311 SxS info needed

[F15H]

I just bought a really nice looking 311 16 gauge. I was wonderig if there was a web site or something somewhere about this shotgun. Or if a member here had the time to answer all of my questions. I have a lot of questions with no answers. Any help on where to look would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Keith (F15H)

 

[Dave McCracken]

Paging Okiecruffler.....

Hang on,Keith, our resident 311 maven should be with you shortly.

 

[F15H]

I knew I could count on you guys. This is my first 16 ga. It's kinda interesting.

 

[Okiecruffler]

Thought I heard something

There's no website, yet... Or at least none that I've found. I may be able to answer some of your questions. I don't really know that much about them, I just horde the silly things. And congrats on a great SG. I can't imagine much of a better upland game gun than a 311 16ga.

 

[halvey]

I swear I read a post where someone listed all the variations of the 311. Like the 12 ga comes in F/F 26" and I/M 28 inch or something. Does anyone know about all the variations in the 311?

I have the .410 version that I really like and hasn't been shot a lot. Of course my gun club is steel only, so it won't get shot a lot unfortunately.

 

[halvey]

Found it!

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http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34860&highlight=311

There's a chart in the '67 Shooter's Bible that lists info for Stevens marked 311.

12 guage

barrel: 26" IC/M
28" M/F
30" M/F

The 16 and 20 guage barrels follow the same pattern. The .410 is F/F.
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Anyone know if there are other variations? Is there a tool I can haul around to the gun shops to double check. As you can see, I'm a novice...

 

[joab]

Heres the schematics if it helps any


Numerich Also has schematics for ...
311
311A
311C
311C SERIES F
311C SERIES H
311D
311D SERIES F
311D SERIES H
311E
311E SERIES F
311E SERIES H
312

 

[m14nut]

Hey Okie!

What can you tell me about a Stevens 530a?
I just acquired one in 16 that's in minty condition. It has no Serial that I can see, and the gun guy I purchased it from says it's from the 1940's
Is there a way to date this gun?

It's a single trigger 16, 28" bbls, and some of the nicest walnut I've seen, and nice case color left.
I'll post a pic if'n it would help....

sorry, not trying to hijack the thread....

 

[Okiecruffler]

I don't have any 530's, but I'm looking at a couple. I know how to date the 311's, at least those made after 1949, but I'm not sure if the same rule applies to the 530. Look for a letter stamped on the frame in a circle, or if the serial number begins in a letter. In 1949 they were stamped with an A, in 1950 a B, and so on. I think they stopped this system at X in 1970. I can tell you that the 530's were made from 1936 to 1954 concurrently with the 311's that were made from 1931 to 1948 as a Springfield, and from 1949 to 1989 as a Stevens. I don't really see that much difference in the models, except the 530's I'm looking at seem to have better wood and checkering and they have double beads that I've never seen on 311's. Maybe after market, but the chances of 2 with the same after market double beads is pretty slim.

 

[m14nut]

Nope,
My 530 has double beads also.
Here are a few pics...

The gun was in good shape when I received it, just dirty and the wood filled with crud. I was able to strip the wood, and refinished it with 10 coats of Tung oil.
It's really well made, but then they went and put a white metal triggerguard on it. It was so abused that I refinishe that in a spray and bake teflon.

The splinter forearm also was cracked sometime in it's life, but was repaired with epoxy.
Oh, by the way, the circle stamp is 12F.

Thanks for letting me run this thread for a bit, and thanks for the info on the 311's too!

Chris~

 

[Okiecruffler]

You're right, that is a very nice looking piece. Great job on the wood BTW. If the 530's are dated the same way that would put your's to be made in 1954, but like I said, I'm not sure if all of them were marked the same way. As far as the number 12, I've never found anyone who knows what the number means.

 

[cane]

Since we have some knowledgable folks here, what's the difference between a 311 and a 511?

 

[MrMurphy]

Savage has started making them again (they bought out Stevens I believe).. I think it's Savage.

 

[Okiecruffler]

311's were actually marketed under many names, Springfield, Riverside, and Super Value. The 511's I've seen have been SuperValue guns. So what's the difference? Nothing that I have seen except you don't see many of them.

The 411 that was recently imported by Savage is actually a Russian made shotgun. The one I played with was about as good as any Russian gun I've seen, but it wasn't a 311. But in my eyes, what is?

 

[Okiecruffler]

Forgot to add that the Savage 411 is no more, apparently too many people like me figured they'd just as soon buy a good 311 for the same price. Rumor is that Remington will begin importing, but I haven't cared enough to look.

 

[m14nut]

My 311, my other SxS Stevens, has [had] the worst stocks on it. They were of good construction and size, but were birch or beech with this terrible brown stain that was about one step away from paint.
I was under the impression that 311's were walnut stocked?

Not a Collector of Steven's, but one who appreciates a great field shotgun, I stripped off all that brown crap to find this beautiful beech[birch]. Two coats of a light mahogany stain, and 10 coats of Forbys tung oil, and this stock has turned out great also. [pic to follow]
I had to cut it down about 1/2" also, as the LOP was waaaaaay too long for me to shoulder the gun from the carry position.
Okie, this one is a 311, series H. Got any info [general] on the H series????

Thanks again,
Chris~

 

[Okiecruffler]

My favorite is a 311H

It was my first, given to me by my grandad many moons ago. It's taken everything from field rats to turkey, and I'm sure I've shot many more rounds thru it than the designer ever had in mind. It also has a refinished birch stock, along with a Pachmyer whiteline recoil pad. As far as I know the only differences between the models are slight cosmetic ones, The H has a better contoured forend I think. Most I've seen have checkering at the pistol grip and the forend, but some haven't had and I've seen checkering on all the models. I think the reason I've had such a time of fonding out the differences is that Stevens/Savage wasn't real specific. There are a few variations on the H. There's a vented rib model, I've only seen one and the guy wanted $750 for it. There's also a model H Waterfouler choked F/F with 32" tubes. I just learned that there was a 311R made especially for LE with 18.25" tubes, but since it was made between '82 and '89 I'll bet not many went to police departments. I'm getting closer and closer to having enough info for my website, if I just wasn't so computer illiterate.

 

[m14nut]

Here's some pics of mine.

Never mind the lab who goes nutz when he sees the bird gun come out!!!

 

[Okiecruffler]

Very nice indeed. I've never seen that checkering pattern on the forearm, all of mine have 2 small diamond patterns. I've got to get some way to get some pictures up.

 

[Hemicuda]

I've been known to allow the occasional 311 to follow me home... I gots em in 12, 16, and 20... fine guns... I'd let another truckload or 3 in my door, and enjoy every one of them...

 

[m14nut]

The serial of mine starts with "E"....
what year was it made?????

 

[halvey]

I have a chance to buy a Stevens 5100 with what is advertised as 26 1/4" barrels.

Is this a cut down or were these barrels a bit longer than 26 inches?

Anything about the 5100 that differs greatly from the standard 311? I'm at work and do not have access to my Gun Trader book...

 

[Okiecruffler]

"E" is a 1953

The 5100, IIRC, was one of the guns produced under the Springfield stamp. Not sure of the barel lengths.

 

[joab]

m14nut
You'r looks exactly like mine except that your'has a strange and vaguely familiar blue coloring on the barrels.

My serial # is D996xxx does that mean anything to you Okie

 

[Okiecruffler]

If it's not marked with a letter inside a circle, usually behind the hinge pin or just in front of the trigger guard, from what I've been told, you go by the letter before the serial #. So a "D" would be a 1952.