 gauge side-by-side

[Mike Irwin]

Looks like my Stevens 311.

Only mine is in 20 gauge.

Mine dates to sometime in the mid 1950s to early 1960s. I only shoot lead shot target loads in it because I only use it for trap, skeet, and wobble.

[Hawg]

No need to take the forearm off. If it was made after 1949 it will have a date code located on the bottom of the frame between the trigger guard and hinge pin. It will consist of one or two numbers and a letter in an oval. The letter is the date code. A=1949, B=1950, C=1951, etc. All the way up to 1970. The circled letters on the water table are meaningless.

[Pahoo]

There are no removable chokes.

I too feel that it is a 311 as I grew up with one. If memory serves me correct, The chokes are Modified of the right and full, on the left. You can use the old dime trick or take it to a smith and he has a quick-check gauge. Once he verifies the full, the other will be the Modified. There is a lot more information on the metal that you have not noted. I like what I'm seeing as it reminds my of my old friend. Show us a picture of the receiver sides. Suggest you do not dry-fire it. I gave my nephew my old 311, twelve and later bought a 311, 20GA. Like the old Timex commercials; These can take a licking and keep on ticking. ......

Good luck and;
Be Safe !!!

[Ricklin]

Stevens made a lot of Dept store guns too. My 12 Ga. is a JC Higgins, and the 20 is a Revelation brand, sold by the old Western Auto hardware chain.

The 12 is from the 50's and the 20 1970's

The 12 has 26" barrels choked IC and Mod.

The 20 is a 30" mod and full.

My understanding is most are set up that way, the looser choke on the left and forward trigger.

Nothing weird about the ones I have.

[Virginian]

The pressures of shotgun shells have not changed since the 30s or earlier. Only thing I would not advise is hyper velocity steel. Something about the vibration; I have seen a couple of doubles with separated barrels.
The forward trigger usually fires the right barrel.

[Pahoo]

Western Auto hardware chain.

If that be the case, then these can be crossed referenced as to who made it and model number. These are called "Store-Brands" in the Blue-Book or I'm sure the internet can also help. However, you need to provide more information.

Be Safe !!!

[FITASC]

My understanding is most are set up that way, the looser choke on the left and forward trigger.

The looser choke is typically the right barrel (which is the forward trigger) not the left. With a single non-selective trigger first pull fires the right barrel and then the left with more open choke first followed by a the tighter one.

[Ricklin]

Thanks, pesky dyslexia gets me every now and again.

[Mike Irwin]

"The pressures of shotgun shells have not changed since the 30s or earlier."

No, but the types and hardness of steels used in the barrels have changed.

Older shotguns should NOT be shot with steel shot. Steel shot columns don't compress the way lead shot columns do, even with buffering material added.

The end result can be a bulged barrel, especially at the choke, or even scoured barrels.

I've seen two nice older shotguns damaged by use of steel shot.

[Mike Irwin]

And speaking of shotshell pressures... here's a good article on the subject.

https://www.shotgunlife.com/shotguns...pressures.html

[Virginian]

With modern shotshells and wads, barrel scouring would be of very scant concern to me with any non toxic shot, but I would not shoot steel or other hard non toxic shot without having steel safe choke tubes added first. Yes you can have the chokes opened up and try it, but if you're wrong you've wrecked a good gun.

[Mike Irwin]

It apparently becomes a problem if the barrel lead is tight and abrupt. The inability of the shot column to reposition quickly enough as it goes through the lead can result in the shot tearing through the wad, no matter how modern it is.

[bladesmith 1]

Mod is about the tightest choke you'd want when shooting steel shot. Steel shot loads are in a protective wad so the shot isn't rubbing against the barrel. It's the fact that steel doesn't compress like lead does, so that's the reason for nothing tighter than Mod choke.

[Mike Irwin]

"Steel shot loads are in a protective wad"

Which isn't impervious to being ripped to absolute shreds as I noted in my previous post. I've seen the effects of of steel shot on both barrels and the protective wad when the wad is no longer... protective.

[FITASC]

Mod is about the tightest choke you'd want when shooting steel shot. Steel shot loads are in a protective wad so the shot isn't rubbing against the barrel. It's the fact that steel doesn't compress like lead does, so that's the reason for nothing tighter than Mod choke.

Pretty much EVERY load of shot sits in a wad (some a little over the top) to help protect it from deformation. The problem with steel is that it does NOT deform upon ignition and too tight of a choke can lead to a bulge, or worse, a ruptured barrel.

[Ricklin]

Don't buy a shotgun without checking the choke.

Many older fixed choke guns have had the choke "opened up" and that may or may not be a bad thing.
Older pre plastic shot chokes are quite "tight"

Typically a dime will not pass through the muzzle of an old full choke 12 ga. the dime is strictly a quick and dirty method of checking. A simple choke measuring tool will do the trick.

Can't put the metal back if Bubba removed too much. I once bought a very nice older Win 101 choked mod and full. The mod was fine, the full barrel not so much, it was more open than the modified.
Fortunately the seller was good about it. I bought the gun to shoot trap, so I had a double barrel SBT. He gave me full credit toward another gun.

Bummer that old Sporty retired. Store is gone now.

[HiBC]

Older forcing cones ahead of the chamber were abrupt. Not suited to steel shot.
Cut through the shot cup at the forcing cone,you don't protect the barrel.

As the steel shot mass hits the choke,it can cause a slight bulge,essentially swaging the choke taper outward. Thats a problem where the barrels are soft soldered to the rib, The solder joint fails.

Most doubles have had the barrel walls thinned as much as possible for weight reasons. Between the wall thickness and proper barrel regulation,retrofitting choke tubes is not always the answer.
Some modern doubles are made from the start to work with steel.(So I have heard. I have no experience)

I'd use the heck out of that shotgun,but I'd shoot lead or bismuth. I own the one and only Berretta O/U I will ever afford and I won't shoot steel through it. I'd buy a utility grade pump if I had to shoot steel.

If I felt a need to talk to folks who know shotgun ammo,I'd call Ballistic Products. They sell shotshell reloading components,. I'd bet they know what is safe for older doubles.

[Geezerbiker]

It might be older than you think. If it says "J Stevens Arms" it could be pre-WWII.

Tony