gregintenn
Member
When the question is "which gun to buy", my go to answer is always BOTH!
Sentimentality or Quality? Which gun to buy??**It's Here!!!PICS ADDED!!!**
- Thread starter policerevolvercollector
- Start date
Any side by side in a gauge smaller than 12 is commanding a premium, especially if it is choked improved cyl/modified. I have been looking for a long time and would love to have a 16 gauge double trigger gun with straight english grip and open chockes.
OP
policerevolvercollector
Member
Dang it, Charles - I think I have your old gun.
Somehow it made its way to Albuquerque, where it languished at Ron Peterson's for about 20 minutes before I scarfed it up.
I'd trade you out of one of your sweet revolvers, but I got this to also replace a long lost childhood gun, so I think I'll hang on to it.
My favorite thing about the great 16 gauge? Purple shells, of course.
I'd say buy that fancy Fox, but keep looking for the gun of your youth.
Oh my!!!
Brad ...... We really need to talk!! Who says it has to be ONE of my "sweet" revolvers???
My aunt gave me a couple shotguns that had been in her side of the family since the 1920's. One was a old TRIUMPH 12ga single shot and the other was not model marked but it is marked Springfield over J. Stevens Arms Co. on the left side. No other marks on the receiver other than a 22 in a circle on the bottom near the forearm. Definitely of the 311 family. It is 16ga and was in rough shape when I got it. The home of the original family member was near a arroyo in the Rio Grande Valley down in south Texas. There was a flash flood and the garage flooded about 8 inches deep. The shotgun was sitting butt down in a corner. The moisture wicked up the stock screw channel and got into the chambers. Lots of surface rust but thankfully very little pitting. I cleaned it up and worked most of the rust out, then stripped the finish off the receiver and wood. Someone did some "trigger work" on it and occasionally the front trigger will slip past the stop and hang up. I have a front and rear trigger on order from Numrich.
The early Stevens SxS's are a somewhat confusing bunch.
I think what you have is a version of the early coil spring striker fired action SxS. This was the G.E.Lewis designed shotgun that was pat in April/1915 and usually carries that pat date somewhere on the frame.
They made several versions.
Riverside Model 315,,half pistol grip w/ checkered stock(came out before WW1)
Stevens Model 330,,full pistol grip (w/grip cap I think) and checkered stocks. (came out early 1920's)
Springfield Model 311,,plain pistol grip stock with no checkering.(It came on the market in the late 1920's.)
They are all Model '315' actions,,coil spring striker fired.
The Springfield 311 is completely different from the later hammer fired Model 311 most everyone is familiar with. Just a recycling of the model # by the manufacturer.
The 315 action has the side pins on the frame wider spaced and in a different arrangement on the frame than the later hammer fired 311 action. Also a large screw head is visable on top of the top of lever of the 315 style action, not there on the later hammer fired 311.
(careful tightening/loosening of that screw can be used to adjust the 315 to lock and unlock smoothly)
This earlier Springfield Model 311 built on the 315 coil spring striker fired action is what I believe you have.
12,16,20 and 410
All 2 3/4" chambered xcept 410 which was 2 1/2".
Made and marked as all sorts of different brand and retailer names also.
Excellent job 'bringing it back'!
I think what you have is a version of the early coil spring striker fired action SxS. This was the G.E.Lewis designed shotgun that was pat in April/1915 and usually carries that pat date somewhere on the frame.
They made several versions.
Riverside Model 315,,half pistol grip w/ checkered stock(came out before WW1)
Stevens Model 330,,full pistol grip (w/grip cap I think) and checkered stocks. (came out early 1920's)
Springfield Model 311,,plain pistol grip stock with no checkering.(It came on the market in the late 1920's.)
They are all Model '315' actions,,coil spring striker fired.
The Springfield 311 is completely different from the later hammer fired Model 311 most everyone is familiar with. Just a recycling of the model # by the manufacturer.
The 315 action has the side pins on the frame wider spaced and in a different arrangement on the frame than the later hammer fired 311 action. Also a large screw head is visable on top of the top of lever of the 315 style action, not there on the later hammer fired 311.
(careful tightening/loosening of that screw can be used to adjust the 315 to lock and unlock smoothly)
This earlier Springfield Model 311 built on the 315 coil spring striker fired action is what I believe you have.
12,16,20 and 410
All 2 3/4" chambered xcept 410 which was 2 1/2".
Made and marked as all sorts of different brand and retailer names also.
Excellent job 'bringing it back'!
This is my advice as well....
You have'nt shouldered that original gun in over 30 years
so it might not even "fit" you now of you found one.
Get what feels best on your arm.
Chuck
model70hunter
Member
My Dad had a Stevens 311 in 16. I used it more than he did after quail went missing. He traded it in on a Fox Model B thinking it was a Philadelphia Fox. I used to see one in an LGS and considered getting the gun of my youth, but never did, I thought it would just sit. No comparison to the Westey Richards or Parkers or AH Foxes I had and used then.
Starting about 10 years ago I went on a rampage of buying guns I used to own and loved, a Colt SAA, 4 Pythons, 3 in 4' and 1 in 6", a model 29-2, Colt 1911's, a Model 100 Win in 308, a Marlin 1895 and more.
Oddly they did not have the lure of my youth. They sat, they collected dust. When I looked at them I did not know them. They were not my first deer rifle, nor the early post war K-22 that had built in lazer sighting, nor my NIB 4" Nickle Python duty weapon I bought, nor my 1st 29-2 and on and on. Other than I later sold all for exactly what I paid for them, Mr IRS guy I realized I could not buy my youth back. When I had those guns I usually had one deer rifle, a 22 of sorts and a shotgun. I ran the woods using them, they became an extension of me.
The guns were the same, I had changed. I no longer had 3 or 4 guns to use, I also no longer run the woods like a turpentined deer, more like a terrapin.
I sold 4 or so K-22's keeping the best shooting one and as a bonus it has the original box.
yes, It is I who has changed. Finding my Dad's 311 in 16 won't help. I do have a bunch of Dad's guns and my Bro has the other half. I use his old deer rifle. Others just sit.
I have narrowed my collection by many after retirement, sold some to buy cows. But I often wonder if all the Model 12's were reduced to a 12 and a 16 and the Benellis went down the road and I kept the rescue M-37 Ithaca I rebuilt if I could sneak by on shotguns or if I sold all my 22's except Dad's old Ruger and a Marlin M-25 I glass bedded and used Dad's old M-70 in 270 Win for deer and Varmints like I used to if it would be enough or real enough to make some more special.
My first Lab got to be pretty famous, all since him have paled as a hunter, even though they hunted well and were my 24x7 friend. My 2nd or third horse was super special, those since him are just horses. This may illustrate how frustrating it can be to recapture a slice of time that has moved on.
I ran across a Parker 16 gauge in the "O" frame and and looked at it, I mounted it and remembered flying feathers and retrieves when I had one. Having another might make me sad that I can't fly over ridges and run fields like a turpentined deer.
Today I look for guns I have not had, models and brands that do not have the baggage of my youth strapped to thier backs.
Starting about 10 years ago I went on a rampage of buying guns I used to own and loved, a Colt SAA, 4 Pythons, 3 in 4' and 1 in 6", a model 29-2, Colt 1911's, a Model 100 Win in 308, a Marlin 1895 and more.
Oddly they did not have the lure of my youth. They sat, they collected dust. When I looked at them I did not know them. They were not my first deer rifle, nor the early post war K-22 that had built in lazer sighting, nor my NIB 4" Nickle Python duty weapon I bought, nor my 1st 29-2 and on and on. Other than I later sold all for exactly what I paid for them, Mr IRS guy I realized I could not buy my youth back. When I had those guns I usually had one deer rifle, a 22 of sorts and a shotgun. I ran the woods using them, they became an extension of me.
The guns were the same, I had changed. I no longer had 3 or 4 guns to use, I also no longer run the woods like a turpentined deer, more like a terrapin.
I sold 4 or so K-22's keeping the best shooting one and as a bonus it has the original box.
yes, It is I who has changed. Finding my Dad's 311 in 16 won't help. I do have a bunch of Dad's guns and my Bro has the other half. I use his old deer rifle. Others just sit.
I have narrowed my collection by many after retirement, sold some to buy cows. But I often wonder if all the Model 12's were reduced to a 12 and a 16 and the Benellis went down the road and I kept the rescue M-37 Ithaca I rebuilt if I could sneak by on shotguns or if I sold all my 22's except Dad's old Ruger and a Marlin M-25 I glass bedded and used Dad's old M-70 in 270 Win for deer and Varmints like I used to if it would be enough or real enough to make some more special.
My first Lab got to be pretty famous, all since him have paled as a hunter, even though they hunted well and were my 24x7 friend. My 2nd or third horse was super special, those since him are just horses. This may illustrate how frustrating it can be to recapture a slice of time that has moved on.
I ran across a Parker 16 gauge in the "O" frame and and looked at it, I mounted it and remembered flying feathers and retrieves when I had one. Having another might make me sad that I can't fly over ridges and run fields like a turpentined deer.
Today I look for guns I have not had, models and brands that do not have the baggage of my youth strapped to thier backs.
I hope the 16s aren't as high as the .410, man those things are expensive now.
I thought I was the only one with this problem. For me my first shotgun was a Winchester 410 Model 37, with the "red letter" Winchester on the bottom of the receiver. I hunted and shot with this gun from the time that I was about 10 or 11 until I went into the military. Later I sold it.... I've regretted it ever since.
It was not an uncommon gun when I was growing up, but as I browse the gun shows now, the "red letter" versions, especially in that gauge are now expensive collectors items. I have yet to find one in the nice condition that mine was in, at a price that seems reasonable. And they are rare in almost any condition.
But one day I will replace it, just to have one of the companions of my youth!
Best Regards, Les
It was not an uncommon gun when I was growing up, but as I browse the gun shows now, the "red letter" versions, especially in that gauge are now expensive collectors items. I have yet to find one in the nice condition that mine was in, at a price that seems reasonable. And they are rare in almost any condition.
But one day I will replace it, just to have one of the companions of my youth!
Best Regards, Les
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I have always wanted a 410 double if I was still into rabbit hunting I would buy one, a few years ago I was in a high end gun shop, they had a pair of 410's, I don't know what kind they were, asking price was 30K
OP
policerevolvercollector
Member
Well, my problem solved itself.
By the time I got back to the guy with the Fox B, it was sold. The guy asked if I'd be interested in this other 16 gauge SxS. It is a Stevens 311(not "A") 28" Modified/Full made in 1959 by date code. It was $290 shipped and as you might guess has a new home!!! !!!!! Pics will follow when it gets here (bought it online).
Best,
Charles
By the time I got back to the guy with the Fox B, it was sold. The guy asked if I'd be interested in this other 16 gauge SxS. It is a Stevens 311(not "A") 28" Modified/Full made in 1959 by date code. It was $290 shipped and as you might guess has a new home!!!
!!!!! Pics will follow when it gets here (bought it online).Best,
Charles
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I like the Savage/Stevens SxS shotguns, owned a bunch over the years. They are not hand fitted like some of the finer guns out there but are very strong and total workhorses that hold up well for those that hunt a lot. I have a 20 ga 311 that was fired little and stored wrong, it has a lot of rust on it. I use it for a rainy day back up hunting gun to save the Beretta. The last Saturday we hunted Pheasants it rained and turned to heavy snow, the 311 was with me.
Glad it worked out for you finding the replacement. Did it have the barrel length you wanted? Still time to hunt with it, have fun. Larry
Glad it worked out for you finding the replacement. Did it have the barrel length you wanted? Still time to hunt with it, have fun. Larry
Lee's Landing Billy
Member
Man!! I like a story with a good ending!!! Good luck and enjoy. As for me, I am a pitiful sort. I have never owned anything that was as good as the "want" that went with it.
fiasconva
US Veteran
I hope you went out and bought a lottery ticket too. Ya dun gud!
OP
policerevolvercollector
Member
It arrived today!!! It "fits" & feels just I like I remember my old one did!
It is a 311A & dates by date code to 1959. It is marked 311 on the left and 311A on the right in a much smaller font.
Best,
Charles
It is a 311A & dates by date code to 1959. It is marked 311 on the left and 311A on the right in a much smaller font.
Best,
Charles
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The good thing is there is still time to go hunting with it, nothing like a good old Stevens. It has walnut for the stock, found a nice gun. Larry
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OP
policerevolvercollector
Member
Dang it, Charles - I think I have your old gun.
Somehow it made its way to Albuquerque, where it languished at Ron Peterson's for about 20 minutes before I scarfed it up.
I'd trade you out of one of your sweet revolvers, but I got this to also replace a long lost childhood gun, so I think I'll hang on to it.
My favorite thing about the great 16 gauge? Purple shells, of course.
I'd say buy that fancy Fox, but keep looking for the gun of your youth.
Brad,
Now, we need to get together and throw some clays!!! JohnRippert is invited too!!
Charles
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