doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Eastern Arms 101.7 sxs, (5100)

I'm looking at a 16 ga. Eastern Arms 101.7 sxs, 28" barrels. It has Eastern Arms 101.7 on the left side of the frame and 5100 stamped on the right side of the frame. Seller wants $300. Frame still shows good case color and bluing on the barrels is at least 80%. Action is tight and bores are perfect. Can anyone tell me when it might have been made? Is $300 a reasonable price?

Also, what is the difference between this Eastern Arms 101.7 (5100) and a SXS marked Springfield - J Stevens Arms, Chicopee Falls on the left side of the frame and Eastern Arms 101.7 on the left side of the frame? The two pins through the frame near the stock are in different positions on the two guns.

If it is a Stevens 5100, does it pre-date the Stevens 311?

I used to have a 16 gauge 5100, I wish I still had it. They're old enough to have nice utility grade walnut, they're very stout and I shot mine very well on trap and upland. Unfortunately, I took it duck hunting and couldn't hit anything with it, one lone duck with two boxes of shells. I was so disgusted with myself that I stopped in a pawn shop on the way home and traded it for deep sea fishing gear. However, for trap shooting, quail and pheasants it was like I couldn't miss with the thing. $300 probably a good price, I'd pay that much for one.
Steve
PS How's your Tula doing?

There were two basic models of these Stevens, which had a generally similar appearance externally, but a different mechanism internally. One had internal swinging hammers while the other was striker fired. The 5100/311 had the internal hammers & were essentially the same gun, except as I recall the 5100 was normally better inished than the 311. The Striker fired model was a 315 & will usually have a 1915 patent date on it.
If I haven't got it reversed thr sear pins are the rear ones & on the hammer style they are lower than the front pins, down near the bottom of the frame. On the striker fired model the rear pin is higher than the front pin.

The 5100 came before the 311.
The 311 in 1940/41 I think.
Same action type but there were some changes over the years. It may account for the change in hammer & sear pin placement.
To confuse things, guns were marked with either or sometimes both designations (311 / 5100) for some time into the early 50's.

The '101.7' thing is a Sears Roebuck model designation and will be found on the guns with Stevens markings as well as the off brands. You'll see JC Higgins marked guns with the designation.

There is another early Stevens SxS that looks quite alike to the 311/5100 gun, but inside it is coil spring-striker fired, not hammer.
I don't recall what the Model number was on those. Maybe they called them 5100's too!, but I doubt it. That could account for pins being in a different place..
Lots of stampings and sheet metal formed parts inside those and can be a pain to work on.

Stevens markings, model numbers are very confusing. Just when you feel you may have it figured out, you usually don't.

Stevens(Savage actually) started using 'date codes' on their guns in 1949 and used it till 1970. Since most of the shotguns weren't serial numbered (didn't have to be by law till '68), guns in that era can sometimes be dated by the code.

http://www.wisnersinc.com/additional_info/stevens_date_code.htm

I think Stevens/Savage was no longer using the Eastern Arms alias when they started the date code system. I found one reference which states that the Stevens 311 was introduced in 1931. Not sure whether the 5100 came before or after.

I have my father's old Eastern Arms singleshot .410, on which is stamped "1929 Model". So Stevens was producing Eastern Arms guns at least that early. I'd guess late 20's-30's for the 5100 you're looking at. And from your description, agree with Rockdoc that $300 sounds like a reasonable price.

Some years back my Dad had a 16ga Eastern Arms & at the same time frame I had a Central Arms Co 20ga. Both were Steven's built guns. His was on the 5100/311 style & mine was the striker fired 315 model. My 20ga weighed in about 7lbs, so I decided if I were going to carry that much gun it may as well be a 12 & traded it off. Although I shot it well enough I have never missed it.