I have, on loan from my mother, a Stevens 311 in 12 gauge. It was her father's hunting gun, probably purchased at a Sears & Roebuck store in the early 1950s, and Mom has had it since 1959. I don't know when it was last fired--it might have been fired in '81 or '82, and probably again a couple years ago, but otherwise has been mostly ignored. I've known of this gun since I was a child, of course, but my family (aside from my maternal grandfather) was not fond of firearms.

Visually, it appears to be in good working order. The only real damage I've seen is that the trigger guard is broken at one end. I've found a replica for a Jackson plus shipping, and will probably order one soon. I haven't fired this thing (or any shotgun), but have been curious about it. The barrel is LONG.

The range I use is an indoor one, and they only allow slugs from shotguns, as the shot scatter is apparently hard on the range equipment. I have no reason to be a jerk about it, and won't.

I haven't taken any pictures yet, but will soon. I've been told that the blueing is called "bone blueing," with an explanation of the technique that went past me at the time, but the result is an interesting mix of coloration.

I didn't know this grandfather well--I saw him a few times before he died, but I was a small child. He was an invalid, having suffered at least one or two strokes subsequent to a horrible burn incident when my mother was a teenager. During WWII, he flew Civil Air Patrol off the coast of Norfolk at night, and reputedly taught women to work on airplanes in the daytime. Otherwise, he was apparently not a nice person. All of this gives me mixed feelings about having this tactile reminder of him, but I choose to focus on that he enjoyed hunting with this gun.

Looks like a nice slightly older shotgun. Is there any rust pitting on it?? Or in the barrels? If not, then great.

Might this be given to you??

there's a video and more info here:
https://lonestarstatefirearms.com/savag ... -12-gauge/

Hiker wrote: Sat Nov 19, 2022 1:35 pm Looks like a nice slightly older shotgun. Is there any rust pitting on it?? Or in the barrels? If not, then great.

Might this be given to you??

there's a video and more info here:
https://lonestarstatefirearms.com/savag ... -12-gauge/

Oh, I'm sure it will be mine eventually. Mom hasn't fired it since she was a teenager. A then-boyfriend shot it a couple times forty years ago, and another long-time friend may have fired it a couple years ago. There was some discussion of having it ready for home defense a couple years ago (their Neighborhood app was busy with reports of break-ins), but since nobody in that house has shot the thing in decades, I think they've gotten over the idea of waving it around as a potential deterrent (the other home defense guns were: A) a .25ACP Titan that stove-piped on me twice in fifty rounds, and that I talked her into selling because it was more of a danger to her than to anyone else, and B) a .22LR rifle that had belonged to my stepfather's father, and is apparently a nice rifle, but is in need of some TLC to look as pretty as it should). The loan may become long-term/permanent, but if she wants it back, I'll take it back to her. I bought them some low-recoil rounds a year or two ago, but I don't think they know where that ammunition is.

There is very little rust, if any. I will run a stiff brush through the barrels before I load it, but the only thing other than fairly clean metal I see is a cobweb or two. The furniture is in decent condition--a little bit of cautious cleaning and a bit of polish is probably all it needs. Yes, there are a couple scratches here and there--the gun has mostly been sitting, but has been with Mom for sixty years and fifteen or seventeen changes of address.

I told my coworker who used to be a gunsmith that I have it, and his immediate response was something along the lines of "Oh, a nice classic!"

A few pictures, because I know people want pictures:

Bellissimo! I would sell a pinky finger for it

tonguengroover wrote: Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:21 pm Bellissimo! I would sell a pinky finger for it

Amusing, but I'm not able to sell it (it belongs to my mother).

I got to shoot it today. The range I frequent requires that shotgun folks use slugs rather than shot, for what seem valid reasons, so I had a box of five Federal 1-ounce slugs for a start.

I don't know whether bird loads are "more fun," but slugs are not fun with this gun. I *might* try it again with a recoil pad of some sort, but that was not a fun long gun to shoot.

The holes in the paper from ONE round suggest that there was more than the slug going out the end of the barrel.

I was a little surprised that the RSO commented that he hadn't seen anyone shoot a side-by-side shotgun at that range before, but he was young.

The gun is aesthetically pleasing as a hunting gun, for certain. I'll be happy to accept information regarding how to make it be less unpleasant to shoot this thing.

I don't know that I'll give it back to my mom, though, purely as a safety issue. If she or my stepfather were to actually use it, it would probably knock them over backward. I'd rather them have an AR-15...

Congratulations on having a nice old SxS. As far as making it less unpleasant to shoot, with a 1 ounce slug in 12 gauge, what you're basically shooting is a 475 grain slug out of a 75 caliber gun. You're surprised that it has recoil?

Using shot shells will be quite different. Slugs make no sense for home defense.

You could do what I did and get a good recoil pad. Limbsaver makes some that are very good. I use their Classic Slip-on so as not to change the stock. They are offered in different sizes.

If the shotgun will be for home defense you should read this:

Https://www.tactical-life.com/gear/ammo ... -ammo-test

It's good info, and you can ignore all the other stuff and ad's. A lot of people have the wrong idea about shotguns...

As for the extra holes in the target, you were shooting a slug (meant for open cylinder bores) through a (almost certainly) choked bore. The extra holes were lead that was shaved off by the choke. That also may have contributed to the recoil...

Did you use rifled slugs? Surprisingly I've never shot slugs before. I always worry about a full choke and slug.

The so called "security" shotguns (18 1/2 or 20" or shorter) are all open cylinder bore as far as I know. Hunting and skeet guns will be choked to one degree or another. The choke, if any, should be marked on the barrel. Mine are...the SxS is left-full, right-mod. The two Mossberg are open.

Of course, many single barrel hunting shotguns use accessory chokes that screw into the barrel. You should know if yours is like that...

This thing is not threaded for accessory chokes. I'll look again, but I don't recall seeing any choke markings, either. I didn't sense a difference in the comparative recoil.

I'm glad to know that birdshot loads would have less recoil. The range where I go requires slugs to reduce damage to their equipment, so I used slugs.

Given the range (15-20 yards), I thought it possible that there are other elements in the shell that tumbled as they flew toward the target. The slugs made obvious and round holes in the paper. The other holes were tears. Or, as noted, it could have been shavings of lead from the slugs.

You may want to do a little research about shotgun slugs on Wikipedia. Good info there. Since that's an old gun you don't want to use the wrong kind of slug. Yes, there are different types used for different things...

Also, remember that a 12 gauge shotgun equates to approximately .75 caliber. In other words it's a big bore. When firing, pull that puppy in as tight as you can, and lean into it.

I suppose the additional tears might have been from wads or cups depending upon which type of slug you used.

Who knew shotguns could be so complicated, eh?

rascally wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:54 pm You may want to do a little research about shotgun slugs on Wikipedia. Good info there. Since that's an old gun you don't want to use the wrong kind of slug. Yes, there are different types used for different things...

Also, remember that a 12 gauge shotgun equates to approximately .75 caliber. In other words it's a big bore. When firing, pull that puppy in as tight as you can, and lean into it.

I suppose the additional tears might have been from wads or cups depending upon which type of slug you used.

Who knew shotguns could be so complicated, eh?

Since the original owner (my maternal grandfather) mostly hunted small game (squirrels, rabbits, etc.), and since I have other, better-for-me firearms for home defense, I will probably limit future use of this to outdoor ranges where I can use game loads instead of slugs. I'll watch for some low-recoil ammo (my stepfather wasn't able to quickly locate what I had bought him), and try again some time.

The choke size is often on the part of the barrel that is hidden by the fore end and receiver. There should be some numbers there to identify choke (of also things like proofing pressure, date identifier, and more). You can look up tables of shotgun choke constriction and probably find a match (or near so). If it’s made in Europe there’s a good chance the numbers are in metric.

If the extra holes are very large, then they could be wadding. If they’re little, then shavings from the slug through the choke? Get some target loads and ask to visit a club near by to you that has a sporting clays course. Even if you pay for a lesson, it could be worth it (I enjoy that quite a bit).

Quo

The finish on a 311 is hot caustic bluing for all blued parts, and cyanide dip case hardening on the receiver. Similar to how Uberti does their SAA replicas.

FrontSight wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:33 am The finish on a 311 is hot caustic bluing for all blued parts, and cyanide dip case hardening on the receiver. Similar to how Uberti does their SAA replicas.

I had also heard that called "bone blueing," but on a quick web search, I think the term you use is more accurate.

Wow. It's been more than a year since I fired this beast.

My spouse, when offered a chance to shoot it, IMMEDIATELY declined, based on my description of my own experience. I really think that, at some level, I need instruction on this thing AND a recoil pad to make it less awful to shoot.

Regarding choke issues: I'm far from an expert on such things, but I kind of think that a choke would *reduce* the felt recoil rather than add to it, as the choke would add resistance to the projectile leaving the barrel, and in effect pull the gun away from my shoulder rather than push into my shoulder. I may be way the heck off base, of course. And, as noted before, I've not seen any markings indicating any choke at all on this gun. I'll look again before I take it to the range again (and I'm pretty sure I'll get a recoil pad before I try this thing again--it was NOT fun before).

It's kind of a shame, really, that this thing isn't more enjoyable (or less painful) to shoot. I didn't know this ancestor well, and despite that he was probably an awful person in several other ways, there is some weird part of me that wants to connect to him through his hunting gun.

The ejecta, whether slug, shot, or anything else, is not being pulled away from the gun, but pushed by the high pressure gas, supported ultimately by the shooter. Some guy named Newton had a bit to say about it in one of those Laws of Motion rants. Any resistance to movement of the projectile within the gun would stress the the gun/projectile but would not be felt by the shooter, just as you don't feel chamber pressure.

Pads can help, but increase length of pull, which would aid a short gun and a long arm, but make recoil worse for the opposite. Lighter loads can help, along with a heavier gun. When I loaded shotshells, I felt that Herco seemed to lessen recoil, but that is highly subjective, possibly due to the fact that I had/have so damn much of it.

Also, there are gizmos like this...

https://www.falconstrikeusa.com/product ... ction-pad/