doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com New guy(pics fixed)

I just registered and have a few general and some specific questions. I found an older 12ga side by side and am thinking about buying it if it is in good enough shape to fire with modern shells. From the description it has 2 3/4" chambers, steel barrels(not damascus), and seems to be machanically sound. Generally what should I check? Can I measure the chambers without a chamber gauge to double check? He reblued and refinished the wood himself and looks like a decent job. I'm not after anything fancy. It has no manufacturer on it but it seems to strongly resemble an older stevens such as the 335. There is currently a riverside that looks exactly like it on gunbroker so I think that is what it is. Any tips? Any idea on value?

Here it is





and here is the riverside(which has a disturbingly high asking price)

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=65603765

Welcome to the board!

Your first two links come up with a not authorized message. Go to Photobucket and post your images. This seems to be the best site for images on this board.

A guess is all that you will get without some detailed info. The people on this board are the best in the business for the info you requested, and being so would probably not speculate any advice on a gun which is not properly identified.

Oh WAID please do not feel bad or embarrased about this, as this is the place to come and learn so please you are not being chastized. We all started somewhere.

Oops I tried posting the pictures a little different guess it doesn't work that way. Should have checked that right away. If you click on them now you can enlarge them.

I don't expect any thing particularly specific but any little tricks for checking the gun will help. Things to look for to ID the gun. I'm trying to get ready for when I have a chance to look it over.

As for the gun I want basically a functional wall hanger. Something I can take out to shoot on occasion but not any high volume. Also I'm on a college student budget and he is asking $120 obo and said he would refund my money if it didn't work.

The photos came up ok for me. Looks to be in rather poor condition. Cracked stock and who knows what else. I suggest waiting for something in better condition. You will have other choices.

Hello WAID,

It looks like that old gun has a cracked stock right behind the action as pictured in the close up of the right side of the gun. That alone should cause you to consider passing on this one. As for modern loads - most off the shelf 12 gauge loads will produce enough recoil to finish off that crack in a box or two... but the rule in old doubles is low pressure & low recoil which is managed by many loading variables. You will not be able to measure the chokes without a proper bore gauge.

Some other things to check for in any old double gun :

- Condition of bores - should be free of pitting and shiny

- Intact bottom and top barrel ribs - any separation in ribs is bad and can cause big problems

- Cracks in buttstock and forend wood

- Action and barrels tight, or "on face" - there should be no free play where barrels and action meet and parts should align with each other.

- barrels should be solid on the hing - not wiggle around when action is broken (as when loading and unloading)

There's much more but this list should be covered completely..

Hope this helps,

jmc

Thanks guys guys. I noticed the crack too. He said he fixed the crack and glass bedded the tang. Does that sound like a sufficient fix? Are there factory loads that anyone would recommend? He also said that it has full chokes on both barrels(not ideal but what I'm used to on my pump anyway).

From http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-45157.html
The Riverside double was mfg'd By J. Stevens Co. and is actually their Model 315. This is one of several utility shotguns Mfg'd by Stevens from 1877-1988.
There is a year code stamped on every Stevens double barrel shotgun produced between March 1949 and December 1968. The serial number is prefexed with a letter. If your shotgun does not have a letter preceeding the Sr# it was mfg'd prior to 1949.

In light of the previous damage to the stock, the Winchester AA Xtra-Lite 1 oz load would be a good choice for clay targets, dove, or quail and the Federal Game-Shok 1 oz Game Load 6s (available at Wal-Mart in AZ) for grouse or pheasant.

I hope the gun works out for you. If not, you might look for an honestly used but not abused Ithaca Lefever Nitro Special 12g.

Feel free to to recommend similar guns that would be on the low end of the price range. I've wanted a side by side for a long time but none of the ones I like where anywhere near what I could afford(didn't help that large bore double rifles are what usually catches my eye). This one got me thinking that maybe I could afford a double gun besides cheap coach guns and looked better than the Stevens 311s

Welcome WAID,
My opinion is; that price, starting at $750,a buy now price of $1,499 and a reserve to boot, for that.....no way!!! There's plenty of field grades out there for half the price that are three times the quality. Stay away look elsewhere.
All the best

I'm not even considering the one on gunbroker. It just happens to look exactly like it so I suspect it is the same model. The price for the one I'm looking at is $120 obo. I wish I had $750 to spend on a gun.