Thank you! Date of Manufacture Assistance -Stevens 311C
First of all, please allow me to say, "Thank You for allowing me to join your Forum!" I believe that your forum may be the perfect place for me to consult EXPERTS on vintage Stevens shotguns. I recently purchased an old Stevens 311C double barrel shotgun (12 gauge) from a local pawn shop. It is in pretty bad shape and I got it for a decent price. I intend to refurbish/restore it. I have already consulted Boyd's about getting a new Type 1 Walnut stock and matching Semi-beavertail (round shoe) Walnut forend. I have also consulted a gunsmith to have the barrels reblued (Hot Blue) and another gunsmith who specializes in Case Hardening to have the receiver case hardened. Over the last several weeks, I have spent some time perusing your Forum (prior to joining) for information on how I might determine the date of my shotgun's manufacture. I have located an "A" inside a circle, beside an "E" inside a circle, beside 2 "tick" marks on the flat part of the receiver where the barrels rest. I have found those same Letters/Circles/Tick Marks on the underside of the right barrel where it rests on the receiver. I have 3 photos of those Letters/Circles/Tick Marks on the flat, upper part of the receiver where it meets the barrels but I can't seem to figure out how to Attach or Insert or Copy & Paste them here. I have also found on the bottom of the receiver (in the middle), very near where the receiver meets the forend, another circle with a capital letter and number. I also have a photo of it but, it is very hard to see and, once again, my poor computer skills are not up to the challenge of posting them here. I originally had thought that it was a Maker's Mark because the stamp was not very deep and appeared to be worn down. But, I hit the bottom of the receiver lightly with some steel wool to remove some patina and get a closer look at it. I used chalk on it and then examined it under Jeweler's (magnifying)Glasses. I saw (H3) in a circle. I asked another to person to look at it and tell me what she saw (without telling her what I saw). She told me that she saw H2 or H3 (she couldn't be certain about the number) inside a circle. So, could this (H3, inside a circle on the bottom of the receiver where it meets the forend) be the "code" to determine the year of manufacture? If so, Isn't that conflicting information? According to what I've read,....H should mean....1956. However, the stamp on the right side of the receiver says, "WESTFIELD, MASS U.S.A.",....meaning it was made sometime between 1961 and 1968.....??? One other thing:.....the stock (damaged beyond repair,...several cracks and a hunk of wood missing where it joins the receiver) and the forend (also going to be replaced,....1 major crack & 1 minor crack) are both made of American Walnut. I understand that a number of the larger firearm manufacturers (Winchester, Remington, etc.) made the move away from American Walnut to the less expensive "hardwoods" (Beech/Maple/etc.) in 1964/1965. Would the fact that the original stock/forend are made of American Walnut help to narrow down the year of manufacture?.....I'm fairly certain that Stevens also made the move away from Walnut to "hardwoods" because my brother and I had a Stevens Model 94 shotguns (He had a 16 gauge and I had a 20 gauge) when we were kids (the 1970's) and they had "hardwood" stocks/forends. Is there anyone here in this Forum who might be able to help me identify in which year my "new" Stevens 311C was made? I understand that I could have purchased another more expensive and nicer shotgun for what I will be spending on this Stevens 311C but,....I felt it calling to me. Anyway,...Thank you for allowing me to join and I would greatly appreciate any information that any of you might be able to provide to me regarding the year of manufacture of my new Baby!
