hoping for help with dbl. bbl. mod. #

[rphillips]

Most of the Stevens, Savage, Springfield dbl. bbl. look a lot alike, but some have the 2 pins on lower side, rear, of the breech situated different. On most, the pin closer to the rear is lower than the pin more forward. Both mine, A Springfield 20 ga. ser. # E12625 and my neighbors Springfield - J. Stevens Arms 12 ga. ser. # E34630 have the rear pin higher than the more forward pin. Wondering if this may narrow down the mod. number. Also on mine the screw holding the top snap (unbreaching lever) on is installed from the top, on my neighbors this screw is installed from the bottom. From what I've found both having a capital letter with the ser. # means they were both made between 1913 & 1939. Sorry, I know little about computers, & know nothing about putting pictures on them... Anything more than I know now greatly appreciated.

[J.Baker]

Can't help with info on the pins, but can give you the manufacture dates of both you and your friends scatter guns. Yours was made in March of 1983, while his was made in September of 1984.

This was basically the dawn of the end of the Stevens 311 side-by-sides and associated variants, as they would only remain in production for a few more years. My guess is that the difference in pin locations has to do with design changes over the years to lower production costs and/or require less hand-fitting during assembly.

Here's the page from the 1983 catalog detailing the SxS models offered that year.

https://www.savageshooters.com/attac...6&d=1425912817

[rphillips]

OOhh, this is not good from a new member. I think after 1968 Stevens ser. # were a capital letter and "always 6 numbers". Please explain how you determined the mfg. dates from our ser. #'s that have only 5 numbers, I'm trying to learn all I can about these SXS's. Both of ours are a capital letter and 5 numbers, like were used back between 1913 and 1939, and they sure look that old.. It amazes me, through what I've been able to find, how few have the external top snap screw and rear pin higher than the front. Knowing how many different models and variants use the same actions, these noticeable different actions should lead to a more definite mfg. date, even if they may have been used in different models. Hard to imagine Stevens didn't stamp a model # on the guns. Mine and my bud's gun look exactly the same mechanically, but his frame is completely blank and mine has scroll work all over it, deer in woods on bottom, pheasants flying out of grass on one side, and geese flying off water on other side. Mine also has the 1915 pat. that his with a later ser# does not have.... Really odd how Stevens did things back then... All or any info. really appreciated.

[J.Baker]

And therein lies the problem with Savage's history...the records just weren't preserved in many cases so it's hard to tell. Then factor in the additional complexity that J. Stevens (and Fox) had their own serial numbering systems prior to being purchased by Savage, so that's another wrench in the works when it comes to trying to figure things out. But hey, at least you and your friends both have serial numbers, most lower grade or "budget" guns didn't back in those days as it wasn't required by law.

Definitely earlier guns than I initially thought in my previous reply - guess I should have read past the serial numbers before pulling out my S/N cheat sheet. Unfortunately the two books I have that also cover early J. Steven's firearms really only cover the Tip-ups and their rimfire rifles up through the 1920's. They don't get into the SxS's or any other utility models at all.

[rphillips]

Now I can't find where I read the Stevens SXS ser. # thing. I know it said Stevens used only numbers from the beginning till 1912, 1913 thru 1939 they used a capital letter with 5 numbers. 1940 thru 1968 the SXS's had no ser. #. In 1968 the U.S. govt mandated the gun mfg. to put ser #'s on all new guns. If I understood it right, Stevens started using a capital letter and a 6 digit number. started with A000,001 thru A999.999, then changed to B000,001 thru B999,999, then C000,001 etc. Only thing I can verify is my Stevens 311 with a date code of 1962 has no ser. # anywhere.